How do I play A Composite Blues?

On guitar start with the 1st position, played from the lowest string upward; the instrument panel on this page shows its frets and the positions further up the neck. On the piano the right hand ascends 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4, with 1 as the thumb. Every position plays when you press it.

What notes are in A Composite Blues?

A Composite Blues contains the notes A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G, measured from the tonic A as the intervals 1P, 2M, 3m, 3M, 4P, 5d, 5P, 6M, 7m. Play them in order for the scale: every note on this page sounds when you tap it, and the step pattern under the degrees shows the distance from each note to the next.

What is the formula of A Composite Blues?

From A the steps run W H H H H H W H W, where a whole step is two frets or two keys and a half step one. Apply the same pattern from any other note and you get the same scale on that root, which is why every root of this scale has a page here.

Scales

A Composite Blues Scale

A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G

A Composite Blues is a scale built on A with the notes A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G.

Post on X Share on Facebook Post on Reddit Send on WhatsApp Send by email

A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G

Post on X Share on Facebook Post on Reddit Send on WhatsApp Send by email

Play it on your instrument

Loading the keyboard…

Fingering on the piano

Hand	Fingering	Notes	Play it on your instrument
Right hand	1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4	A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G · A
Left hand	5 4 3 2 1 2 1 3 2 1	A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G · A

One octave ascending; 1 is the thumb. A standard fingering, not the only one.

Tap a key or a fret to hear it.

Scale degrees

A Composite Blues is made of the notes A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G. Each is a degree counted from the tonic, and the gaps between them are the step pattern W H H H H H W H W.

Read on: scale degrees · building any scale

Related scales

A Composite Blues is a selection of notes from larger scales rather than a seven-note scale of its own, so it has no chords of its own: it takes them from the scales that contain it, listed here with the scales it contains and its related keys.

Scales inside it

A Major PentatonicA · B · C# · E · F#
Every note of this scale is in A Composite Blues.
A Major BluesA · B · C · C# · E · F#
Every note of this scale is in A Composite Blues.
A Minor BluesA · C · D · Eb · E · G
Every note of this scale is in A Composite Blues.
A DorianA · B · C · D · E · F# · G
Every note of this scale is in A Composite Blues.
A MixolydianA · B · C# · D · E · F# · G
Every note of this scale is in A Composite Blues.
A Mixolydian PentatonicA · C# · D · E · G
Every note of this scale is in A Composite Blues.

Scales that contain it

A ChromaticA · Bb · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F · F# · G · G#
Contains every note of A Composite Blues.

Composite Blues on every root

C C#D E F F#G G#Bb B

Open it in a tool

Common questions

How do I play A Composite Blues?: On guitar start with the 1st position, played from the lowest string upward; the instrument panel on this page shows its frets and the positions further up the neck. On the piano the right hand ascends 1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4, with 1 as the thumb. Every position plays when you press it.
What notes are in A Composite Blues?: A Composite Blues contains the notes A · B · C · C# · D · Eb · E · F# · G, measured from the tonic A as the intervals 1P, 2M, 3m, 3M, 4P, 5d, 5P, 6M, 7m. Play them in order for the scale: every note on this page sounds when you tap it, and the step pattern under the degrees shows the distance from each note to the next.
What is the formula of A Composite Blues?: From A the steps run W H H H H H W H W, where a whole step is two frets or two keys and a half step one. Apply the same pattern from any other note and you get the same scale on that root, which is why every root of this scale has a page here.