I’ll say it - the blues scale is the #1 ultimate scale for guitarists. Why you may ask? Countless legendary guitar solos were played using the blues scale and it is easy to learn. Learning how to play the blues scale should be one of your first stepping stones when it comes to learning how to improvise. Let’s dive in.
I like to provide a little bit of the background theory before diving straight into things. The blues scale is the pentatonic scale plus one additional note. That one additional note is the “blue note”, or simply a passing note that sounds bluesy. For additional reference if you are unfamiliar, the pentatonic scale is comprised of five notes, as the name “penta” implies.
Let’s look at the notes in the A blues scale, shown below:
Why Learn the Blues Scale?
The blues scale is cool because any note will sound good when played over a blues progression. The one exception is the blue note (the blue dots shown on the scale above), which should be used only as a passing note. Meaning, you should not end a phrase or hold the blue note because it will clash with the other chord tones. It it best used in passing and can really create some bluesy sounding lines.
Another reason you should learn the blues scale is because Hendrix, Clapton, and Van Halen use the blues scale! While improvisation is freedom, you must learn the rules to get there. You can really do a lot with the blues scale. Countless iconic solos essentially just use the blues scale. It is a very easy scale to play but remember that a good solo is composed of great rhythm, feel, and creativity!
How to Practice Improvising
Continue to familiarize yourself with the blues scale by trying to come up with little melodies, sequences, and different rhythms. When you’re ready, the next step is to improvise over a jam track. Practice improvising using the A blues scale over a jam track with only one rule in mind: you must only play the notes in the scale. Otherwise, you have complete freedom rhythmically, dynamically, and sequentially. Bonus challenge: try to play double stops (multiple notes at the same time).
There are countless A blues jam tracks to choose from on YouTube, but here’s one I found: (click here for the YouTube video.) The guy playing during the first 30 seconds of the video is using the A blues scale (he’s playing in different positions on the fretboard but it is all the same notes!).
Where to Find Inspiration
You should have a solid grasp of how to play the blues scale after reviewing this lesson. If you’re looking for inspiration, turn to the solos of your guitar idols. Hendrix’s solo in ‘Hey Joe’, Clapton’s solo in ‘Cocaine’, and countless others use the blues scale. Incorporate transcribing into your practice routine! As always, drop a comment if you have questions related (or unrelated) to this lesson!