A blues scale guitar tab, notation & fretboard patterns: a complete lesson on how to play a blues scale in A on guitar.
Page Index
- Introduction
- 1 Octave A Blues Scale Guitar TAB in Open Position
- 2 Octave A Blues Scale Guitar TAB (5th Position)
- A Blues Scale Guitar Patterns
- A Blues Scale Pattern 1 (2 Octaves)
- A Blues Scale Pattern 2 (1 Octave)
- A Blues Scale Pattern 3 (1 Octave)
- A Blues Scale Pattern 4 (1 Octave)
- A Blues Scale Pattern 5 (2 Octaves)
- Notes In A Blues Scale
A Blues Scale Guitar TAB, Notation, Fretboard Pattern & Lesson
With its bluesy, soulful sound, the blues scale is a popular scale in blues, rock, jazz, metal and pop music.
There are many different ways of playing an A blues scale on guitar; on this page you’ll find some of the best and most widely-used fingerings.
Use the TABs, notation and patterns below to play a blues scale in A in one and two octaves - all over the guitar neck.
Related Pages on Guitar Command
- Find out how to play blues scales in any key: Blues Scale Guitar
- How to read guitar TAB: How To Read TAB
- Complete guitar scale reference: Guitar Scales
- Download our comprehensive Guitar Scales Chart
- Jam along to our professional Guitar Backing Tracks
1 Octave A Blues Scale Guitar TAB in Open Position
The notation / TAB below shows you how to play a 1 octave A blues scale in open position.
2 Octave A Blues Scale Guitar TAB (5th Position)
The TAB below shows a 2 octave A blues scale played at the fifth fret. This is one of the most common (and easiest) ways of playing a blues scale in A.
The above TAB is the same scale as that represented by blues scale pattern 1, shown further down the page.
A Blues Scale Guitar Patterns
- You can find out how to use guitar scale patterns on this page: Guitar Scale Patterns
- For more information on playing blues scales all over the neck, visit this page: Blues Scale Guitar
You can use the blues scale patterns below to play blues scales all over the guitar neck. The figures by the side of the patterns tell you at which fret the patterns should be played.
The green circles represent the tonic notes (in this case A) of the scale. Play from a green circle to the next green circle for a 1-octave scale. Patterns 1 and 5, which contain 3 tonic notes, can be used to play 2-octave A blues scales. (The other patterns, having only 2 green circles, can be used to play 1-octave A blues scales.)
All of the patterns contain additional notes allowing you to extend the scale without changing fretboard position. The TABs below each pattern show the scales represented by the patterns and omit these extra notes.
A Blues Scale Pattern 1 (2 Octaves)
A Blues Scale TAB Using Pattern 1
A Blues Scale Pattern 2
1-Octave A Blues Scale TAB Using Pattern 2
A Blues Scale Pattern 3
1-Octave A Blues Scale TAB Using Pattern 3
A Blues Scale Pattern 4
1-Octave A Blues Scale TAB Using Pattern 4
A Blues Scale Pattern 5
2-Octave A Blues Scale TAB Using Pattern 5
Play Other Blues Scales Using The Above Patterns
The blues scale patterns above are movable (transposable); the green circles represent the tonic note of the scale. Although the fret numbers show you where to play each pattern for an A blues scale, you can position the tonic notes over different notes on the fretboard to play different blues scales.
For example, play any of the above patterns 2 frets lower for a G blues scale.
Notes In A Blues Scale
An A blues scale comprises the following series of notes:
A, C, D, E flat (the blues note), E, G
The scale formula of a blues scale is as follows:
1, 3b, 4, 5b, 5, b7
Related Pages on Guitar Command
- Find out how to play blues scales in any key: Blues Scale Guitar
- How to read guitar TAB: How To Read TAB
- Complete guitar scale reference: Guitar Scales
- Download our comprehensive Guitar Scales Chart
- Jam along to our professional Guitar Backing Tracks
