The ULTIMATE F Blues Scale Guitar Lesson

Many guitar players get stuck playing the blues in keys like E and A.

Which are great guitar keys. But they are not as popular as keys like F and Bb are for piano players and horn players. This means if you don’t know your scales and notes in these other keys. Jamming with different musicians can be tough.

In this post, I want to show you a great scale to know whether you are a beginner or an advanced player. I’m going to share ways to play the F blues scale on guitar, how to practice the F blues scale, and even songs that use the F blues scale. This all ties in with music theory as well. But it’s important to realize the blues scale is a Western interpretation of a style that is tough to pinpoint.

But let’s get straight into it, starting with…

What notes are in the F blues scale?

The notes in the F minor blues scale are: 

F - Ab - Bb - Cb - C - Eb - F 

Now, it’s important to point out, that when guitarist say “Blues Scale” 9 times out of 10 they mean the minor blues scale. Which is what we are going to be covering in this lesson. It’s a way of grouping together a specific set of notes that can be used for solos, understanding chords, and music theory. These notes help you create that classic blues sound.

The scale follows a pattern of whole steps (W), half steps (H), and blue notes that give it its distinct character. On guitar, you can play the F blues scale in various positions and across different frets. Here is the first example I would start with:

This scale pattern starts on the low 6th string 1st fret - F – this is the root note. Then it ascends up the scale to the octave on the 4th string 3rd fret. The easiest way to start is to play each one of these notes with downstrums in the strum hand. Make sure you are getting each note clean and playing close to the frets. 

What fingers do you use for the F blues scale?

For the fretting hand what you want to do is match the frets to the fingers. For example, if you play the 3rd fret, use your 3rd finger in the fretting hand. If you play the 1st fret, use your 1st finger, and so on and so forth. 

This is called playing "in position". It refers to using a simple system within a specific fret range on the neck of the guitar, typically spanning four frets. 

When playing in position, you generally keep your hand and fingers within a fixed span on the neck, allowing you to play notes and patterns without excessive hand movement up and down the neck. This technique can help you navigate the fretboard more efficiently and develop a better understanding of scale patterns and note relationships.

If you’ve struggled to play the blues scale anywhere on the neck, in the style of the old-school blues legends like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and B.B. King… then get your hands on my free blues scale guide right here:

What is the formula for the F blues scale?

As mentioned above the notes in the F blues scale are:

F - Ab - Bb - Cb - C - Eb - F 

The formula for the F blues scale is:

A step and a half (3 frets)

Whole Step (W)

Half Step (H)

Half Step (H)

A step and a half (3 frets)

Whole Step (W)

In terms of frets, the pattern is:

3 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 3 - 2

This specific sequence of whole steps (W) and half steps (H) will create any blues scale. Whatever note you start on plug in the formula and you’ve got a blues scale. It’s like magic!

This pattern guarantees that the blues scale maintains a specific set of intervals between each note. Here are the intervals of a minor blues scale:

• Root (1)
• Minor third (♭3)
• Perfect fourth (4)
• Diminished fifth (♭5) – also called the "blue note"
• Perfect fifth (5)
• Minor seventh (♭7)
• Octave (1)

This sequence of intervals gives the minor blues scale its characteristic sound, blending both the minor pentatonic scale and the "blue note" (♭5). For example, in the F minor blues scale, the notes would be:

• F(Root)
• Ab (♭3)
• Bb (4)
• Cb (♭5)
• C (5)
• Eb (♭7)
• F (Octave)

On the guitar, you can play the F blues scale a ton of different ways. For example, here is a common way of playing this scale covering 2 octaves and using all 6 strings:

This now gives us a good cluster of notes in one area of the fretboard. 

How to practice the F blues scale on guitar

Practicing the F blues scale with a metronome is a great way to start. This can help improve your timing, accuracy, and consistency. 

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to practice the G blues scale with a metronome:

• Set your metronome to a comfortable tempo. Start with a slower tempo and gradually increase it as you become more comfortable.
• Familiarize yourself with the G blues scale fingering and position on the guitar. Make sure you know the correct sequence of notes and the fingering.
• Start by playing the G blues scale ascending (going up).
• Begin the metronome and make sure you're comfortable with the beat. Focus on keeping a steady rhythm.
• Play the G blues scale slowly and accurately, matching each note with the metronome beat. Start with quarter notes (one note per click).
• Pay attention to your picking or plucking technique. Make sure each note is clear and articulated.
• Once you're comfortable playing the G blues scale in this position as quarter notes you can either gradually increase the tempo. You can also experiment with different rhythms like eighth notes, sixteenth notes, etc.
• Remember to focus on accuracy, timing, and maintaining a consistent tempo throughout your practice session. It's important to start slowly and gradually increase the speed as you become more comfortable and proficient with the scale.

What songs use the F blues scale?

There are a lot of great songs that use the F blues scale. Here are 3 examples to help you learn more about it. 

1. Back at the Chicken Shack (Jimmy Smith - Feat. Kenny Burrell)

"Back At The Chicken Shack," is a downhome blues groove in the key of F major. Featuring the legendary Kenny Burrell (my old guitar teacher) on guitar. The song follows a standard 12-bar blues progression using the chords F7, Bb7, and C7. 

2. Moanin' (Buddy Guy)

This tune was written by Bobby Timmons and is a classic blues in the key of F. You hear a jazzier side to Buddy Guy in this cover.

3. Watermelon Man (Herbie Hancock)

“Watermelon Man” is another blues in F written by Herbie Hancock. Again, remember that keyboard players love playing in F, similarly to how guitarist love playing blues in E. There are certain keys that just sit well on the instrument.  

Conclusion:

At the end of the day, learning the F blues scale on guitar is super important for both beginners and more advanced players. As you progress in your music, and jam with other musicians you may find they want to play in different keys you are not used to. Preparing ahead of time makes you feel confident and know how to handle any musical situation. 

There are different ways to play the F blues scale on guitar, and some are better than others. To make sure you don’t spin your wheels and waste years learning the right ones, get your hands on my FREE blues scale guide right here:

Jon MacLennan