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A major blues scale

It has 6 notes: A B C C# E F#. Formula: 1 2 ♭3 3 5 6.

Degree12♭3356
NoteABCC#EF#

Patterns

Strings run like tab: high e on top. Numbers are scale degrees; amber dots are the root.

Box 5Frets 2–5 · root A
eBGDAE2345612b335612b33561
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 2 (6), 5 (1)
  • B: 2 (3), 5 (5)
  • G: 2 (1), 4 (2), 5 (b3)
  • D: 2 (5), 4 (6)
  • A: 2 (2), 3 (b3), 4 (3)
  • E: 2 (6), 5 (1)
Box 1Frets 4–7 · root A
eBGDAE45671235612b335612
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 5 (1), 7 (2)
  • B: 5 (5), 7 (6)
  • G: 4 (2), 5 (b3), 6 (3)
  • D: 4 (6), 7 (1)
  • A: 4 (3), 7 (5)
  • E: 5 (1), 7 (2)
Box 2Frets 6–10 · root A
eBGDAE6789102b335612b335612b33
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 7 (2), 8 (b3), 9 (3)
  • B: 7 (6), 10 (1)
  • G: 6 (3), 9 (5)
  • D: 7 (1), 9 (2), 10 (b3)
  • A: 7 (5), 9 (6)
  • E: 7 (2), 8 (b3), 9 (3)
Box 3Frets 9–12 · root A
eBGDAE910111235612b33561235
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 9 (3), 12 (5)
  • B: 10 (1), 12 (2)
  • G: 9 (5), 11 (6)
  • D: 9 (2), 10 (b3), 11 (3)
  • A: 9 (6), 12 (1)
  • E: 9 (3), 12 (5)
Box 4Frets 11–14 · root A
eBGDAE11121314561235612b3356
Notes per string (fret and degree)
  • e: 12 (5), 14 (6)
  • B: 12 (2), 13 (b3), 14 (3)
  • G: 11 (6), 14 (1)
  • D: 11 (3), 14 (5)
  • A: 12 (1), 14 (2)
  • E: 12 (5), 14 (6)

Same notes, different home

These scales use exactly the same notes, centered on a different root.

Chords it fits

This scale in other keys

Other scales in A

Learn it in the course