Different Blues Scales in Guitar

The Different Blues Guitar Scales

There are different blues guitar scales out there but sometimes people refer to the minor pentatonic scale as the blues scale. But in fact the real blues scale has more notes to give it just a little more spice!

Add one or two more notes and you get two different blues guitar scales that really sizzle and should be added to your repetoire. These subtle differences in the the pentatonic minor, make up the basic blues and composite blues scales.

Blues Scale

This scale has six notes - one extra "passing note" than the minor pentatonic scale. Throw that one note in and you get a very different feel. It's actually an augmented 4th or a diminished 5th note. Check out this scale previously mentioned in this blog. It's broken down fret by fret to see what we mean.

Composite Blues Scale

This blues guitar scale goes one step further from the standard blues scale by adding another note - a major third. So it has seven notes and adds even more color to its personality. Check out this scale also previously mentioned in this blog. It's down to see what we mean.

Learn these two blues guitar scales and you open up a huge world of fun.

Guitar Fingerings

Guitar Fingerings - Right Hand Technique

First things first. If you want to learn to play guitar, start by learning the basic guitar fingerings and positions for your playing hand. Here are the suggested positions for right hand technique for fingerstyle playing. It may feel odd at first but these are the most efficient playing techniques. Once you develop some proficiency you can adapt your playing technique to whatever you like later on.

Three Fingers on High Strings

This technique uses the index, middle and ring finger on the G, B and E strings.




Two Fingers on High Strings

Sometimes called the "Claw" technique, this fingering position relies on only two fingers to play the treble strings.




Palm Muting Technique

This is an important guitar fingering technique to learn as it gives your playing a different percussive sound. Rest the fleshy part of your right hand palm over the strings just enough to mute the strings.

Try experimenting with all three of these different fingerings. The two finger style is great for upstrokes with the treble notes and the three fingering style allows for great access to melody notes.

Use an Anchor Finger

A useful technique is to use your pinky finger as an anchor and reference point.

It gives you a little more accuracy when you are attacking the strings either with your fingers or a pick.

The Composite Blues Scale

The Composite Blues Scale

Here is the Composite Blues scale in the Key of E broken down for you to see each of the seven unique patterns within the scale.

We chose E but could have easily used F or A as our scale. But the E blues scale uses the open fret notes to get it going and a good visual image to learn.

E Composite Blues Step Pattern

The numbers of the degrees in the scale referenced back to the major scale would be:
1, b3 (flatted 3rd), 3, 4, #4 (augmented 4th), 5, b7

Its good to start learning the numbers of the degrees in scales because you will find a lot of referencing back to the major scale of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

When you start seeing scales, like the composite blues scale with the modifications, you begin to get a quick picture in your mind of which intervals have been stretched or contracted.

How To Read The Scale Diagrams

A simple way to learn guitar notes is to break the scale down into manageable pieces. The dots represent the note locations in the scale. Red signifies the octaves or root note. Grey represents the fifth note and black represents the remaining notes in the scale.

The octave and fifth notes are important because of their stability and their use for resolution and turn around points.

Each scale diagram focusses on the starting note of the scale pattern and moves down the low E string one note at a time showing you each of the sequential positional patterns.

Position 1

This is the first position of the E composite blues scale. The dots above the string letters indicate to play the open strings - unfretted.

The note that make this blues scale differnt from the other one is the addition of the 3rd note - at the 4th fret.

Position 2

The second position gets interesting because now you see where the 3rd note fits in - and makes things a bit more complicated. It creates a run of half step notes. Also note the position of the fifth notes (grey).

Position 3

The third position shows the next interesting aspect to the composite blues scale. Here is a run of four half steps. A bit unusual but the reason for the signature blues sound.
Notice the notes are the same on the low E and high E strings and also how the fifth (grey) is always on the lower string (same fret) above the octave. Remember this.

Position 4

The fourth position starts at the fifth fret with one intersting four half step note combinations on the 4th (D) string.

Position 5

The fifth position starts at the sixth fret and covers a lot of frets. You aren't likely to actually play this stretch all at once until you really have your finger speed up.
It's easier to play the next postion. But the important part to learn here is the two fret jump (two whole steps) between the fifth (grey) and sixth notes. Remember this.

