Notes in the A Blues scale
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | A |
| ♭3 | C |
| 4 | D |
| ♭5 | E♭ |
| 5 | E |
| ♭7 | G |
Each note uses a different letter name (apart from the blue note, which shares a letter with the fifth), so the spelling follows the scale rather than the keyboard: A C D E♭ E G.
A Blues scale formula
The pattern of steps from one note to the next is W+H – W – H – H – W+H – W (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = a step of three semitones). Compared with the major scale the degrees are 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7.
Related scales
- Minor pentatonic: A Minor Pentatonic
How to practise the A Blues scale
Play it over a 12-bar blues in the same key. Lean on the flat fifth (the blue note) as a passing tone rather than a landing note.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes in the A Blues scale?
The notes of the A Blues scale are A C D E♭ E G.
What is the formula for the A Blues scale?
The pattern of whole and half steps is W+H – W – H – H – W+H – W (W = whole step, H = half step). In scale degrees: 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7.
More A scales
A Major, A Natural Minor, A Harmonic Minor, A Melodic Minor, A Dorian, A Phrygian, A Lydian, A Mixolydian, A Locrian, A Major Pentatonic, A Minor Pentatonic, A Lydian Dominant, A Altered, A Whole Tone, A Dorian ♭2, A Lydian Augmented, A Mixolydian ♭6, A Locrian ♯2, A Phrygian Dominant, A Hungarian Minor, A Double Harmonic, A Diminished (W–H), A Diminished (H–W), A Bebop Dominant, A Bebop Major
Explore the full scales library, find a scale from notes with the scale finder, or see every chord in every key in the chord chart.