What You Need To Know About The Bb Blues Scale on Guitar

The Bb Blues Scale is a staple in the world of blues, jazz, and rock music. It’s a versatile scale that can add a soulful and expressive quality to your guitar playing. In this blog, we’ll break down the Bb Blues Scale, show you how to play it, and give you some tips to incorporate it into your music.

What is the Bb Blues Scale?

The Bb Blues Scale is a six-note scale derived from the Bb Minor Pentatonic Scale with an added “blue note.” The blue note is a flattened fifth, which gives the scale its distinctive bluesy sound.

The notes in the Bb Blues Scale are:

• Bb (Root)
• Db (Minor third)
• Eb (Perfect fourth)
• E (Diminished fifth, or blue note)
• F (Perfect fifth)
• Ab (Minor seventh)

How to Play the Bb Blues Scale on Guitar

Open Position

1. Start on the 1st fret of the A string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
2. Play the 3rd fret of the A string (Db) with your ring finger (3).
3. Play the open D string (D).
4. Play the 1st fret of the D string (Eb) with your index finger (1).
5. Play the 3rd fret of the D string (E) with your ring finger (3).
6. Play the open G string (G).
7. Play the 3rd fret of the G string (Bb) with your ring finger (3).
8. Play the open B string (B).
9. Play the 1st fret of the B string (C) with your index finger (1).
10. Play the 3rd fret of the B string (D) with your ring finger (3).
11. Play the open high E string (E).
12. Play the 3rd fret of the high E string (G) with your ring finger (3).

3rd Position

1. Start on the 6th fret of the low E string (Bb) with your pinky (4).
2. Play the 3rd fret of the A string (Db) with your index finger (1).
3. Play the 6th fret of the A string (Eb) with your pinky (4).
4. Play the 3rd fret of the D string (F) with your index finger (1).
5. Play the 5th fret of the D string (Gb) with your middle finger (2).
6. Play the 6th fret of the D string (G) with your ring finger (3).
7. Play the 3rd fret of the G string (Ab) with your index finger (1).
8. Play the 5th fret of the G string (Bb) with your ring finger (3).
9. Play the 3rd fret of the B string (Db) with your index finger (1).
10. Play the 6th fret of the B string (Eb) with your pinky (4).
11. Play the 3rd fret of the high E string (F) with your index finger (1).
12. Play the 6th fret of the high E string (Ab) with your pinky (4).

5th Position

1. Start on the 6th fret of the low E string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
2. Play the 9th fret of the low E string (Db) with your pinky (4).
3. Play the 6th fret of the A string (Eb) with your index finger (1).
4. Play the 7th fret of the A string (E) with your middle finger (2).
5. Play the 8th fret of the A string (F) with your ring finger (3).
6. Play the 8th fret of the D string (Ab) with your ring finger (3).
7. Play the 6th fret of the D string (Gb) with your index finger (1).
8. Play the 8th fret of the D string (Ab) with your ring finger (3).
9. Play the 6th fret of the G string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
10. Play the 8th fret of the G string (Db) with your ring finger (3).
11. Play the 6th fret of the B string (Eb) with your index finger (1).
12. Play the 9th fret of the B string (Gb) with your pinky (4).
13. Play the 6th fret of the high E string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
14. Play the 9th fret of the high E string (Db) with your pinky (4).

7th Position

1. Start on the 6th fret of the low E string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
2. Play the 8th fret of the low E string (C) with your middle finger (2).
3. Play the 9th fret of the low E string (Db) with your ring finger (3).
4. Play the 10th fret of the low E string (D) with your pinky (4).
5. Play the 8th fret of the A string (Eb) with your index finger (1).
6. Play the 9th fret of the A string (E) with your middle finger (2).
7. Play the 10th fret of the A string (F) with your ring finger (3).
8. Play the 7th fret of the D string (Gb) with your index finger (1).
9. Play the 8th fret of the D string (G) with your middle finger (2).
10. Play the 10th fret of the D string (Ab) with your pinky (4).
11. Play the 7th fret of the G string (A) with your index finger (1).
12. Play the 9th fret of the G string (Bb) with your ring finger (3).
13. Play the 8th fret of the B string (Db) with your middle finger (2).
14. Play the 9th fret of the B string (D) with your ring finger (3).
15. Play the 11th fret of the B string (Eb) with your pinky (4).
16. Play the 8th fret of the high E string (F) with your index finger (1).
17. Play the 10th fret of the high E string (G) with your ring finger (3).

