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MusicTheoryGym

Scale · 6 notes

E Blues Scale

E Blues is a 6-note scale with the notes E G A B♭ B D. It sounds the minor pentatonic plus the ♭5 "blue note", gritty and expressive.

DEGABB♭

Purple = E (the tonic) · green = other scale notes

On the fretboard

Every E blues note on the neck. Pick a pattern to see the compact fingering shape that fits under one hand.

EADGBe135791215EGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEGAB♭BDEG

Blue = E (the root) · green = other scale notes

Notes in the E Blues scale

DegreeNote
1E
♭3G
4A
♭5B♭
5B
♭7D

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: E G A B♭ B D.

E 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

How to practise the E 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 E Blues scale?

The notes of the E Blues scale are E G A B♭ B D.

What is the formula for the E 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 E scales

E Major, E Natural Minor, E Harmonic Minor, E Melodic Minor, E Dorian, E Phrygian, E Lydian, E Mixolydian, E Locrian, E Major Pentatonic, E Minor Pentatonic, E Lydian Dominant, E Altered, E Whole Tone, E Dorian ♭2, E Lydian Augmented, E Mixolydian ♭6, E Locrian ♯2, E Phrygian Dominant, E Hungarian Minor, E Double Harmonic, E Diminished (W–H), E Diminished (H–W), E Bebop Dominant, E 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.