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