Pentatonic
Blues Scale
The minor pentatonic with an added flat 5th (the 'blue note'). The defining scale of blues and rock — raw, expressive, and instantly recognisable.
Hear the Blues Scale
How to Identify It
Like the minor pentatonic but with an extra note that adds tension — the blue note. It creates a slight dissonance that gives blues its characteristic expression and feeling.
Famous Examples
- The blues scale defines virtually all blues music
- Crossroads — Cream/Johnson
- Stormy Monday — T-Bone Walker
- Pride and Joy — SRV
Blues in All 12 Keys
Often Confused With
About the Blues Scale
The blues scale is a pentatonic scale built from the interval pattern 3, 2, 1, 1, 3, 2 (in whole and half steps). The minor pentatonic with an added flat 5th (the 'blue note'). The defining scale of blues and rock — raw, expressive, and instantly recognisable.
To recognise the blues scale reliably by ear, focus on its characteristic mood — raw, expressive, soulful, tense. Use the player above to hear it in all 12 keys, and the recognition trainer to test yourself against a mixed set of scales.