The blues scale on bass:
notes, formula and position

The blues scale has 6 notes: 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7. In A, that gives A, C, D, E♭, E and G. The minor pentatonic plus the “blue note” (♭5): the scale of blues, rock and many funk lines. The blue note is played in passing, rarely held.

Also called: Minor blues, minor blues scale, blue note.

Formula and notes

1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7

The steps between the notes, from the root to the octave: step and a half – whole step – half step – half step – step and a half – whole step. In A:

One position on the neck

The blues scale in A, in the 5th-fret position: one finger per fret, from the 4th to the 8th fret, on all four strings. The numbers are the degrees; the root is in gold.

The same position as bass tab (fret by fret, from the low E string to the G string):

G|-5--7--8-|
D|-5--7-|
A|-5--6--7-|
E|-5--8-|

For another key, move the whole shape: the root on the E string sets the key (3rd fret for G, 8th fret for C).

The sound of the blues scale

Minor pentatonic + blue note (♭5). The blue note is mostly played in passing or bent, rarely held.

You mostly hear it in blues, rock and jazz.

Which chords to play it over

In A, the blues scale fits Am7 and A7. On bass, keep the root on the strong beats and use the other notes to connect the chords.

Practice it with UnitBasse

This diagram shows a single position, in a single key. In UnitBasse, this scale is shown across the whole neck and in all twelve keys, as note names, intervals or degrees, with one color per degree. You can listen to it, see the chords that go with it, switch keys in one click, and play it over a chord chart with BackTrack, the app’s backing band. The app has 69 scales in 12 families.

Frequently asked questions