Scales reference
Blues Scale
The blues scale covered here is a six-note collection formed by adding a chromatic tone between the fourth and fifth of the minor pentatonic scale.
Developing reference
Overview
The term blues scale can refer to more than one related collection. This reference uses the common minor blues hexatonic form represented by SQNTIAL Theory Authority.
Construction
The scale begins with minor pentatonic and adds the chromatic pitch between its fourth and fifth. That added tone creates two adjacent semitone movements within an otherwise wider-spaced collection.
Characteristics
The added chromatic degree is often approached, bent toward, or passed through rather than treated as a fixed point of rest. Its effect depends on phrasing, articulation, tuning, harmony, and the surrounding musical language.
Applications
The collection is useful for studying expressive chromatic motion, improvisational phrasing, melodic tension, and the interaction between minor-coloured lines and dominant harmony. It should be treated as a vocabulary source rather than a complete account of blues language.