The Blues Scale is a very simple adaptation from the Minor Pentatonic Scale. Many times it can be used in place of the minor scale, or it can be used with any blues songs, as well as with songs with only the I, IV and V chords.

A-Blues Scale

Notice that the only difference between the A Blues Scale and the Am Pentatonic Scale is the added Eb notes on the A- and G-strings.

Listen to the A blues scale:

e:-------------------------5-8-|
B:---------------------5-8-----|
G:---------------5-7-8---------|
D:-----------5-7---------------|
A:-----5-6-7-------------------|
E:-5-8-------------------------|

Practice this scale ascending and descending. Then move it up and down the fretboard to play the blues scale in other keys.

Modifying the Major Pentatonic Scale

Because Am Pentatonic scale is virtually the same as the C Major Pentatonic scale, we can incorporate this ‘blues note’ to the C Major Pentatonic Scale like this:

Listen to this scale:

e:-----------------------------8-|
B:------------------------8-10---|
G:---------------5-7-8-9---------|
D:-----------5-7-----------------|
A:----3-5-6-7--------------------|
E:-------------------------------|

The blues note goes between the 2 and 3 notes of the Major Pentatonic scale. Thus this pattern is adaptable to and place we play a Major Pentatonic Scale pattern.