A Blues Scale for Guitar
A Minor Pentatonic plus one note — the ♭5 that makes it the blues.
A Minor Pentatonic plus one note: the flattened fifth , the 'blue note'. That single note supplies blues' signature tension and grit . It falls inside the same box shape — you're one note away from it. The defining sound of blues, rock and blues-rock lead playing.
Position 1 — 5th fret box
e B G D A E 5 6 7 8 9 A C D D# E G A C D D# E G A C
Notes: A – C – D – D# – E – G · Formula: 1 – ♭3 – 4 – ♭5 – 5 – ♭7
Across the Fretboard — Full Neck
e B G D A E 3 5 7 9 12 15 17 E G A C D D# E G A C D D# E G A C D D# E G A C D D# E G A C D D# E G A C D D# E G A C D D# E G A C D E G A C D D# E G A POSITION 4 0 3 POSITION 5 2 5 POSITION 1 5 8 POSITION 2 7 10 POSITION 3 10 12 POSITION 4 12 15 POSITION 5 14 17
One common CAGED approach; positions vary between teachers/methods.
Every A Blues Scale note from the open strings to the 17th fret — the root (white ring) repeats every octave.
Hear It For Yourself
This scale sounds even better than it looks.
Light up A Blues across the whole fretboard and hear every note in context.
Play A Blues in the Studio →
Questions about A Blues
What notes are in the A Blues scale? The A Blues scale contains the notes A, C, D, D#, E, G. Its interval formula is 1 - ♭3 - 4 - ♭5 - 5 - ♭7, built from A as the root.
What is the blue note in the A blues scale? It's D♯ (the flattened fifth). It sits between the 4th and 5th degrees and is almost never held — players slide or bend through it, which is exactly what produces the vocal, crying quality blues is known for.
Related scales
How it compares