E blues scale on banjo
The E blues scale has six notes: E, G, A, B♭, B and D (1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7). The minor pentatonic with the flat 5th added: the blue note. Use it on the way between the 4th and the 5th rather than holding it.
| Note | E | G | A | B♭ | B | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interval | 1 (root) | ♭3 | 4 | ♭5 | 5 | ♭7 |
| Step to the next | 1½ | whole | half | half | 1½ | whole |
2 positions to learn it in
Each stretch here is a few frets you can play without moving the hand: the open position, then from the root on the lowest string. Press Play to hear each one, up and back down.
Chords that go with the E blues scale
The chords on each note of the scale that use only its notes. Play over any of them and every note fits; E (Em) is where it sounds at home.
| On the | Chord | Seventh chord |
|---|---|---|
| root (E) | Emhome | Em7home |
| ♭3 (G) | Gdaylight | – |
| 4 (A) | Asus4the door | – |
| ♭7 (D) | Dsus4heroic | – |
Scales with the same notes
Compare the E minor pentatonic scale, its minor pentatonic, without the blue note.
Questions
What notes are in the E blues scale?
E, G, A, B♭, B and D. Its intervals from the root are 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7, and the steps between its notes are W+H W H H W+H W (W a whole step, H a half step).
What chords go with the E blues scale?
The chords made only of its notes: Em, G, Asus4 and Dsus4, and as seventh chords Em7. E is home: Em is the chord it sounds most settled over.
The blues scale in every key
Other scales in E
E majorE minorE minor pentatonicE major pentatonicE DorianE MixolydianE LydianE PhrygianE harmonic minorE melodic minorE Phrygian dominant
Practise it on a sheet of your own in the practice sheet maker, with a metronome and a drone. Every scale: banjo scales. This scale on guitar, bass, ukulele and mandolin.