Position 6

As you can see, the sixth position is also a stretch but you will find it's a fairly comfortable position to move around in. Note the fifth and octave positions in relation to each other.

And just a hint for the future as you teach yourself these notes, this pattern is very similar to fourth position in the minor pentatonic scale. More on that later...

Position 7

At the seventh position everything gets tied back together and the composite aspect of the composite blues scale starts to make sense. This is a more advanced scale to learn.

And the minor pentatonic is really the first scale to learn because the blues scales just build on it. And if you are strong on the pentatonic scale you have a great foundation to build the rest of the "house of scales" on with the composite blues scale.

So there you have it. The Composite Blues Scale. Practice this scale any way you can and it will be extremely useful for you. Or try out the Easylead Guitar Note Map with Jam Tracks and Videos for instant fun!

The Blues Scale for Guitar

The Blues Scale

Here is the Blues Scale in the Key of E broken down for you to see each of the seven unique patterns within the scale.

We chose E but could have easily used F or A as our scale. But the E blues scale uses the open fret notes to get it going and a good visual image to learn.

E Blues Step Pattern

The numbers of the degrees in the scale referenced back to the major scale would be:

1, b3 (flatted 3rd), 4, #4 (augmented 4th), 5, b7

Its good to start learning the numbers of the degrees in scales because you will find a lot of referencing back to the major scale of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

How To Read The Scale Diagrams

A simple way to learn guitar notes is to break the scale down into manageable pieces. The dots represent the note locations in the scale. Red signifies the octaves or root note. Grey represents the fifth note and black represents the remaining notes in the scale.

The octave and fifth notes are important because of their stability and their use for resolution and turn around points.

Each scale diagram focusses on the starting note of the scale pattern and moves down the low E string one note at a time showing you each of the sequential positional patterns.

Position 1

This is the first position of the E blues scale. The dots above the string letters indicate to play the open strings - unfretted. The note that make the blues so bluesy is that single flatted 5th just above the 5th (grey note). Its three notes in a row - no whole steps. Remember this.

Position 2

This is the second position of the blues scale. The second note is the G at the third fret.
Notice the relationship between the octaves in this pattern. Also notice the location of the fifth note (grey) relative to the root note.




Position 3

The third note is the A located at the fifth fret. And then there are those three familiar notes one after another. Same on the low E and high E strings. Remember this too.





Position 4

The fourth note of the scale is the Bb at the sixth fret.






Position 5

The fifth note of the scale is the B at the seventh fret.
The sixth note of the blues scale is found at the tenth fret. Notice how the scale finishes nicely at the twelfth fret. Octave notes again the same at the first pattern at the Nut.



Position 6

The sixth note of the blues scale is found at the tenth fret. Notice how the scale finishes nicely at the twelfth fret. Octave notes again the same at the first pattern at the Nut.

So there you have it. The Blues Scale. Practice this scale any way you can and it will be extremely useful for you. Or try out the Easylead Guitar Note Map with Jam Tracks and Videos for instant fun!

The Minor Scale for Guitar

The Minor Scale

Here is the Minor scale in the Key of F broken down for you to see each of the seven unique patterns within the scale. I chose F so that I could show the first scale pattern notes at the first fret and work down the neck. But I could have easily used E or C as our scale.

The main point to notice here is the step pattern for the minor scale. It looks different from the major at first glance.

But the minor scale has the same interval pattern. It just starts the scale at a different point along the intervals. Instead of W-W-H-W-W-W-H (as in the major), the first note (or degree) of this scale starts at what would be the sixth note of the major. So the step pattern for the minor scale is W-H-W-W-H-W-W. Check it out below.

In terms of degrees or numbers of the notes, the third, sixth and seventh are flatted.

How To Read The Scale Diagrams

A simple way to learn guitar notes is to break the scale down into manageable pieces. The dots represent the note locations in the scale. Red signifies the octaves or root note. Grey represents the fifth note and black represents the remaining notes in the scale.

The octave and fifth notes are important because of their stability and their use for resolution and turn around points.

Each scale diagram focusses on the starting note of the scale pattern and moves down the low E string one note at a time showing you each of the sequential positional patterns.

Position 1

This is the first position of the minor scale. A two fret jump to get to the second note of the minor scale. Notice the octave and fifth note positions. The don't change from minor to the major scale. Remember this.

