6 String Freedom

Part 12: Blues, with the foundations still clear · Lesson 111 / 117

Minor blues adds the flat fifth

Today’s one thing

Introduce Eb between D and E in A minor blues.

A minor blues contains A, C, D, Eb, E and G. It adds b5 to A minor pentatonic, giving 1–b3–4–b5–5–b7.

Start with D–Eb–E. Eb sits between the fourth D and fifth E above A. On the G string, use frets 7–8–9. Play the destination E separately first, then approach it through Eb.

Eb is not a chord tone of A7. In this particular phrase, it creates a brief chromatic connection from D towards E. It can have other expressive uses, so avoid defining every blues-scale note as a passing note regardless of what the music does.

Keep this six-note scale distinct from the major blues scale that follows. They add different intervals to different pentatonic bases. The minor blues scale is a useful palette, not a complete description of every blues melody.

Hear it

Minor Blues

Audio file

Four-beat count-in · 60 BPM · Warm sampled electric guitar. Listen once before playing along.

A concrete example

A minor pentatonic A C D E G + Eb = A minor blues. G-string 7 D, 8 Eb, 9 E demonstrates 4–b5–5.

A minor blues56789e · 1ACB · 2EGG · 3CDE♭ED · 4GAA · 5DE♭EE · 6AC
Frets are labelled above; high E is the top string. Brass dots mark the tonic. Tap a dot to hear it.

Fretboard view

High E (string 1) is the top line, matching guitar tablature. Select a note to hear it.

Root / tonicChord toneTargetChanged / colour noteOther note
Blues b5: D–E♭–E on one string
G-string frets 7, 8 and 9 demonstrate 4–♭5–5 over A.
Guitar fretboard diagram: Blues b5: D–E♭–E on one string. High E string on top, frets 7 to 9. Notes D, Eb, E.
The E♭ is the added chromatic blue note in this particular phrase.
Play notes from a larger button list

One small map at a time. Hear the notes, then play the example without looking.

Try it, slowly

  1. Play D–E and hear the whole step.
  2. Insert Eb and keep E as the intended destination.
  3. Use the three-note motion in a short phrase, then explain Eb's role in that phrase.

Check one idea

Which note is added to A minor pentatonic to make the common six-note minor blues scale?

Show the explanation

Eb, the diminished fifth or b5 above A. It sits one semitone below E, the perfect fifth.

A good place to stop

You can derive the scale and explain one purposeful use of its added note.

Return to the example after a short break. A clear explanation matters more than speed.