How to Play Piano: Blues Scales

Let?s try the blues scale.

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All right. On E, (Music playing), or we can play it like that too.

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The blues scale is very versatile. You hear it in rock, country, jazz and of course the blues. The step pattern for the blues scale is a whole step plus half. A whole step, half step, half step, whole step plus half then a whole step.

So, the blues scale in C would be C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb and C. Here is a chart showing the scale written as well as a step pattern which shows the distance between notes. The step pattern relationships of course applies to the blues scale in any key.

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Okay. The C blues scale, play the C with your first finger, your thumb. Eb with the second, F with the third, F# with your fourth, roll with the first finger, the thumb under to the G and the Bb with your second. And, if you want to continue to run up the keyboard past the octave C, bring your thumb under to play the C and carry on up with the same fingering. To go back down, play the Bb with your second finger, G with your thumb and I will bring over the second finger for the F#, the thumb for the F, second finger on the Eb and the thumb on the C. I have no idea if this is correct but it is just what I do.

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