Position 2

This is the second position of the minor scale. It's a half step to the third and a full step to the fourth which is a unique aspect to this scale.
Remember that the third degree or note in the minor scale is flatted - unlike the major.

Position 3

The third note in F minor occurs at the fourth fret. The jump to the fifth is two frets or a whole step. The fifth is a good turn around point in any lead solo playing. It builds tension and hints at resolving back to the ocatve. Notice how the scale shape of this position is identical to the first position in the major scale. Remember this.

Position 4

The fourth note of the scale for F minor is actually at the sixth fret - a Bb.

Position 5

The fifth note of the scale is the C note at the eigth fret. This pattern is fairly tight and easy for your fingers to stretch and move around.

Position 6

The sixth note is the next unique note difference from the major scale. This note in the minor scale is flatted - dropped down one fret. That gives it the familiar mellow sound.
Remember this.

Position 7

And to finish the scale notice that the notes at the thirteenth fret are identical to the notes at the first fret. A complete octave has been covered over twelve frets (1-13). Probably the easiest way to remember the minor scale shape is just think of the major scale shape moved up three frets on the neck.

So there you have it. The Minor Scale. Practice this scale any way you can and it will be extremely useful for you. Or try out the Easylead Guitar Note Map with Jam Tracks and Videos for instant fun!

E Minor Pentatonic Guitar Scale

The Minor Pentatonic Guitar Scale

This is such an important scale to learn - especially if you are beginning your journey in learning guitar and scales for lead solo work that I had to put this page up. For those of you who have already started using the EasyLead Guitar Note Map, you already are way ahead on this topic and this scale.

But for the rest of you here is what you need to know about the minor pentatonic guitar scale (this one is in the key of Eminor).

Here is the minor pentatonic guitar scale in the Key of E broken down for you to see each of the five unique patterns within the scale. Whole steps and Half steps are shown by "w" and "h" respectively.

E Minor Pentatonic Guitar Scale Step Pattern




The numbers of the degrees in the scale referenced back to the major scale would be:

1, b3 (flatted 3rd), 4, 5, b7 . We chose E but could have easily used and chromatic key such as A for our scale. But the E minor scale uses the open fret notes to get it going and a good visual image to learn. Its good to start learning the numbers of the degrees in scales because you will find a lot of referencing back to the major scale of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.

How To Read The Scale Diagrams

A simple way to learn guitar notes is to break the scale down into manageable pieces. The dots represent the note locations in the scale. Red signifies the octaves or root note. Grey represents the fifth note and black represents the remaining notes in the scale.

The octave and fifth notes are important because of their stability and their use for resolution and turn around points. Each scale diagram focusses on the starting note of the scale pattern and moves down the low E string one note at a time showing you each of the sequential positional patterns.

Position 1

This is the first position of the E minor pentatonic scale. The dots above the string letters indicate to play the open strings - unfretted. Notice the two fret gap between the E and the G (second note in the scale) at the third fret?

Position 2

This is the second position of the minor pentatonic guitar scale. The second note is the G at the third fret. But just to let you know - this is also the first position of the major pentatonic guitar scale. So simple. To switch the feel of the scale from minor to major all you do is start the pentatonic at the second postion of the minor scale and it becomes the major scale. Remember this.

Position 3

The third note is the A located at the fifth fret. Pretty simple visual pattern to remember also - except for the two odd looking note positions. But that is what will make this easy to remember.



Position 4

The fourth note of the minor pentatonic guitar scale is the B at the sixth fret. It is also the dominant and a great turn around point for tension in any melody or solo. But note the symmetry of this scale interval pattern - except that one note at the eight fret that stands out. Remember this too.

Position 5

The fifth note at the tenth fret sets you up really nicely for the finish and back to the beginning of the entire pentatonic pattern at the twelfth fret. You probably have noticed that the minor pentatonic guitar scale has some very simple and easily memorable visual patterns.

So there you have it. The Em Pentatonic Scale. Practice this scale any way you can and it will be extremely useful for you. Or try out the Easylead Guitar Note Map with Jam Tracks and Videos for instant fun!

Our Guitar Instructional Videos Are Up - Check'em Out!

