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E♭ blues minor scale on guitar
E♭ blues minor uses E♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭, B♭, and D♭. Box 3 places the root on string 6, fret 11 for a high-position run.
How it is built
Formula 1, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, ♭7
How do you play the E♭ blues minor scale on guitar?
E♭ blues minor in box 1 runs from fret 2 to fret 5, 12 notes across 6 strings, from G♭ on the low E string at fret 2 up to B♭♭ on the high e string at fret 5. The root falls on the B string at fret 4.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 2, 4, 5 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 5 (A) | 4 | D♭ |
| 4 (D) | 4 | G♭ |
| 3 (G) | 2, 3 | B♭♭, B♭ |
| 2 (B) | 2, 4 | D♭, E♭ |
| 1 (e) | 2, 4, 5 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
Box 2 · frets 4–7
E♭ blues minor in box 2 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 14 notes across 6 strings, from A♭ on the low E string at fret 4 up to B♭ on the high e string at fret 6. The root falls on the A string at fret 6 and the B string at fret 4.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 4, 5, 6 | A♭, B♭♭, B♭ |
| 5 (A) | 4, 6 | D♭, E♭ |
| 4 (D) | 4, 6, 7 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 3 (G) | 6 | D♭ |
| 2 (B) | 4, 7 | E♭, G♭ |
| 1 (e) | 4, 5, 6 | A♭, B♭♭, B♭ |
Box 3 · frets 6–9
E♭ blues minor in box 3 runs from fret 6 to fret 9, 13 notes across 6 strings, from B♭ on the low E string at fret 6 up to D♭ on the high e string at fret 9. The root falls on the A string at fret 6 and the G string at fret 8.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 6, 9 | B♭, D♭ |
| 5 (A) | 6, 9 | E♭, G♭ |
| 4 (D) | 6, 7, 8 | A♭, B♭♭, B♭ |
| 3 (G) | 6, 8 | D♭, E♭ |
| 2 (B) | 7, 9 | G♭, A♭ |
| 1 (e) | 6, 9 | B♭, D♭ |
Box 4 · frets 9–12
E♭ blues minor in box 4 runs from fret 9 to fret 12, 12 notes across 6 strings, from D♭ on the low E string at fret 9 up to E♭ on the high e string at fret 11. The root falls on the low E string at fret 11 and the high e string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 9, 11 | D♭, E♭ |
| 5 (A) | 9, 11, 12 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 4 (D) | 11 | D♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11 | G♭ |
| 2 (B) | 9, 10, 11 | A♭, B♭♭, B♭ |
| 1 (e) | 9, 11 | D♭, E♭ |
Box 5 · frets 11–14
E♭ blues minor in box 5 runs from fret 11 to fret 14, 14 notes across 6 strings, from E♭ on the low E string at fret 11 up to G♭ on the high e string at fret 14. The root falls on the low E string at fret 11, the D string at fret 13 and the high e string at fret 11.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 11, 14 | E♭, G♭ |
| 5 (A) | 11, 12, 13 | A♭, B♭♭, B♭ |
| 4 (D) | 11, 13 | D♭, E♭ |
| 3 (G) | 11, 13, 14 | G♭, A♭, B♭♭ |
| 2 (B) | 11, 14 | B♭, D♭ |
| 1 (e) | 11, 14 | E♭, G♭ |
Why it sounds like that
E♭ blues minor adds B♭♭ as the ♭5 to E♭ minor pentatonic. The blue note sits between A♭ and B♭. The scale degrees are 1, ♭3, 4, ♭5, 5, ♭7. Compare with E♭ minor pentatonic to isolate the added note.
When to use it
E♭ blues minor fits E♭ minor and E♭ 5th chords. Use it in an E♭ blues or a jazz-blues fusion. The ♭5 adds a sophisticated tension to the minor pentatonic. Try it with E♭ minor or E♭ 5th.
Which position to practise
Learn Box 1 first. The root is on string 5, fret 6, and the shape covers frets 2–5.
Common questions
What notes are in E♭ blues minor?
E♭ blues minor contains E♭, G♭, A♭, B♭♭, B♭, and D♭. B♭♭ is the blue note. This scale has six notes. It is also spelled D♯ in enharmonic notation for the same sounding root.
Which chords fit E♭ blues minor?
E♭ blues minor fits E♭ minor and E♭ 5th chords. It also works over A♭ 5th in a blues progression. Use it in E♭ blues.
What is the ♭5 in E♭ blues minor?
The ♭5 in E♭ blues minor is B♭♭. B♭♭ is the same pitch as A. It sits between A♭ and B♭.