Notes in the B♭ Blues scale
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | B♭ |
| ♭3 | D♭ |
| 4 | E♭ |
| ♭5 | F♭ |
| 5 | F |
| ♭7 | A♭ |
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: B♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ F A♭.
B♭ 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: B♭ Minor Pentatonic
How to practise the B♭ 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 B♭ Blues scale?
The notes of the B♭ Blues scale are B♭ D♭ E♭ F♭ F A♭.
What is the formula for the B♭ 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 B♭ scales
B♭ Major, B♭ Natural Minor, B♭ Harmonic Minor, B♭ Melodic Minor, B♭ Dorian, B♭ Phrygian, B♭ Lydian, B♭ Mixolydian, B♭ Locrian, B♭ Major Pentatonic, B♭ Minor Pentatonic, B♭ Lydian Dominant, B♭ Whole Tone, B♭ Dorian ♭2, B♭ Lydian Augmented, B♭ Mixolydian ♭6, B♭ Locrian ♯2, B♭ Phrygian Dominant, B♭ Hungarian Minor, B♭ Double Harmonic, B♭ Diminished (W–H), B♭ Diminished (H–W), B♭ Bebop Dominant, B♭ 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.