For those of you looking for more detailed instruction to go with the guitar map, we now have three really cool guitar instructional videos up for immediate access.

The videos are instructional in the sense that we went close up on the finger action and the actual scale patterns. We also specifically used simple patterns and didn't go at break neck speed so they are great for guitar players looking to learn to improvise and finally learn the notes on guitar.

They are all 40 to 50 seconds long and include a pdf tablature file so you are shown every note, bend and slide to make it happen easily when you use the Guitar Map and the video together.

Check out the Sample Videos

The are in low resolution for sample purposes and are in a zipped format. The actual files are high resolution.

1. Download the zip file.
2. Unzip to your favorite location.
3. Play using Quicktime or Windows Media Player .

Videos

• Fire Up The Beacons - Rock, blues orientation - Em Pentatonic scale
• Rock My World - Rock orientation - Em Pentatonic scale
• Open Sky - C Major scale - One step beyond the pentatonic scale

Start de-mystifying the notes on your guitar now.

Using these instruction videos in conjunction with the Guitar Map and the tablature will give you your first real taste of how much fun it is to actually be able to learn lead guitar improvisation. The guitar scales are no longer a technical obstacle, but a road map that makes sense.

Learn these little instructional video guitar solos and it won't be long before you are able to start jamming in your own direction, trying new riffs and melodies with a feeling of freedom because you are understanding the scales.

Have fun!

Guitar Instructional Videos and Lessons Coming Soon...

We just finished a great studio session with resident guitar guru Bob Deeks laying down some simple to learn but really cool solos over three of our top Jam Tracks. You can learn these solos and scale patterns by using the Guitar Map, the tracks and Tablature of the solo.

We will have the videos available for you very soon. They will be available in Quicktime and Windows Media Player formats including tabs to literally show you exactly how to do it. Its fun and will give you a real helping hand to learn your first guitar scales and note patterns to work with as you try jamming during your own private practise sessions.

The videos are all in high resolution so you get good quality on your viewing screen. We will be putting some of the short video clips up on the main part of the site for you to sample. They will be lower resolution just for quick demonstration purposes. But here are the backing tracks we used...

Jam Tracks Used

Fire Up The Beacons
Em Pentatonic

What a great track to practise with. This shows you how useful the pentatonic scale is for basic guitar scale jamming. The video shows close up finger positions and slides over each of the five main patterns.

Open Sky
C major

If you want to tackle the more challenging major scale which ultimately everyone should, then this is a great video lession to go up an down the fretboard for a taste of all the different positions.

Rock My World
Em Pentatonic

Bob really had fun creating this one. It's another great lesson for learning the pentatonic scale and reinforces the utility of this scale.

So stay tuned and look for the new updates and get the guitar video lessons with tabs to compliment your EasyLead Guitar Map.

How to Read Guitar Tabs - More Tips About The "Late Nights" Guitar Tab

Here are some more tips on how to read the guitar tabs for the "Late Nights" lead solo. We will go through each of the twelve bars and compare it with the notation.

Bar 1




The first note is G - played at the third fret. (We won't mention the strings because you already now which strings are represented by the lines of the tab - right? If not, go back to the previous article.)

The note is 3 beats long starting at the second beat of the bar. Listen carefully to the song - you'll hear the one beat delay. So its represented in the tab as only the number 3. The notation shows you a half note (2 beats) and a dot. The dot lengthens the note by half (1 beat). So hold the string for 3 beats.

Bar 2


Hold the first note for 2 beats and the following notes for 1 beat each. These are quarter notes.

Bar 3

Here is a whole note. Hold it for four beats and keep holding into the next bar.

Bar 4

Hold the preceding note for 1 beat into this next bar. The next series of notes will take a bit of practise but will teach you the all important "hammer-on" technique. You play these notes with your left hand (if you strum right handed) simply by hitting the string straight down with your fingertip. The timing is also a bit trickier because the notes are 1/16th and 1/8th beats - with the additional challenge of the dot which lengthens that note by half.

Sound complicated? Getting a bit lost? Just follow the timing in the song. This is why learning how to read guitar tabs is much easier than notation - especially for a simple tune like this.

