---

Do you want to learn how to play amazing blues solos at the piano? If so, then you need to master your blues scales. While many students learn the notes of the blues scale, fewer students learn to use those notes effectively when improvising. In today’s Quick Tip, Blues Scale for Piano: Beginner Guide, Jonny May shares 8 steps for developing blues scale mastery!

Quick Navigation Links:

  Introduction
  8 Steps to Blues Scale Mastery on Piano

Introduction

Today’s lesson is all about “The Blues Scale.” We have this term in quotes because there is technically more than one type of blues scale. Specifically, there is the major blues scale and then there is the minor blues scale. Even though these two scales are built using different scale formulas resulting in different notes, they bear some common characteristics. For example, both the major blues scale and the minor blues scale each contain six notes. In addition, both scales contain the ♭3 note, which results in a “bluesy” vibe. However, without question, the minor blues scale is the bluer of the two scales.

When musicians speak of “The Blues Scale” without the use of a further modifying adjective, they are almost always referring to the minor blues scale. On the other hand, if they mean the major blues scale, they will usually reference it by its full name or an another alternate name (read more). Therefore, today’s lesson is really a deep dive on the minor blues scale, which we’ll refer to hereafter in this lesson as The Blues Scale.

Today’s comprehensive lesson on The Blues Scale includes a 10-page lesson sheet PDF and 3 backing tracks for practicing blues scale improvisation. PWJ members can download these resources from the bottom of this page after logging in with their membership. In addition, PWJ members can also easily transpose the lesson sheet to any key using our Smart Sheet Music.

8 Steps to Blues Scale Mastery on Piano

You might be wondering…

🗣️ “Why would Jonny devote an entire lesson to one scale?”

🗣️ “Isn’t The Blues Scale just six notes?”

Those are valid questions. The main reason is that developing proficiency with a particular scale requires a multi-faceted approach. Learning the notes of a scale is only the beginning. In actual performance situations, pro musicians uses scales in all kinds of ways beyond their rudimentary ascending and descending forms. Furthermore, piano scale fingerings are generally not consistent from one key to another. For these reasons and others, a comprehensive inquiry is required. In fact, today’s lesson contains 8 steps to blues scale mastery. When you stick with this lesson to the end, you’ll learn much more than just the notes of The Blues Scale. Instead, you’ll know how to use them  effectively in your playing. 🙌

Let’s get started with Step 1.

Step 1: Notes of The Blues Scale

It should come as no surprise that Step 1 for mastery of any scale starts with the scale formula. In this step, we start with a major scale and then apply modifications according to a particular scale formula. Note, a scale formula generally adds, omits and/or alters certain tones from the major scale to create a new scale. In the case of The Blue Scale, the scale formula is 1–♭3–4–♯4–5–♭7. The example below shows how to apply this formula to the C Major Scale in order to get the C Blues Scale.

Now, let’s play the C Blues Scale on the piano.

C Blues Scale

Good job! That wasn’t too hard, right? Now you’re ready for Step 2.

Step 2: Blues Scale Piano Fingering

The second step to blues scale mastery is to identify which piano fingering is the most effective for a given scale.

Primary Fingering

When playing the C Blues Scale on piano with the right hand, the most common fingering is 1-3-1-3-1-3. The demonstration below shows the C Blues Scale performed with this fingering pattern in two octaves.

Alternate Fingering

With many piano scales, there are alternate fingering options as well. For example, an alternate right-hand fingering for the C Blues Scale is 1-2-3-4-1-2. The example below demonstrates this alternate fingering for the C Blues Scale in two octaves.

Well done! You’re now ready for the next step in which you’ll discover how to play The Blues Scale with increased speed.

Step 3: Blues Scale Speed Drills

Now that we’ve covered the notes and piano fingerings for the C Blues Scale, Step 3 is to explore some speed drills that you can use to play The Blues Scale with increased speed.

Speed Drills 1 through 3 in this section isolate descending  melodic cells excerpted from the C blues scale in which the 3rd finger must cross over the thumb. By isolating this movement, we are able to increase both our familiarity and proficiency with this skill in a similar manner to the way in which a basketball player practices specific ball handling drills. The demonstrations in this section are performed at 110 BPM.

