E flat major blues scale on cavaquinho
The E flat major blues scale has 6 notes: E♭ F G♭ G B♭ C (E flat, F, G flat, G, B flat, and C).
- E♭ E flat 1
- F 2
- G♭ G flat ♭3
- G 3
- B♭ B flat 5
- C 6
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (E♭) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Box 1 (frets 0 to 5), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 1 (E♭), 3 (F), 4 (G♭)
- string 3: open (G), 3 (B♭)
- string 2: 1 (C), 4 (E♭)
- string 1: 3 (F), 4 (G♭), 5 (G)
Box 2 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 3 (F), 4 (G♭), 5 (G)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
- string 1: 5 (G)
Box 3 (frets 5 to 8), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 5 (G), 8 (B♭)
- string 3: 5 (C), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 6 (F), 7 (G♭), 8 (G)
- string 1: 8 (B♭)
Box 4 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 11 (G♭)
- string 2: 8 (G), 11 (B♭)
- string 1: 10 (C)
Box 5 (frets 10 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 10 (C), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 10 (F), 11 (G♭), 12 (G)
- string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C)
- string 1: 13 (E♭)
Fretboard positions
The positions are the pentatonic boxes with the passing note (♭3) fitted in between the notes of the box. Box 1 starts on the root (E flat).
Use Degrees to see the role of each note (1 is the root) and Listen to hear the selected position going up and down.
Formula
- E♭
- W
- F
- H
- G♭
- H
- G
- 1½W
- B♭
- W
- C
- 1½W
- E♭
Degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 3 · 5 · 6. Steps: W – H – H – 1½W – W – 1½W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the major blues scale
Major pentatonic with the minor third as a passing note. Happy, with a touch of blues.
Scales with the same notes
Relative minor: C blues scale . Same notes, different center.
More E flat scales
- Major
- Natural minor (D♯)
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic (D♯)
- Blues (D♯)
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian (D♯)
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian (D♯)
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Major blues in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the E flat major blues scale?
The notes of the E flat major blues scale are E flat, F, G flat, G, B flat, and C. The root, degree 1, is E flat.
What is the formula of the E flat major blues scale?
In degrees: 1 · 2 · ♭3 · 3 · 5 · 6. In steps between the notes: W – H – H – 1½W – W – 1½W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the E flat major blues scale on cavaquinho?
The positions are the pentatonic boxes with the passing note (♭3) fitted in between the notes of the box. Box 1 starts on the root (E flat). There are 5 boxes on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.