Scales › major blues

major blues scale

major blues, ♭3 blue note

6 notes

RC 9D b3Eb 3E 5G 13A

guide tones (3rd & 7th — the heart of the sound) avoid (strong clash)

C · D · Eb · E · G · A

Play in the key of

major blues on the guitar: the fretboard diagram

Here is the major blues scale laid out across the whole neck, from fret 0 to fret 15. The guide tones (3rd and 7th) are highlighted — they're what makes the scale's color sing. Use the key selector above to shift the shape along the neck and find the positions in your key.

E 3 5 13 R 9 b3 3 5 B R 9 b3 3 5 13 R 9 G 5 13 R 9 b3 3 5 13 D 9 b3 3 5 13 R 9 b3 3 A 13 R 9 b3 3 5 13 R E 3 5 13 R 9 b3 3 5 0123456789101112131415

What color?

Major pentatonic enriched with the b3 blue note that rubs against the major third, the characteristic blend of major and minor. A playful, bluesy color, ideal for sliding from the b3 to the 3 in a major phrase.

Origin & history

The major pentatonic tinted with a "blue note" (♭3). It is the color of country licks, rock'n'roll, and blues in a major key.

Which chords to play it on?

Outside the functional consensus: this is an exploration color. Lay it over a vamp or a held chord to tint your improvisation with an unexpected flavor, rather than inside a cadence.

Try it in a real chart

Paste a chord chart into the tool: Pentania tells you, chord by chord, when this scale fits — and what other colors are open to you. Open the tool →