Green Belt: Level 4 Guitar Lessons

Major Blues Scale

The major blues scale is based on the major pentatonic scale, except that there is a chromatic minor 3rd note added between the major 2nd and major 3rd, changing it from pentatonic (five-note) to a six-note blues scale. The major blues scale retains the "guitar-friendly fingering patterns of major pentatonic scale, and is used interchangeably with its pentatonic counterpart in rock music, country and bluegrass, where a lick is to take on a bluesy feel.

The example below are in the parallel keys of C major. The white dots are the root note in each scale, and the maroon notes are those that are the distinguishing note. The blue notes are those that connect the minor scale to the parallel root in the major scale.

Major Blues Scale

The major blues scale is used in most applications where the major pentatonic would fit, but has the added element of both the major and minor 3rd in the scale.