Is there some sort of pattern to the Blues scales?

Question

What are the Blues scales?

I meant for the sax.

Answer 1

I see many incorrect answers here so I had to jump into the fray.

I will answer your second question first because it is clear and unambiguous;
“What are the blues scales?”

A blues scale is NOT a pentatonic scale. It is very similar, but has one more note; the #4th.

A minor pentatonic scale has five notes or "tones."

"Pent" means "five;" as in pentagram, pentagon etc.
"Tonic" means " TONE."

Pent a Tonic
Five Tone

The "blues" scale is exactly the same as a minor pentatonic scale, except it has one more note, the flat five (the same thing as a sharp four)

If you do not know what that means I can explain it two ways; one with note-numbers, and another with note-letters.

Here are the tones (by number) of a pentatonic minor scale.
1, -3, 4, 5, b7

Notice that there are just five numbers. Each number indicates a note by its relationship to the major scale.

1 means the first note in the major scale.

-3 means the “minor three.” There are two types of thirds or threes; one major and one minor. This one is the minor third. The minor third is a half-step lower than a major third.

4 means the “fourth” note in the scale. This is sometimes called the “perfect” fourth. That term can help you distinguish it from a “sharp” fourth.

5 means the fifth note in the major scale. It too is sometimes called a “perfect” fifth. You can use that to distinguish it from a “flat” fifth.

7 means the seventh note in the scale, but this number 7 always indicates a “flat” seven. Just as there are two types of “thirds” or “threes”, there are two types of “sevenths” or “sevens.” This flat 7th is a half step lower than the Major seventh.

Now that you know the numbered-description of the pentatonic scale, you can see the difference between that and the “blues” scale.

Here is the blues scale:
1, -3, 4, #4, 5, b7

You can see that there is ONE MORE NOTE; the #4 ( sharp four).

So the difference between the “blues” scale and the “pentatonic scale” is that the minor pentatonic has only five notes. The blues scale has six. The extra note can be referred to as either the sharp four or the flat five. One half step lower than the five is a flat five. One half step higher than the 4 is the #4. The #4 is the same note as the b5.

By the way, this special note has several names. I already explained that it can be called the #4 or b5. It is also called a “blue” note. That can help you remember that this important note is the defining extra note in the “blues scale.”

Now for a letter description…
In the key of C, the pentatonic MINOR scale has these notes: C, Eb, F, G, Bb.
Those letters correspond to 1, -3, 4, 5, b7.

The blues scale, starting from the same “root” or “tonic” would be exactly the same but with the addition of the “BLUE NOTE” ( #4 or b5). In this key that note is F# ( Gb )
C BLUES SCALE: C, Eb, F, F#. G, Bb

Hopefully you can understand that. If not, you need to seek a competent music instructor immediately. I do not have the time or space to explain all the basics of music theory here.

Now to confront your first question…

The impression I get from your first question is that you are a guitar player looking for a simplistic visual pattern for the blues scale. For that question, I offer this information.

On guitar, pentatonic scales align on the fingerboard in neat little patterns or “boxes.” These simple patterns form simple, easy-to-memorize “patterns”, usually with two note per string in each of five positions.

Although it is possible to have a lot of fun playing around with those patterns, it is impossible to understand music or music theory well without learning why those patterns work. To truly understand the “patterns” you seek, you must be able to instantly identify every note, in every key in comparison to the major scale.

Although pentatonic scales align themselves neatly in “two-note-per-string” patterns, most other scales do not. So, the simple answer to your first question is, “No, there are not any simplistic repeating visual patterns for the blues scales.”

A more accurate answer is “Yes, all scales, including the blues scale, have “patterns.” However, to be able to learn those patterns and visualize them easily, you ABSOLUTELY MUST LEARN TO PLAY THE MAJOR SCALE.

Remember, THE MAJOR SCALE is the “ruler” by which we measure all other scales.

When we say “minor three”, we mean; one half-step lower than the third note in the major scale.

When we say, “sharp four” we mean; one half-step higher than the fourth note in the MAJOR SCALE.

I have sincerely tried to answer your questions as completely as possible. Time and the physical limitations of this format won’t allow a more detailed description here.

If you understood everything, Great! That means you can figure out anything else with a little effort. If you do not understand anything here, you need to read a good book on basic music theory.

As a music teacher I must point out, Reading music is ridiculously easy. You can learn the basics of music-reading in about ten minutes. When you can read music, all of these concepts are very easy to understand.

I highly recommend that no matter what instrument you play, you should take some piano lessons from a competent teacher.

The piano keyboard makes understanding music VERY easy. The keyboard shows you how music works LITERALLY in black-and-white.

