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C Major Blues Scale – Guitar
The major pentatonic plus the b3: the slide from b3 to 3 is the classic country-blues move. Here it is in C: the notes, the whole neck, all five boxes with TAB, and a backing track to practise over.
Notes in the C major blues scale
- C1
- D2
- E♭b3
- E3
- G5
- A6
Formula: 1 – 2 – b3 – 3 – 5 – 6. Use it to solo over songs in C major.
C major blues scale on the whole neck
Know the scale?
Now solo with it.
A guitar soloing course: 81 short lessons, each one ends with you jamming over a real backing track.
- From 3 notes to your own solos
- Every note on the neck, with sound and TAB
- 379 backing tracks in every key
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 7–10
e|----------------------------------8--10-| B|----------------------------8--10-------| G|-------------------7--8--9--------------| D|-------------7--10----------------------| A|-------7--10----------------------------| E|-8--10----------------------------------|
Box 2 · frets 9–13
e|-------------------------------------10-11-12-| B|-------------------------------10-13----------| G|-------------------------9--12----------------| D|----------------10-12-13----------------------| A|----------10-12-------------------------------| E|-10-11-12-------------------------------------|
Box 3 · frets 12–15
e|----------------------------------12-15-| B|----------------------------13-15-------| G|----------------------12-14-------------| D|-------------12-13-14-------------------| A|-------12-15----------------------------| E|-12-15----------------------------------|
Box 4 · frets 2–5
e|-----------------------3-5-| B|-----------------3-4-5-----| G|-------------2-5-----------| D|---------2-5---------------| A|-----3-5-------------------| E|-3-5-----------------------|
Box 5 · frets 5–8
e|-------------------------5-8-| B|---------------------5-8-----| G|---------------5-7-8---------| D|-----------5-7---------------| A|-----5-6-7-------------------| E|-5-8-------------------------|
C major backing track
Play the boxes over this, starting and ending phrases on the gold root notes.
Smooth Slow Blues in C major | Guitar Backing Track – AUsher Jam Tracks
Songs in C major
These songs are in C major, so this is a scale that fits for soloing over them:
- Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley
- When I Was Your Man – Bruno Mars
- Dont Look Back In Anger – Oasis
- Let It Be – The Beatles
- Imagine – John Lennon
- Have You Ever Seen The Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival
- All I Want – Kodaline
- Stay – Rihanna
- A Star Is Born - Always Remember Us This Way – Misc Soundtrack
- Ho Hey – The Lumineers
- Heaven – Bryan Adams
- Space Oddity – David Bowie
Other scales in C
- C Minor Pentatonic Scale
- C Major Pentatonic Scale
- C Blues Scale
- C Major Scale
- C Natural Minor Scale
- C Dorian Mode
- C Mixolydian Mode
- C Phrygian Mode
- C Lydian Mode
- C Harmonic Minor Scale
- C Melodic Minor Scale
Major Blues Scale in other keys
- D♭ Major Blues Scale
- D Major Blues Scale
- E♭ Major Blues Scale
- E Major Blues Scale
- F Major Blues Scale
- F♯ Major Blues Scale
- G Major Blues Scale
- A♭ Major Blues Scale
- A Major Blues Scale
- B♭ Major Blues Scale
- B Major Blues Scale
Put it to use: solo with it, step by step, starting with three notes.
FAQ
What notes are in the C major blues scale?
C, D, Eb, E, G, A. The formula is 1 2 b3 3 5 6.
Where do I start playing the C major blues scale on guitar?
Start with Box 1, frets 7–10. The root note C is on the low E string at fret 8.