C♯ Blues Scale (C#)
The C# blues scale contains C# – E – F# – G – G# – B. It is C# minor pentatonic plus one added note, the blue note G, between the 4th and 5th. It is also called the minor blues scale.
C# blues scale chart
Pentatonic and blues scales have no standard book fingering, so none is shown here. Pick fingers that keep your thumb off the black keys.
C# blues vs C# minor pentatonic
| Degree | 1 | b3 | 4 | b5 | 5 | b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pentatonic | C# | E | F# | – | G# | B |
| Blues | C# | E | F# | G | G# | B |
The blue note is the only addition. It is a passing note, a half step from both F# and G#: slide through it on the way between them rather than resting on it.
What C# blues is used for
It is the sound of blues soloing, and of a lot of rock and jazz too. A 12-bar blues in C# uses three dominant 7th chords, C#7, F#7 and G#7, and this one scale works over all of them. Its minor 3rd, E, clashes on purpose with the E# in C#7, and that rub is the blues sound.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from C# | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| C# | 1 | root | 0 |
| E | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| F# | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| G | b5 | diminished 5th | 6 |
| G# | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| B | b7 | minor 7th | 10 |
Step pattern
The blues scale is built from the pattern W+H – W – H – H – W+H – W (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = three semitones). Apply that pattern from any starting note and you get the same scale in a different key.
Key signature and accidentals
Blues is normally written with accidentals over the key signature of the piece. C# minor has 4 sharps: F#, C#, G# and D#, and the blue note G falls outside it, so it always takes an accidental. See the key of C# minor for the chords of the minor key.
Chords using only these notes
The dominant 7th chords of a blues are not in this list because they contain notes outside the scale. These can be played with C# blues alone.
| Chord | Notes |
|---|---|
| C#m | C# E G# |
| C#dim | C# E G |
| C#m7 | C# E G# B |
| C#sus4 | C# F# G# |
| E | E G# B |
| Em | E G B |
| Esus2 | E F# B |
| Emaj6 | E G# B C# |
| Em6 | E G B C# |
| F#sus2 | F# G# C# |
| F#sus4 | F# B C# |
| Bsus2 | B C# F# |
| Bsus4 | B E F# |
More scales on C#
Blues scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the C# blues scale?
The C# blues scale contains C#, E, F#, G, G#, B, then returns to C# an octave higher.
What is the blue note in C# blues?
G, between the 4th (F#) and the 5th (G#).
What chords does the C# blues scale work over?
A 12-bar blues in C#: C#7, F#7, G#7. It also fits C# minor chords.
What is the step pattern of the blues scale?
It follows the pattern W+H – W – H – H – W+H – W, where W is a whole step (two semitones), H is a half step (one semitone) and W+H is three semitones.