You can use a cheap electronic keyboard to learn musical concepts. You do not have to be a stellar pianist to play piano satisfactorily. Even just a little keyboard skill will VASTLY improve you guitar skill!

Ask prospective piano teachers if they can show you some basic music theory. Tell them you want to understand how to build major, minor and dominant chords in any key. Tell them you need to understand scale construction and modes. Ask if they can show you, these important basic modes of the major scale:
MAJOR( Ionian)
Minor ( Dorian)
Minor (Aeolian)
Dominant ( Mixolydian)

Ask if they can play an explain common chord progressions.

Those four modes of the major scale will quickly guide you to any chord / scale permutation you ever need. There are other scales and modes, yes. But in my experience, if a student learns just those four, everything else is easy to adapt.

If any teacher for piano or guitar cannot instantly play and describe those scale / chord concepts, you need to find another teacher.
Good music teachers are worth their weight in gold, though they seldom charge much. Whatever you spend for lessons with a good teacher is worth a thousand times what you pay, because it will save you years of frustration and confusion.

From all the confusion and wrong answers in reply to your questions, there is proof positive that “free” advice is usually spurious. I only offered this explanation because I wanted to prevent you from believing (or anyone else from spreading) misinformation. After playing professionally and teaching for decades I have found that there is no substitute for learning music the old-fashioned way.

Music is very easy to understand. There is no math in music. There is a lot of counting; but no math. Occasionally, we use some simple arithmetic (kindergarten level), but there is no math. So if you ever hear some idiot say “music is all math;” He is dead wrong.

We use simple numbers in music theory; none higher than 13.

There is a lot of counting.

We use several different types of numbers to describe different things…
Cardinal numbers ( 1, 2, 3, etc) describe scale-tones or chord-tones.
Ordinal numbers ( 3rd, 4th, 5th etc.) describe chord-tones or intervals.
Roman numerals describe chord-roots in comparison to a “key” or “tonal center.”

Professional musicians and every valid book on music theory in the last thirty years ALL use Roman numerals for describing chord progressions AND chord-type.

NO PROFESSIONAL uses cardinal numbers to describe chord progressions.

Anytime you see a “one, four five” progression written or typed as “1, 4, 5” you immediately know that the author is poorly educated and probably misinformed.

Roman numerals are easy to learn.
I means “one.”
II means “two”
III means “three.”
IV means “four.”
V means “five.”
VI means “six.”
VII means “seven.”

It is crucial that we use Roman numerals for chord progressions because we already use the other types of numbers (cardinal or ordinal) for other specific things.

Once you know Roman numerals in capitol letters, you can easily understand their equivalents in lower-case letters. That is a crucial distinction because chords have specific qualities or “types” in diatonic chord progressions.

Typically, the I, IV and V triads are major, while the ii, iii, and vi chords are minor.
However, those qualities are not ALWAYS the same because modern harmony allows us to change those qualities at will. To indicate those chord-qualities, we use CAPITOL LETTERS for MAJOR CHORDS, and lower-case letters for minor chords.

(There are other special symbols for tetrads, diminished, type-chords, but I can’t describe them here because the Yahoo type font doesn’t recognize or reproduce those symbols.)

That is really most of it. Music theory has several different types of numbers. Because there are several different things described by several different types of numbers, people sometimes get confused. Ignorant or stupid people blame that confusion on math.

Reading music is not at all difficult. It is far easier and a thousand times better than TAB.
To learn music-reading, you need only the most elementary knowledge.
How to count.
Reciting the alphabet up to G and backwards to A.
You need to know what odd and even numbers are.
You should know Roman numerals up to “seven.”
You should know that “b” means flat.
Flat means “down one-half-step.”
You should know that # means “sharp” or “up one half-step.”
You must have an innate sense of rhythm. Your sense of rhythm is probably adequate if you can walk without falling down.
You need to know the meaning of simple words such as: up, down, left, right, space, distance, black, white, line, …I’m not kidding; really simple stuff like that!

If you can count to 8 and know the alphabet up to “G”, you can understand music.

Regular weekly lessons and diligent practice is what it takes. Most people can learn the basics of music in about the same time as it took them to speak in complete sentences. If you were speaking at the age of two years old, expect to take lessons for at least two years.

If your language skills took a little longer to develop, expect to take more lessons or practice a whole lot harder.

Once you have a good musical foundation, you can easily understand any concept in music. With a good foundation, you can effectively teach yourself to play almost anything on any instrument. Without that foundation of basic knowledge, you will struggle in ignorance for decades. I am NOT exaggerating in the slightest.

If you simply jerk around and look for simple “patterns” you will NEVER become a competent musician. Without basic knowledge, you will spend needless years in frustration and confusion.

