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B♭ Major Scale – Guitar

The seven-note scale everything else is measured against: do-re-mi on the guitar neck. Here it is in B♭: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.

Notes in the B♭ major scale

Formula: 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5 – 6 – 7. Use it to solo over songs in B♭ major.

Same seven notes as the G natural minor scale (its relative minor).

B♭ major scale on the whole neck

EADGBe123456789101112131415FGACDEbFGACDEbFGACDEbFGACDEbFGACDEbFGACDEbFGACDFGACDEbFG
Bb Major Scale on the whole neck, frets 0-15. Gold = the root (Bb).
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The 5 boxes (positions) with TAB

Each box is one hand position. Learn Box 1 first: play it up with the TAB, then back down, then move to the next box – together they cover the whole neck.

Box 1 · frets 4–9

EADGBe456789ACDEbFGACDEbEbFGAC
Bb Major Scale, box 1
e|-------------------------------5-6-8-|
B|-------------------------4-6-8-------|
G|-------------------5-7-8-------------|
D|-------------5-7-8-------------------|
A|-------5-6-8-------------------------|
E|-5-6-8-------------------------------|

Box 2 · frets 6–12

EADGBe6789101112CDEbEbFGAACDDEbFGFGACDEb
Bb Major Scale, box 2
e|-------------------------------------------------------------6--8--10-11-|
B|-------------------------------------------------6--8--10-11-------------|
G|-------------------------------------7--8--10-12-------------------------|
D|-------------------------7--8--10-12-------------------------------------|
A|-------------6--8--10-12-------------------------------------------------|
E|-6--8--10-11-------------------------------------------------------------|

Box 3 · frets 9–14

EADGBe91011121314DEbFGACDEbFGAACDEbF
Bb Major Scale, box 3
e|----------------------------------------------10-11-13-|
B|-------------------------------------10-11-13----------|
G|----------------------------10-12-14-------------------|
D|-------------------10-12-13----------------------------|
A|----------10-12-13-------------------------------------|
E|-10-11-13----------------------------------------------|

Box 4 · frets 11–16

EADGBe111213141516EbFGACDEbFGACDEbEbFG
Bb Major Scale, box 4
e|-------------------------------------------------11-13-15-|
B|-------------------------------------11-13-15-16----------|
G|----------------------------12-14-15----------------------|
D|-------------------12-13-15-------------------------------|
A|----------12-13-15----------------------------------------|
E|-11-13-15-------------------------------------------------|

Box 5 · frets 2–7

EADGBe234567GACDEbFGAACDDEbFGA
Bb Major Scale, box 5
e|---------------------------------3-5-6-|
B|---------------------------3-4-6-------|
G|-------------------2-3-5-7-------------|
D|-------------3-5-7---------------------|
A|-------3-5-6---------------------------|
E|-3-5-6---------------------------------|

B♭ major backing track

Play the boxes over this, starting and ending phrases on the gold root notes.

A# Major Space Rock Backing Track – Guitar Backing Tracks - Topic

Songs in B♭ major

These songs are in B♭ major, so this is a scale that fits for soloing over them:

All songs in B♭ major →

Other scales in B♭

Major Scale in other keys

Put it to use: solo with it, step by step, starting with three notes.

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FAQ

What notes are in the Bb major scale?

Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G, A. The formula is 1 2 3 4 5 6 7.

Where do I start playing the Bb major scale on guitar?

Start with Box 1, frets 4–9. The root note Bb is on the low E string at fret 6.

What is the relative minor of Bb major?

G minor – it uses the same notes.