Speed Drill 1

In Speed Drill 1, we’ll focus on the descending melodic cell B♭–G–G♭ using the fingering 3-1-3.

Speed Drill 2

In Speed Drill 2, we’ll focus on the descending melodic cell G♭–F–E♭ using the fingering 3-1-3.

Speed Drill 3

In Speed Drill 3, we’ll focus on the descending melodic cell E♭–C–B♭ using the fingering 3-1-3.

The next three speed drills shift our focus to ascending melodic cells in which the right thumb must cross under the 3rd finger.

Speed Drill 4

In Speed Drill 4, we’ll focus on the ascending melodic cell C–E♭–F using the fingering 1-3-1.

Speed Drill 5

In Speed Drill 5, we’ll focus on the ascending melodic cell F–F♯–G using the fingering 1-3-1.

Speed Drill 6

Finally, in Speed Drill 6, we’ll focus on the ascending melodic cell G–B♭–C using the fingering 1-3-1.

Great job! For an extra challenge, try combining two or more speed drills together to form a longer melodic cell. For example, if you were to combine Speed Drills 1 and 2 together, you’d have the descending five-note cell B♭–G–G♭–F–E♭, which uses the fingering 3-1-3-1-3.

🔎 If you’re enjoying this lesson and you want to explore blue piano techniques even further, check out our complete Blues Piano Learning Tracks (Track 1, Track 2).

Once you’ve completed the speed drills in Step 3, you’re ready to play some two-handed blues piano exercises in the next section.

Step 4: Top 3 Blues Scale Exercises

Step 4 to blues scale mastery on piano is to practice Jonny’s Top 3 Blues Scale Exercises. These exercises involve playing various rhythmic and melodic permutations of the blues scale over a basic blues shuffle pattern in the left hand.

Exercise 1: 8th Notes

Our first exercise focuses on ascending and descending 8th notes in the right hand over a blues shuffle.

Exercise 2: Triplets

Our second blues scale piano exercise involves practicing ascending and descending triplets in the right hand over a blues shuffle.

Exercise 3: Patterns

In Exercise 3, we’ll explore a different melodic contour. Instead of playing a purely ascending or descending melodic line, we’ll play a line that ascends and descends according to a pattern. This melodic contour follows the pattern “two steps up, one step down.” Then, to descend, we’ll play “two steps down, one step up.”

(Note: in this context, the word “step” is not specifically referring to a half step or a whole step. Instead, “step” here simply refers to adjacent tones from the C Blues Scale, regardless of their intervallic distance.)

Great job! Now you’re ready for the next step in which you’ll explore soloing with The Blues Scale over some common chord progressions.

Step 5: Top 3 Blues Scale Progressions

The fifth step to blues scale mastery is to practice soloing over chord progressions that are compatible with the C blues scale. In this section, we’ll cover three such progressions.

The videos in this section demonstrate beginner left-hand accompaniment patterns, which are performed over the backing tracks that are included with this lesson. You can use these left-hand patterns and backing tracks to accompany yourself as you solo with the right hand using the C Blues Scale.

Progression 1: Funk

Chord Progression 1 is common funk progression which vamps on harmonic movement from Cm7 to F7. This progression is the Ⅰm7 chord to the Ⅳ7 chord in C Dorian, which comes from the C Dorian Scale (C–D–E♭–F–G–A–B♭). A popular example of this progression occurs in “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars.

Progression 2: “Radioactive”

Chord Progression 2 is a common pop progression which repeats the chords Cm→E♭→B♭→F. This progression is also in C Dorian and is featured in the song “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons.

Progression 3: The Blues

Chord Progression 3 for improv practice with the C Blues Scale is a standard 12-bar blues progression in C.

Alright, let’s continue to Step 6 in which we’ll learn to play some staple blues licks with the C Blues Scale.

Step 6: Blues Scale Licks

Step 6 to blues scale mastery is to add some “ear candy” to your solos with some blues licks. A lick is a short, catchy musical phrase that is often played over multiple chords. In this section, we’ll explore three simple beginner blues licks that come from the C Blues Scale. We’ll play each blues lick over a basic blues shuffle in the left hand.