10th Position

1. Start on the 11th fret of the low E string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
2. Play the 14th fret of the low E string (Db) with your pinky (4).
3. Play the 11th fret of the A string (Eb) with your index finger (1).
4. Play the 12th fret of the A string (E) with your middle finger (2).
5. Play the 13th fret of the A string (F) with your ring finger (3).
6. Play the 11th fret of the D string (Ab) with your index finger (1).
7. Play the 13th fret of the D string (Bb) with your ring finger (3).
8. Play the 10th fret of the G string (Db) with your index finger (1).
9. Play the 13th fret of the G string (Eb) with your pinky (4).
10. Play the 11th fret of the B string (F) with your index finger (1).
11. Play the 13th fret of the B string (Gb) with your ring finger (3).
12. Play the 14th fret of the B string (G) with your pinky (4).
13. Play the 11th fret of the high E string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
14. Play the 14th fret of the high E string (Db) with your pinky (4).

12th Position

1. Start on the 13th fret of the low E string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
2. Play the 16th fret of the low E string (Db) with your pinky (4).
3. Play the 13th fret of the A string (Eb) with your index finger (1).
4. Play the 14th fret of the A string (E) with your middle finger (2).
5. Play the 15th fret of the A string (F) with your ring finger (3).
6. Play the 13th fret of the D string (Ab) with your index finger (1).
7. Play the 15th fret of the D string (Bb) with your ring finger (3).
8. Play the 13th fret of the G string (Db) with your index finger (1).
9. Play the 15th fret of the G string (Eb) with your ring finger (3).
10. Play the 13th fret of the B string (Gb) with your index finger (1).
11. Play the 16th fret of the B string (G) with your pinky (4).
12. Play the 13th fret of the high E string (Bb) with your index finger (1).
13. Play the 16th fret of the high E string (Db) with your pinky (4).

Tips for Practicing the Bb Blues Scale

1. Start Slow: Begin by playing the Bb blues scale slowly, ensuring each note rings out clearly. Focus on the correct finger placement and smooth transitions between notes.
2. Use a Metronome: Practice with a metronome to keep your timing consistent. Start at a slow tempo and gradually increase the speed as you become more comfortable.
3. Explore Different Positions: While the 6th position is a good starting point, try playing the Bb Blues Scale in different positions on the neck. This will help you become more familiar with the fretboard.
4. Improvise: Once you’re comfortable with the scale, try improvising over a Bb blues backing track. Experiment with different rhythms and phrasing to develop your unique sound.
5. Incorporate Bends and Slides: Add expressive techniques like bends, slides, and vibrato to bring more emotion and dynamics to your playing.

Application in Music

The Bb Blues Scale is incredibly versatile and can be used in various musical contexts. Whether you’re playing blues, jazz, rock, or even funk, this scale can add a soulful touch to your solos and riffs. Listen to some of your favorite blues guitarists and notice how they use the blues scale in their playing. Try to emulate their phrasing and feel, and then incorporate those elements into your own style.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the Bb Blues Scale on guitar opens up a world of musical possibilities. By practicing the scale, exploring different positions, and experimenting with improvisation, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of the blues and enhance your overall guitar playing. So grab your guitar, dive into the Bb Blues Scale, and let the bluesy magic flow through your fingers. Happy playing!

If you’re interested in learning an instrument, at Real Brave, we offer an incredible experience like no other place in music lessons for kids and adults by guiding them from the beginning stages of getting to know an instrument all the way through performing for family and friends on stage. Our instructors come from all over the world, bringing extensive experience on a wide range of instruments. Click below and book a free lesson with us!

Author: Daniel Powers Jr, the founder of Real Brave™, serves as the chief inspiration to thousands of students in the Real Brave music instruction program. He’s also the visionary behind PracticePad™, an online platform for live one-on-one online music lessons, lesson tracking, and scheduling. Beyond his entrepreneurial pursuits, Daniel leads a non-profit organization that provides formerly homeless children with access to music education, making a profound impact on their lives. His unwavering dedication to music, innovation, and education continues to inspire individuals to reach their fullest potential while creating positive change in communities. Follow Real Brave on all the socials:

youtube.com/@realbraveinc
twitter.com/realbraveinc
https://www.tiktok.com/@realbraveinc
instagram.com/realbraveaudio
facebook.com/realbraveinc