G♯ blues scale (A♭ blues)
G♯ blues scale is G♯ – B – C♯ – D – D♯ – F♯, with G♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯. Formula 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7. Play it, then slow the tempo until every note is clear.
The notes, one step at a time
From G♯ upward the gaps are W+H W H H W+H W (W = whole step, H = half step, W+H = a step and a half). The half steps fall between C♯–D and D–D♯. The wide steps are G♯–B and D♯–F♯.
| Degree | Note | Interval from G♯ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G♯ | root | |
| ♭3 | B | minor third | |
| 4 | C♯ | perfect fourth | |
| ♭5 | D | tritone | |
| 5 | D♯ | perfect fifth | |
| ♭7 | F♯ | minor seventh |
The sound of G♯ blues scale
Add D to G♯ minor pentatonic and you get the G♯ blues scale. Bend into it, slide through it, and resolve to the note either side of it.
D is the blue note. Slide C♯ – D – D♯ and back, and you've played the most recognizable phrase in the blues.
G♯ blues scale is G♯ minor pentatonic scale plus D. Hear G♯ minor pentatonic scale and compare.
Playing G♯ blues
On the piano it uses four black keys (G♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯) and two white.
15 notes fit in the box between frets 2 and 8, with G♯ at the 4th fret of the low E string.
What to play it over
Every note of these chords is in the scale: G♯m, G♯m7, A♭sus4, B, Bm, Bsus2, C♯sus2, F♯sus2, C♯sus4, F♯sus4, B6, Bm6.
G♯ blues scale across the fretboard
Anchor points for G♯: low E string fret 4, A string fret 11. Treat the ♭5 as a passing note; slide through it rather than landing on it.
On the piano, G♯ blues scale uses 4 black keys (G♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯) and 2 white.
A good drill once the scale is under your fingers: play it in thirds, skipping one note each time. Here that's G♯–C♯, B–D, C♯–D♯, D–F♯, D♯–G♯, F♯–B.
Practice patterns for G♯ blues scale
Running a scale straight up and down only teaches the order. These patterns use the same 6 notes and train your ear and fingers to jump around inside G♯ blues scale.
- Three-note runs: G♯ B C♯ · B C♯ D · C♯ D D♯ · D D♯ F♯ · D♯ F♯ G♯.
- Target D: G♯ D G♯ D G♯: the ♭5, the blue note, squeezed between the 4th and 5th.
Close relatives of G♯ blues scale
Blues scale in every key
G♯ blues scale: questions
What are the notes of the G♯ blues scale?
G♯, B, C♯, D, D♯ and F♯, then G♯ again at the octave. Formula: 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7.
How many sharps or flats are in the G♯ blues scale?
Four: G♯, C♯, D♯ and F♯.
What's the difference between G♯ blues scale and G♯ minor pentatonic scale?
It adds D.
What chords go with the G♯ blues scale?
Any chord built only from its notes, for example G♯m, G♯m7, A♭sus4, B, Bm and Bsus2. In a 12-bar blues in G♯ it also works over the IV and V seventh chords, where the clashing notes are part of the sound.
Generated from the step pattern 3-2-1-1-3-2 and checked by the site's tests. Updated September 2026.