C blues scale on guitar
The C blues scale has 6 notes: C E♭ F G♭ G B♭ (C, E flat, F, G flat, G, and B flat). The diagrams work the same for acoustic and electric guitar.
- C 1
- E♭ E flat ♭3
- F 4
- G♭ G flat ♭5
- G 5
- B♭ B flat ♭7
Whole neck: every note of the scale up to fret 15. The root (C) is highlighted.
Positions as text
Box 3 (frets 0 to 4), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 1 (F), 2 (G♭), 3 (G)
- string 5: 1 (B♭), 3 (C)
- string 4: 1 (E♭), 3 (F), 4 (G♭)
- string 3: open (G), 3 (B♭)
- string 2: 1 (C), 4 (E♭)
- string 1: 1 (F), 2 (G♭), 3 (G)
Box 4 (frets 3 to 7), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 3 (G), 6 (B♭)
- string 5: 3 (C), 6 (E♭)
- string 4: 3 (F), 4 (G♭), 5 (G)
- string 3: 3 (B♭), 5 (C)
- string 2: 4 (E♭), 6 (F), 7 (G♭)
- string 1: 3 (G), 6 (B♭)
Box 5 (frets 5 to 9), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 6 (B♭), 8 (C)
- string 5: 6 (E♭), 8 (F), 9 (G♭)
- string 4: 5 (G), 8 (B♭)
- string 3: 5 (C), 8 (E♭)
- string 2: 6 (F), 7 (G♭), 8 (G)
- string 1: 6 (B♭), 8 (C)
Box 1 (frets 8 to 11), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 8 (C), 11 (E♭)
- string 5: 8 (F), 9 (G♭), 10 (G)
- string 4: 8 (B♭), 10 (C)
- string 3: 8 (E♭), 10 (F), 11 (G♭)
- string 2: 8 (G), 11 (B♭)
- string 1: 8 (C), 11 (E♭)
Box 2 (frets 10 to 14), from the lowest note to the highest:
- string 6: 11 (E♭), 13 (F), 14 (G♭)
- string 5: 10 (G), 13 (B♭)
- string 4: 10 (C), 13 (E♭)
- string 3: 10 (F), 11 (G♭), 12 (G)
- string 2: 11 (B♭), 13 (C)
- string 1: 11 (E♭), 13 (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 (C).
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
- C
- 1½W
- E♭
- W
- F
- H
- G♭
- H
- G
- 1½W
- B♭
- W
- C
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: E flat major blues scale . Same notes, different center.
More C scales
- Major
- Natural minor
- Harmonic minor
- Melodic minor
- Major pentatonic
- Minor pentatonic
- Blues
- Major blues
- Dorian
- Phrygian
- Lydian
- Mixolydian
- Locrian
- Nordestina (Brazilian baião)
- Phrygian dominant
- Whole-tone
- Diminished (whole-half)
- Dominant diminished (half-whole)
Blues in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the C blues scale?
The notes of the C blues scale are C, E flat, F, G flat, G, and B flat. The root, degree 1, is C.
What is the formula of the C 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 C blues scale on guitar?
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 (C). There are 5 boxes on guitar, each with the full fingering.