Ab Blues
A flat Blues scale for guitar.
The Ab Blues scale is a six-note scale. In the fingerboard diagrams the notes in the scale are marked out with blue circles (root notes in darker color). The scale is displayed in a two-octave pattern and in the five main fingerboard positions.
2 octaves
Shape 1 (4th position)
Shape 2 (6th position)
Shape 3 (9th position)
Shape 4 (11th position)
Shape 5 (1st position)
Scale with extension
The scale and its scale degrees.
| Formula | Notes |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ab |
| b3 | B |
| 4 | Db |
| b5 | D |
| 5 | Eb |
| b7 | Gb |
Compared to the corresponding Major scale, three notes are flatted, including the additional chromatic b5 note.
The notes in the scale can be described as steps on the guitar fingerboard according to the following formula: whole and a half, whole, half, half, whole and a half, whole from the first note to the same in the next octave.
The A flat Blues scale contains all the notes in the Ab Pentatonic Minor plus a flatted fifth, the so-called blue note. Due to the close relationship to Abm Pentatonic, the scale is also referred to as Abm Pentatonic Blues or Ab Minor Blues.
Notice that the Ab Pentatonic Minor Blues scale is identical with the Ab Pentatonic Minor scale except for the passing note (b5).
The "Extended" diagram shows a way to expand the scale pattern with shape one merged with parts of two adjacent shapes.
Related to this scale is the Ab Major Blues scale or Ab Pentatonic Major Blues scale. It can be displayed as follows:
| Formula | Notes | Intervals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ab | Unison |
| 2 | Bb | Major second |
| b3 | Cb | Minor third |
| 3 | C | Major third |
| 5 | Eb | Perfect fifth |
| 6 | F | Sixth |
The Ab Pentatonic Major Blues scale is identical with the Ab Pentatonic Major, but with an added b3.
Start the audio and play along! Use notes from the scale in the diagram above.
Normal tempo:A flat Pentatonic Minor Blues scale first shape ascending.
The numbers above the tablature are suggested fingerings.