G sharp blues scale on cavaquinho
The G sharp blues scale has 6 notes: G♯ B C♯ D D♯ F♯ (G sharp, B, C sharp, D, D sharp, and F sharp).
- G♯ G sharp 1
- B ♭3
- C♯ C sharp 4
- D ♭5
- D♯ D sharp 5
- F♯ F sharp ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 17. The root (G♯) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Box 5 (frets 4 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 4 (F♯), 6 (G♯)
- string 3: 4 (B), 6 (C♯), 7 (D)
- string 2: 4 (D♯), 7 (F♯)
- string 1: 6 (G♯)
Box 1 (frets 6 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 6 (G♯), 9 (B)
- string 3: 6 (C♯), 7 (D), 8 (D♯)
- string 2: 7 (F♯), 9 (G♯)
- string 1: 9 (B)
Box 2 (frets 8 to 13), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 9 (B), 11 (C♯), 12 (D)
- string 3: 8 (D♯), 11 (F♯)
- string 2: 9 (G♯), 12 (B)
- string 1: 11 (C♯), 12 (D), 13 (D♯)
Box 3 (frets 11 to 15), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 11 (C♯), 12 (D), 13 (D♯)
- string 3: 11 (F♯), 13 (G♯)
- string 2: 12 (B), 14 (C♯), 15 (D)
- string 1: 13 (D♯)
Box 4 (frets 13 to 16), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 4: 13 (D♯), 16 (F♯)
- string 3: 13 (G♯), 16 (B)
- string 2: 14 (C♯), 15 (D), 16 (D♯)
- string 1: 16 (F♯)
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 (G sharp).
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
- G♯
- 1½W
- B
- W
- C♯
- H
- D
- H
- D♯
- 1½W
- F♯
- W
- G♯
Degrees: 1 · ♭3 · 4 · ♭5 · 5 · ♭7. Steps: 1½W – W – H – H – 1½W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
About the blues scale
Minor pentatonic plus the "blue note" (flat fifth). The sound of the blues.
Scales with the same notes
Relative major: B major blues scale . Same notes, different center.
More G sharp scales
- Major (A♭)
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor (A♭)
- Melodic minor (A♭)
- Major pentatonic (A♭)
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues (A♭)
- Dorian (A♭)
- Phrygian
- Lydian (A♭)
- Mixolydian (A♭)
- Locrian
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião) (A♭)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone (A♭)
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole) (A♭)
Blues in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the G sharp blues scale?
The notes of the G sharp blues scale are G sharp, B, C sharp, D, D sharp, and F sharp. The root, degree 1, is G sharp.
What is the formula of the G sharp blues scale?
In degrees: 1 · ♭3 · 4 · ♭5 · 5 · ♭7. In steps between the notes: 1½W – W – H – H – 1½W – W (W = whole step, H = half step).
How do you play the G sharp 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 (G sharp). There are 5 boxes on cavaquinho, each with the full fingering.