Once you know the major scale, you can describe and learn the notes in ANY scale or chord. Really…

The blues scale is exactly like a pentatonic minor, with the addition of the blue note.

(Pentatonic minor) 1, -3, 4 5 b7
(Blues scale) 1, -3, 4 #4 5 b7

Are there any “patterns” for the blues scale?

Yes. Thousands. But they are difficult to learn without basic music theory.

If you can count to 8, know the alphabet, and are willing to practice, playing any scale is as easy as dialing the phone!

Good luck!

Answer 2

I can't rad music, have no Idea what a scale is, but I play guitar,and play alot of old blues songs, and to me all old blues songs are played with E, A and B7, just like old country is C,F,G, Blues Like country was the poor, down and out peoples music of drinking, women and hard times, played by the guys who lived through those hard times, and most had no music training at all. There is the Honky tonk blues sound, from the late 40s and into the early 60s, that was popular for years, that is what they call" 8 beats to the bar" I can play it, but sorry I don't know what notes they are, it is also called the "boogie woogie sound" it's upbeat and faster than most blues songs, and it is played on the bass, As "walking bass line". Blues as you know was the black peoples equivalent to white peoples country music, same topics, both told stories, the blues had more emphasis on the beat, and repetition of phrases, with great solos, the tow forms together has made some good sounds which came to be known as Rockabilly (country and Blues mixed and sped up like rock and roll). You can play any traditional blues song in E,A and B7 if before the 1970s, after about then it started to be more rock and Jazz influenced, and less rural and raw, same with country. both forms today are not what they where 20 years ago, only a few echos of there true roots still lingers now and then.

Answer 3

The blues scale is a diatonic major scale incorporating a flat 3rd, a flat 7th and sometimes a flat or 5th to approximate melodic notes that originated in African work songs. Since the actual pitch is unavailable on a piano, the flatted note is often played or "crushed" or smeared against the natural pitch to approximate the blue note.
Blues scale in E major:
E F# (G) G# A (Bb) B C# (D) D# E
The notes in parentheses are the blue notes.
It is in essense the minor pentonic scale with an added flatted fifth. To play the blue notes on the sax play a tone approxamated between the blue note and the natural occuring diatonic note.
The scale sounds strange played stright up and down. Play bits a pieces of the scale to make up licks.

Answer 4

well if you like chord theory, for the standard 12-bar blues:

Numbers correspond to degrees of the scale based on the root.
Ex: if in the key of C, a 1 means the measure sits on an C chord,
a 2 on the Dm chord, 3 on Em, 4 on F, 5 on G7, 6 on Am, 7 on Bdim.

| 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | 4 | 1 | 1 |

and the blues scale has six notes: 1, b3, 4, #4, 5, b7, 1
example: in key of C-- C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb, C
or in key of G-- G, Bb, C, C#, D, F, G

You can use the same scale (based on the key you are in) over all 12 bars of the progression if you like.

Answer 5

yes, the minor pentatonic, learn the intervals and you know all the keys, learn it as a number system. The "blues" scale adds the half step between 4 and 5, gives "blues" feel in leads. on sax, study scales intervals, play along with some blues on cd or something that have "jams" session, and play along, get a few notes that fit in a work it.

Answer 6

Ok, well the blues scale is the minor pentatonic scale, with an added "blue" or flat 5th note. This is what a blues scale looks like in the key of E. The position that your fingers follow will be the same for any key, if you were to use your index finger to reach the 12 fret low e, and then the pinky for the 15th fret on the same string as down below, then you will use index and pinky starting in any other key.(your fingers follow the same structure) The blues scale works perfect with 12 bar blues, which is all explained in this amazing site : www.12bar.de
I-------------------------------------12-15-I
I-------------------------------12-15-------I
I----------------------12-14-15-------------I
I----------------12-14----------------------I
I-------12-13-14----------------------------I
I-12-15-------------------------------------I

Answer 7

The "blues scale" is a pentatonic ("five notes") scale, but blues can be played using Hungarian Gypsy Minor scales if you want to - as long as it fits the music.

Answer 8

well i guess you mean the 12 bar blues, 4 beats per measure, repeat 9 times, then you change, G, B, E, are the common blues chords, you almost never use C, on the change usually A and D, and E, try it. the change is 4, then repeat..., listen to some muddy waters...

Answer 9

It sounds like you are asking about chord progressions-- If its a progression in C, how do I know what chord comes next? Depends on the song. There are common progressions and you can anticipate a IV after the I in blues, but it could be a ii, for example. Knowing theory and having a good ear helps.

Answer 10

yeah

pentatonic is the main one