Minor Blues Scales

Piano Fingerings
Right Hand
Scale Step

1 ♭3 4 ♯4 5 ♭7 1
Cm 1 2 3 4 1 3 1
Fm 1 2 3 1 2 3 1
B♭m 1 2 3 1 2 3 1*
E♭m 1 2 3 1 2 3 1
A♭m 4 1 2 1 2 3 4
D♭m 2 1 2 3 4 1 2
G♭m 2 1 2 3 4 1 2
Bm 2 1 2 3 4 1 2
Em 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Am 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Dm 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
Gm 2 4 1 2 3 1 2
The minor blues scale is made up of scale steps 1, ♭3, 4, ♯4, 5, ♭7, and 1 of the major scale. So, the C Minor
Blues Scale is C, E♭, F, F♯, G, B♭, and C. I could also be thought of in terms of the intervals make it up as in:
root, minor third, major second, minor second, minor second, minor third, major second, and back to the
root.

* There’s no good way to play this scale. It breaks the “no thumb on a black key when playing scales” rule.
For situations like this (B♭, E♭, A♭, etc.), you might find yourself ending on 4, rather than 1 when you’re
turning around. I’ve simply listed the fingering you’d use when playing multiple octaves. (But you’re smart,
and already figured that out.)

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Major Blues Scales
Piano Fingerings
Right Hand
Scale Step

1 2 ♯2 3 5 6 1
C 1 2 3 1 2 3 1
F 1 2 3 1 2 3 1
B♭ 4 1 2 3 1 2 4
E♭ 2 3 4 1 3 1 2
A♭ 2 3 1 2 3 1 2
D♭ 2 3 1 2 3 1 2
G♭ 2 3 1 2 3 1 2
B 1 2 1 2 3 4 1
E 1 2 3 4 1 2 1
A 1 2 3 4 1 2 1
D 1 2 3 4 1 2 1
G 1 2 3 1 2 3 1
Notice that the major blues scales are related to the minor ones. C Major shares notes and fingerings with A
Minor (it’s the relative major), and so on. So the C Major Blues Scale is C, D, D♯, E, G, A, and back to C.

For most scales we learn the majors before minors, but for blues scales the minors are probably more
popular.

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