Blues scales

Blues scales are six-note scales. The blues scale conforms to the following scale formula:

The blues scale contains all four notes of the minor seventh chord (1-b3-5-b7). Of the additional tones, scale-degree four is the simple-interval equivalent of tension eleven, which is always available as a tension on a minor seventh chord. The remaining tone, scale degree #4 / b5, is often called the blue note. This tone exemplifies the blues effect, and is often sounded in a variable pitch / micro-tonal fluctuation.

The blues scale is used as root-motion generator for rock-and-roll and heavy-metal. The scale provides the choices for roots of chords, and the roots are then harmonized with power chords.
The blues scale is a 12-tone representation of an African melodic scale, imported with slavery in the early history of the United States. The interaction of this scale with Western European diatonic harmony created the foundation of American Music.

*NOTE: Blues scales and Minor Pentatonic scales are virtually always compatible; where one works, so will the other. Experimentation is recommended.

**Blues scale applications**
By Chord	Minor Seventh [ ALL FUNCTIONS ]		1 - b3 - 5 - b7 - 11 - #11
By Key	Modal		DORIAN PHRYGIAN AEOLIAN [ aka: natural minor, pure minor, relative minor ]
By Key	Blues		Includes most blues-based music, including rock-and-roll
Overlay [ by chord ] ALL EXAMPLES SHOWN IN C	CHORD	BLUES SCALE	RELATIVE FORMULA
	FIRST EXTENSION [ from 3rd ]
	Cmaj7	E blues	3 - 5 - 6/13 - [b21][part of EWSSA to 6][ch to 7] - 7 - 9
	Cm7^b5	Eb blues	b3 - b5 - b13 - [13][ch to b7] - b7 - b9
	FIRST EXTENSION [ from 4th ]
	C7sus4^b9,b13	F blues	4 - b13 - b7 - [21][part of EWSSA to b7][ch to 1] - 1 - #9
	SECOND EXTENSION [ from 5th ]
	Cm7	G blues	5 - b7 - 1 - [#15][part of EWSSA to 1] - 9 - 11
	C7sus4⁹	G blues	5 - b7 - 1 - [#15][part of EWSSA to 1] - 9 - 4
	THIRD EXTENSION [ from 7th ]
	Cmaj7	B blues	7 - 9 - 3 - [#17][part of EWSSA to 3] - #11 - 13
	C7sus4^b9,b13	Bb blues	b7 - b9 - #9 - [17][ch to 4] - 4 - b13
	TENSION EXTENSIONS
	C7^alt	Eb blues	#9 - b5 - #5 - [13] - b7 - b9

scale degree [ formula ]	1	b3	4	^#4 / ^b5	5	b7
solfege syllable	do	me	fa	fi / se	sol	te
key of C [ C blues ]	C	Eb	F	F^# / G^b	G	Bb