Blues Scale Fingering
Found in: Blues, Composition & Improvisation, Curriculum
Sharlene H., Spain
I am doing the Blues Improvisation ‘Blues Scales’ and have a question about fingering patterns. In the C scale we use F1 on White notes and F3 on Black notes but what about in other keys? I don’t know if I’ve missed it somewhere… but that combination doesn’t seem to work with all keys.
Laurie Richards, Nebraska
The Scale Journey approach is relevant with regard to a visual map. I’ve always involved my students in coming up with blues scale fingerings (other than C). We just work it out together.
Neil Moore
The fingering of 1 and 3 only works because of the fact that the C Blues scale alternates from black key to white. I provide the suggested fingering to beginning students because of its simplicity and speed of application. As others have said, beyond C, you’ll need to figure it out.
Here’s mine:
C:
RH 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1
LH 5 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1
F:
RH 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1
LH 5 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1
Bb:
RH 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1
LH 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3
Eb:
RH 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 1
LH 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 3
Ab:
RH 3 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4
LH 3 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2
Db:
RH 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3
LH 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3
Gb:
RH 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3
LH 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3
B:
RH 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3
LH 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3
E:
RH 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1
LH 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3
A:
RH 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1
LH 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3
D:
RH 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1
LH 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1 3
G:
RH 1 2 3 4 1 3 1 2 3 4 1 3 1
LH 5 3 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 4 3 2 1
Original discussion started May 8, 2018