Blues Scale Lick 1

Beginner Blues Scale Lick 1 opens with a harmonized down slide. To execute this slide, you’ll start by playing G♭ with your index finger and C with your pinkie at the same time. Then, you’ll immediately slide your index finger down to F to complete the harmonized down slide. Afterward this initial slide, the lick is pretty simple and straightforward. Check it out…

Sounds pretty cool, right? You can use blues licks like this to grab your audience’s attention and then transition into some additional improvised material.

Let’s check out another beginner blues lick.

Blues Scale Lick 2

Beginner Blues Scale Lick 2 is a piercing upper register lick that uses an up slide from F♯ to G with two upper harmony notes on top.

Awesome! Let’s try another blues lick.

Blues Scale Lick 3

Beginner Blues Scale Lick 3 uses a flashy harmonized turn. A turn embellishes a target note by means of a quick, melodic flourish that draws on the upper and lower neighbors of the target note.  For example, in Lick 3 below, the target note is F. Firstly, we’ll start by playing the target note F with the index finger and a top harmony note C. Next, we’ll turn off the F by going to the upper neighbor (G♭) with the 3rd finger. Then, we’ll return to the target note (F) and immediately proceed to the lower neighbor (E♭) with the thumb. Check it out…

To learn more catchy blues piano licks, check out our course on The Bible of Riffs (Int, Adv).

Alright, now you’re ready for the next step.

Step 7: Blues Scale Runs

Step 7 to blues scale mastery to play some runs with The Blues Scale. A run is an exciting improv line that involves a continuous string of 8th notes or triplets and spans across several octaves. Most blues runs feature a descending contour.

Blues Scale Run 1

Our first blues run begins with a turn on the note B♭. This is followed by a descending line that draws on the C Blues Scale. When we get to measure 2, we’ll change directions and end with an F7 cluster on the “and” of beat 2.

That was fun! Let’s try another run.

Blues Scale Run 2

Our next blues run opens with a triplet followed by a string of continuously descending 8th notes with a few upper harmony notes sprinkled in.

Blues Scale Run 3

Our third blues run is basically just a descending C Blues Scale with turn ornaments added in on beats 1 and 3. Let’s take a listen.

Wow, that’s both simple and effective. Alright, you’re ready for Step 8.

Step 8: Blues Scale for Piano in All 12 Keys

So far, all of our examples have been based on the C Blues Scale. However, not all blues music is in the key of C. Therefore, Step 8 to blues scale mastery is to learn how to play all 12 blues scales on piano. In this section, you’ll find reference diagrams for all 12 blues scales. You’ll also find demonstration videos on how to play all 12 blues scales with the proper piano fingerings.

Chart of All Minor Blues Scales for Piano

For your reference, here is a complete Piano Scale Chart of All Minor Blues Scales in every key. You’ll see the scale name followed by the specific notes on the piano contained within all twelve minor blues scales.

It’s great to look at a blues scale chart like we’ve compiled here for quick reference. However, you may initially need further assistance. Therefore, the following section contains demonstration videos for all twelve blues scales.

Demonstrations of All Blues Scales on Piano

The following demonstration videos are perfect for beginner blues piano students who are exploring all twelve blues scales for the first time. Notice that all twelve blues scales can be played with one of three piano fingering sets:

• Finger Set One: 1-3-1-3-1-3
• Finger Set Two: 3-1-3-1-3-1
• Finger Set Three: 1-2-3-1-2-3

The examples in this section contain a Finger Set legend on the right-hand page margin that shows the first three fingers that you’ll use to play the scale. This will help you identify the appropriate piano fingering set more quickly.

C Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

D♭ Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

D Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

E♭ Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

E Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

F Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

F♯ Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

G Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

A♭ Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

A Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

B♭ Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

B Blues Scale Piano Fingering

---

Conclusion

Congratulations, you’ve completed today’s lesson on the Blues Scale for Piano: Beginner Guide. Keep up the good work…you’re now on your way to blues scale mastery!

If you enjoyed this lesson, then be sure to check out the following PWJ resources:

---

Share This