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E blues scale

The E blues scale has 6 notes: E – G – A – B♭ – B – D. It sounds like a minor pentatonic with the “blue note” that gives it its gritty color. It adds the diminished fifth to the minor pentatonic; it's used for blues, rock, jazz and funk solos.

  • NotesE – G – A – B♭ – B – D
  • FormulaT½ – T – S – S – T½ – T
  • Notes per octave6 notes
  • ParallelE major

E blues scale on piano

EGABDEB♭

E blues scale on guitar

123456789101112EEGAB♭BDEAAB♭BDEGADDEGAB♭BDGGAB♭BDEGBBDEGAB♭BEEGAB♭BDE

All the notes of the scale from fret 0 to 12, with the tonic (E) highlighted in color. Strings run from the 1st (top) to the 6th (bottom), as in tablature.

Degrees and intervals

DegreeNoteInterval from the tonic
1Eroot
♭3Gminor third
4Aperfect fourth
♭5B♭diminished fifth
5Bperfect fifth
♭7Dminor seventh

From one note to the next, the scale moves like this: T½ – T – S – S – T½ – T (T = whole step, S = half step, T½ = step and a half). That pattern is the same in every key: once you learn it, you can build the blues scale from any note.

How to practice this scale

  • Play it slowly with a metronome, one note per beat, and only speed up once it sounds even.
  • Sing the note names while you play it: that way you train your ear and your memory at the same time.
  • On guitar, learn it in “boxes”: five positions that repeat along the neck. Start with the one that has the tonic on the 6th string.
  • Improvise over a backing track or a single chord: with these notes almost nothing sounds “wrong”, so it's ideal for losing your fear.

Frequently asked questions

What are the notes of the E blues scale?

The E blues scale has 6 notes: E – G – A – B♭ – B – D. Its formula is T½ – T – S – S – T½ – T (T = whole step, S = half step, T½ = one and a half steps).

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