G Blues Scale
The G blues scale contains G – Bb – C – Db – D – F. It is G minor pentatonic plus one added note, the blue note Db, between the 4th and 5th. It is also called the minor blues scale.
G 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.
G blues vs G minor pentatonic
| Degree | 1 | b3 | 4 | b5 | 5 | b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pentatonic | G | Bb | C | – | D | F |
| Blues | G | Bb | C | Db | D | F |
The blue note is the only addition. It is a passing note, a half step from both C and D: slide through it on the way between them rather than resting on it.
What G 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 G uses three dominant 7th chords, G7, C7 and D7, and this one scale works over all of them. Its minor 3rd, Bb, clashes on purpose with the B in G7, and that rub is the blues sound.
Notes and intervals
| Note | Degree | Interval from G | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| G | 1 | root | 0 |
| Bb | b3 | minor 3rd | 3 |
| C | 4 | perfect 4th | 5 |
| Db | b5 | diminished 5th | 6 |
| D | 5 | perfect 5th | 7 |
| F | 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. G minor has 2 flats: Bb and Eb, and the blue note Db falls outside it, so it always takes an accidental. See the key of G 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 G blues alone.
| Chord | Notes |
|---|---|
| Gm | G Bb D |
| Gdim | G Bb Db |
| Gm7 | G Bb D F |
| Gsus4 | G C D |
| Bb | Bb D F |
| Bbm | Bb Db F |
| Bbsus2 | Bb C F |
| Bbmaj6 | Bb D F G |
| Bbm6 | Bb Db F G |
| Csus2 | C D G |
| Csus4 | C F G |
| Fsus2 | F G C |
| Fsus4 | F Bb C |
More scales on G
Blues scale in other keys
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the G blues scale?
The G blues scale contains G, Bb, C, Db, D, F, then returns to G an octave higher.
What is the blue note in G blues?
Db, between the 4th (C) and the 5th (D).
What chords does the G blues scale work over?
A 12-bar blues in G: G7, C7, D7. It also fits G 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.