Bar 5



Keep your finger on the same note as Bar 4 but only for 1/16th beat and then slide it up to fret 4. That little line in the tabliture means to "slide" to the next note. The dot lengthens the 1/8th note by 1/16th. What does that give you? 3/16ths of a beat! Sorry for the math. If the numbers are hurting your head, just listen to the song and "feel it". That's music!

Bar 6



This is a simple bar with straight forward 1/4 notes, 1/16th and 1/8th notes. No dot to create any syncopation in this part of the tab.

Bar 7


The trick here is the third note which you hold to the end of the third beat of the bar. Its best for you to listen closely on this part of the solo, especially the last three notes.

Bar 8


This bar throws a lot of notes at you and its tough for the ear to pick them all up but because they are all ascending hammer-ons with a slide on the third (G) string its actually quite easy to do. Think of that set of 1/16th notes as representing the second beat in the bar or the second tap of your foot if you are tapping along. And the 7th note is held into the 8th note.

Bar 9


Try to emphasize the slide up to the 7th fret. It really brings it to life. Notice how the intensity rises with the higher notes and the faster pace.
Bar 10


In this bar we are starting to slow down just a bit to 1/8th notes. Its hints of an impeding resolution.

Bar 11


You are almost done. But now notice how the intensity if being lowered further as the notes are increased to 1/4 notes.

Bar 12



You're bringing 'er home now! Enjoy these last few notes and stick that last one. Practice this guitar tab with the song playing. Hopefully we have taken most if not all of the mystery out of how to read guitar tabs.

Once you have learned how to read this guitar tabulature, check out our jam track library and to use the Easylead Guitar Map to help you learn the guitar scales and note patterns with real backing music to enhance the learning experience and make it more fun.

How to read guitar tab for Late Nights solo

Here's a basic explanation of how to read guitar tab so you can get maximum value out the free guitar tabulature file for the sample "Late Nights" solo. And in case you didn't know, the tab is designed to go with the free video sample (windows media player) (quicktime version) so you can "hear it", "see it" and now hopefully "play it" with this tab.

Standard Notation

Standard musical notation is what you are probably already familiar with. It represents notes with no relation to guitar strings but it can do much more than guitar tab because it can show timing. And standard notation is universal for any musician playing any instrument - providing you know where the notes are on your instrument. Here's the notation for "Late Nights" solo...

Notice that there are five lines in the notation above. These lines do not relate to the strings on a guitar!

Guitar Tab

In or to know how read guitar tab you have to understand that it is a more visual method of writing music specifically to assist stringed instruments. Tab shows you exactly what notes to play by identifying the six strings of the guitar and then using numbers to indicate which fret to press on which string to play a particular note. Easy!

Except what you gain in ease, you lose in overall information about the musical piece. Tabs don't indicate the timing of notes or the ryhthm patterns. To figure that out you have to know or be listening to the song - which is perfect in this case because you already have the song (download it if you don't). Here's the guitar tab for the "Late Nights" solo...

Notice that there are six lines in this tabulature. These lines do represent the strings of the guitar. This is how you read the tab - starting from the bottom of the grid, the lowest string represents the lowest sounding string - the low E. Moving upward along the grid, each ascending string represents the A, D, G, B and high E respectively.

Reading guitar tab still requires you to understand how music is broken down into bars. In the notation above and the tabluature here, the song is represented in twelve bars.

A Few Final Tips on How to Read Guitar Tab

Don't forget that tabs do not indicate the tuning of the guitar. It shows you only where to put your finger on the fretboard to play the note but you still have to have your guitar tuned correctly.

Tab does not indicate which fingers to use and it also doesn't usually tell you whether to pick or strum although some tab does try to get quite elaborate with a variety of different symbols for different meanings. But for our purposes we'll keep it simple.

Remember the focus here is to help those of you who are strumming but now want to start learning lead guitar improvisation. And tons of lead solos are offered online or in guitar magazines in tab format. So you have to know how to read guitar tab if you want to take advantage of them.

So have fun learning this basic lead solo to "Late Nights". Its a good one to learn because it purposely goes up and down the main pattern boxes of the pentatonic scale. And you can see clearly which patterns in the scale are being used by looking at the Guitar Map.

If you think you have a basic handle on this, then read the next article on how to read guitar tabs where we take you through each bar of the tab side by side with the notation. Have fun!