Blues scale

On piano or synthesizer keyboard, I like the blues scales on D, E, or A to improvise on because the black note falls so conveniently under the fourth finger.

D Blues:

D F G G# A C D

E Blues:

E G A A# B D E

A Blues:

A C D D# E G A

The easiest fingering for the right hand is 1 2 3 4 1 2 3.

I would have to disagree with fricto's assertion that the blues scale is based on the minor scale. It is based on the pentatonic scale, a minor pentatonic scale, to be exact, like the 5 black keys on the piano, with the added tone, the augmented fourth, diminished fifth, or tritone: the G#, A#, and D# in my examples above.

It is also known as the diabolus in musica.

The general formula for a blues scale is as follows (all numbers are the Degrees of the Scale from the corresponding Major scale):

1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7, 8 (1)

So, using that formula, you get all of these scales:

Bb Blues Scale:

Bb, Db, Eb, Fb, F, Ab, Bb

B Blues Scale:

B, D, E, F, F#, A, B

C Blues Scale:

C, Eb, F, Gb, G, Bb, C

Db Blues Scale:

Db, Fb, Gb, Abb, Ab, Cb, Db

D Blues Scale:

D, F, G, Ab, A, C, D

Eb Blues Scale:

Eb, Gb, Ab, Bbb, Bb, Db, Eb

E Blues Scale:

E, G, A, Bb, B, D, E

F Blues Scale:

F, Ab, Bb, Cb, C, Eb, F

Gb Blues Scale:

Gb, Bbb, Cb, Dbb, Db, Fb, Gb

G Blues Scale:

G, Bb, C, Db, D, F, G

Ab Blues Scale:

Ab, Cb, Db, Ebb, Eb, Gb, Ab

A Blues Scale:

A, C, D, Eb, E, G, A

A blues scale is similar to a minor pentatonic scale except for the addition of a b5 (flat fifth) note. This extra note is often referred to as the "blue note" because it adds emotion to the scale.