Rock and Blues Scales
for guitar playing

The extended rock and blues guitar chord scales, the major and minor pentatonics - all these have been instrumental in 12 bar jam type songs.

From Jazz to Rock to the Boogie and Country music, we hear these scales played all the time.

The blues and minor pentatonic scales are used in the same manner and both have the same notes but the difference is the #4 note which is added in the blues scale. Just that note. All the other notes are the same.

The frame work for the blues scale is made up of these notes: 1-b3-4-#4-5-b7-and 1.

In the key of A7, the blues guitar chord scales are 1 b3 4 #4 5 b7 and 1

We would have the notes A, C, D, D#, E, G and A

The intervals used are:

*Root (A)

*b3 C) - minor third, 3 frets up from A

*4 (D) - per 4th, 5 frets up

*#4 (D#) - aug 4th, 6 frets up

*5 (E) - per 5th, 7 frets up

*b7 (G) - minor 7th, 10 frets up

*Root (A) - octave, 12 frets up

We will be using all six rock and blues guitar chord scales patterns as in the minor pentatonic scale. This example will also use the same positions and also be played in the key of A. We will have to stretch to accommodate some notes. The left hand fingerings are written above the notes but feel free to make up some of your fingerings.

Download the Rock and Blues Scales pdf file by clicking here.

Pattern 1

Begin with pattern 1.

Start on the 6th string, 5th fret and play two consecutive notes A on the 5th fret and C on the 7th fret same string.

Move down to the 5th string and play the next three consecutive notes D on the 5th fret and D# on the 6th fret on the 5th string and stretch and play the E note on the 7th fret of the same string.

Move down to the 4th string and play the next two notes G on the 5th fret and A on the 7th fret.

Go down to the third string and prepare to play the next three consecutive notes C on the 5th fret, D on the 7h fret and D# on the 8th fret.

Go down to the 2nd string and play the next two consecutive notes E on the 5th fret and G on the 8th fret.

Lastly down to the 1st string and play the A on the 5th fret and C on the 8th fret same string.

Work on this pattern 1 and learn it thoroughly, observe the used in this pattern. This concludes the rock and blues scales pattern 1.

Pattern 2

In pattern 2, we begin at the 6th string, 8th position. Play the first three consecutive notes C on the 8th fret and D on the 10th fret and D# on the 11th fret same string.

Move down to the 5th string and hit the next two consecutive notes E on the 7th fret and G on the 10th fret same string.

Move down to the 4th string for the next two notes A on the 7th fret and C on the 10th fret same string.

Go down to the 3rd string for the next three consecutive notes D on the 7th fret, D# on the 8th fret and E on the 9th fret.

Go down to the 2nd string for the next two notes G on the 8th fret and A on the 10th fret.

Lastly move down to the first string for the next four notes C on the 8th fret, C on the 10th fret, D# on the 11th fret and E on the 12fret.

Go through pattern 2 and familiarizes yourself with the positions and fingerings. Note the stretches. This concludes rock and blues scales pattern 2.

Pattern 3

Pattern 3 starts on the 6th string 10th position with three consecutive notes following through D on the 10th fret, D# on the 11th fret and E on the 12 fret on the same string.

Down to the 5th string for the next two notes G on the 10th fret and A on the 12th fret same string.

Down to the 4th string for the next three notes C on the 10th fret, D on the 12th fret, and D# on the 13th fret.

Down to the 3rd string for the next two notes E on the 9th fret and G on the 12th fret.

Move down to the 1st string for the last three notes D on the 10th fret, D# on the 11th fret and E on the 12 fret.

The fingerings in pattern 3 need to be looked at and address this by making your own fingerings if it is more comfortable for you. This concludes rock and blues scales pattern 5.

Pattern 4

Begin on the 12th position play the E on the 12th fret and stretch to the G note at the 15th position same string.

Move to the 5th string for the next two notes A at the 12th fret and C on the 15th fret same string.

Go down to the 4th string for the next three consecutive notes D on the 12th fret, D# on the 13th fret and E on the 14th fret.

Move down to the 3rd string for the G note on the 12th fret and stretch to the 14th fret A note.

Go down to the 2nd string for the next three notes, the 13th fret for the C note, 15th for the D note and 16th fret for the D# note.

Go down to the 1st string for the last three notes, 12th fret E note, 15th fret G note and 12th fret E note.

This concludes rock and blues scales pattern 4.

Please proceed to Part II of this rock and blues scales lesson.

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