scale theory?

[Preacher75]

I'm having trouble with the scale formulas. I've seen everywhere that a Blues scale is as follows:

---6-X-X-7------------------------------------------------
---4-X-X-5------------------------------------------------
---1-X-2-3------------------------------------------------
---6-X-7-X------------------------------------------------
---3-4-5-X------------------------------------------------
---1-X-X-2------------------------------------------------

OR

0 0
0 0
0 00
0 0
000
0 0

But when I try to apply the blues scale formula to other notes take F for instance, it looks different:

Okay the formula is R b3 4 b5 5 b7

So an F blues scale should look like this right?

F Ab B Cb C Eb

But what in the world do you do with a Cb? that's just a repeat of the B. Do you hit the B twice or in this case would I go like this

F Ab B C D Fb
1 3b 4 5b 5 7b

What ever the case the F blues scale is going to look different.
Am I missing something here? It doesn't seem like it's possible to form this scale on the neck. Something has to be missing.

I'm very thankful for any help.

Later bros.

[mullz]

When you see a 'scale formula' it means to build the scale from the notes in the major scale.

So for the F blues scale: 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7

we start with F major:1 2 3 4 5 6 7
F G A Bb C D E
(I think your mistake was neglecting the Bb!!!)

now let's build the scale:

1 = F
b3 = Ab
4 = Bb
b5 = Cb
5 = C
b7 = Eb

so the scale is: F Ab Bb Cb C Eb
(Cb is enharmonic to B natural - they are the same note with a different name)

Here is my bad attempt at a tab of the blues scale :)

___._._._._
e|-O-----O-
B|-O-----O-
G|-O---O-O-
D|-O---O---
A|-O-O-O---
E|-O-----O-

[Preacher75]

Many thanks bro, I was sweating that one. So tell me if I'm right here:

If I wanted to build a A major blues scale I would go like this:

A Major scale
A B C# D E F# G#

A Major Blues Scale
A Cb D Eb E G

Is this right? Oh no I feel a question boiling. I hope your kind and patient enough to help. Is there a good book or site to learn these theoretical details?

Why doesn't it look like the regular blues scale when I build it? Is it ok for it to look different?

Instead of looking like this:
1-2-3-4-frets
1/----0------0
2/----0------0
3/----0-----00
4/----0----0--
5/----0-0-0---
6/----0------0

It looks more like this:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 frets
0 0 string one
0 0 string two ect.
0 0
0
0 0 0
0 0


Is it normal for the scale to mutate it's form on the different notes? If that's the case then why do we need the basic outline?


00x000x
000xx
000x00x
0000x
000xxx
0000x0x

Do you know the formulas for the other types of scales? I mean like major minor ect... I have a long list of weird scale names. Are you saying that all the scale formulas are built using the major scales of whatever note we are looking to build the scale on? For instance, is there never a place to use the A minor scale to build a blues scale?

Thanks again brother man. Later

[The Fury]

The pattern is always the same no matter what key you're in.

I think you have made a small mistake

This is the scale formula 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7

You wrote this:
A Major scale
A B C# D E F# G#

A Major Blues Scale
A Cb D Eb E G

You worked it out with the right aproach but it should have been:
A C D Eb E G - the C is natural not flat.

C# is the 3rd of A but the flat 3rd is C, it doesn't mean it should be a flat note only that you should lower it by a semitone.

I hope that makes sense.

[Preacher75]

Thanks brotherman for the help. I think I understand what you said. Is a semitone a half step? I'm really new at this.

So since it was C# I just need to lower it by one half step right? So if it was C then it would have been Cb or B? What about when I apply the scale to the neck? It looks different, is that alright or am I missing something?

[The Fury]

Yes, a semitone is a half step/1 fret and a whole tone is 1 step/2 frets.

Try appling the 'pattern' first and then work out what notes your fingers are fretting, this might help you to see where you are getting stuck.

Here is the A blues scale with the notes

el------5------8----------A------------------C------
Bl------5------8----------E------------------G-----
Gl------5---7-8-----------C---------D-------Eb-----
Dl------5---7-------------G----------A----------
Al------5-6-7-------------D---Eb----E------------
El------5------8----------A------------------C------------

[guitartabbooks]

If your still looking for help on this subject, email me, and I'll send you the info your looking for.
Scott
youcanplayguitar@core.com