C Major Blues Scale Charts
Explore C Major Blues across the full guitar fretboard and 5 connected positions. Notes: C, D, D#, E, G, A. Intervals: 1, 2, b3, 3, 5, 6.
C Major Blues full fretboard chart
C Major Blues uses C, D, D#, E, G, A across frets 0-15.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3E | 5G | 6A | RC | 2D | b3D# | 3E | 5G | ||||||||
| 2B | RC | 2D | b3D# | 3E | 5G | 6A | RC | 2D | ||||||||
| 3G | 5G | 6A | RC | 2D | b3D# | 3E | 5G | 6A | ||||||||
| 4D | 2D | b3D# | 3E | 5G | 6A | RC | 2D | b3D# | 3E | |||||||
| 5A | 6A | RC | 2D | b3D# | 3E | 5G | 6A | RC | ||||||||
| 6E | 3E | 5G | 6A | RC | 2D | b3D# | 3E | 5G | ||||||||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), G4 at fret 3 (5), A4 at fret 5 (6), C5 at fret 8 (root), D5 at fret 10 (2), D#5 at fret 11 (b3), E5 at fret 12 (3), G5 at fret 15 (5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), D4 at fret 3 (2), D#4 at fret 4 (b3), E4 at fret 5 (3), G4 at fret 8 (5), A4 at fret 10 (6), C5 at fret 13 (root), D5 at fret 15 (2).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (5), A3 at fret 2 (6), C4 at fret 5 (root), D4 at fret 7 (2), D#4 at fret 8 (b3), E4 at fret 9 (3), G4 at fret 12 (5), A4 at fret 14 (6).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (2), D#3 at fret 1 (b3), E3 at fret 2 (3), G3 at fret 5 (5), A3 at fret 7 (6), C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2), D#4 at fret 13 (b3), E4 at fret 14 (3).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (6), C3 at fret 3 (root), D3 at fret 5 (2), D#3 at fret 6 (b3), E3 at fret 7 (3), G3 at fret 10 (5), A3 at fret 12 (6), C4 at fret 15 (root).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), G2 at fret 3 (5), A2 at fret 5 (6), C3 at fret 8 (root), D3 at fret 10 (2), D#3 at fret 11 (b3), E3 at fret 12 (3), G3 at fret 15 (5).
C Major Blues Position 1 chart
Position 1 covers frets 7-10 for C Major Blues.
| String | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | RC | 2D | b3D# | ||
| 2B | 5G | 6A | |||
| 3G | 2D | b3D# | 3E | ||
| 4D | 6A | RC | |||
| 5A | 3E | 5G | |||
| 6E | RC | 2D | b3D# | ||
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
String 1: C5 at fret 8 (root), D5 at fret 10 (2), D#5 at fret 11 (b3).
String 2: G4 at fret 8 (5), A4 at fret 10 (6).
String 3: D4 at fret 7 (2), D#4 at fret 8 (b3), E4 at fret 9 (3).
String 4: A3 at fret 7 (6), C4 at fret 10 (root).
String 5: E3 at fret 7 (3), G3 at fret 10 (5).
String 6: C3 at fret 8 (root), D3 at fret 10 (2), D#3 at fret 11 (b3).
C Major Blues Position 2 chart
Position 2 covers frets 5-8 for C Major Blues.
| String | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 6A | RC | ||
| 2B | 3E | 5G | ||
| 3G | RC | 2D | b3D# | |
| 4D | 5G | 6A | ||
| 5A | 2D | b3D# | 3E | |
| 6E | 6A | RC | ||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
String 1: A4 at fret 5 (6), C5 at fret 8 (root).
String 2: E4 at fret 5 (3), G4 at fret 8 (5).
String 3: C4 at fret 5 (root), D4 at fret 7 (2), D#4 at fret 8 (b3).
String 4: G3 at fret 5 (5), A3 at fret 7 (6).
String 5: D3 at fret 5 (2), D#3 at fret 6 (b3), E3 at fret 7 (3).
String 6: A2 at fret 5 (6), C3 at fret 8 (root).
C Major Blues Position 3 chart
Position 3 covers frets 2-5 for C Major Blues.
| String | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 5G | 6A | ||
| 2B | 2D | b3D# | 3E | |
| 3G | 6A | RC | ||
| 4D | 3E | 5G | ||
| 5A | RC | 2D | ||
| 6E | 5G | 6A | ||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
String 1: G4 at fret 3 (5), A4 at fret 5 (6).
String 2: D4 at fret 3 (2), D#4 at fret 4 (b3), E4 at fret 5 (3).
String 3: A3 at fret 2 (6), C4 at fret 5 (root).
String 4: E3 at fret 2 (3), G3 at fret 5 (5).
String 5: C3 at fret 3 (root), D3 at fret 5 (2).
String 6: G2 at fret 3 (5), A2 at fret 5 (6).
C Major Blues Position 4 chart
Position 4 covers frets 0-3 for C Major Blues.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 3E | 5G | ||
| 2B | RC | 2D | ||
| 3G | 5G | 6A | ||
| 4D | 2D | b3D# | 3E | |
| 5A | 6A | RC | ||
| 6E | 3E | 5G | ||
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
String 1: E4 at fret 0 (3), G4 at fret 3 (5).
String 2: C4 at fret 1 (root), D4 at fret 3 (2).
String 3: G3 at fret 0 (5), A3 at fret 2 (6).
String 4: D3 at fret 0 (2), D#3 at fret 1 (b3), E3 at fret 2 (3).
String 5: A2 at fret 0 (6), C3 at fret 3 (root).
String 6: E2 at fret 0 (3), G2 at fret 3 (5).
C Major Blues Position 5 chart
Position 5 covers frets 9-12 for C Major Blues.
| String | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1E | 2D | b3D# | 3E | ||
| 2B | 6A | RC | |||
| 3G | 3E | 5G | |||
| 4D | RC | 2D | |||
| 5A | 5G | 6A | |||
| 6E | 2D | b3D# | 3E | ||
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
String 1: D5 at fret 10 (2), D#5 at fret 11 (b3), E5 at fret 12 (3).
String 2: A4 at fret 10 (6), C5 at fret 13 (root).
String 3: E4 at fret 9 (3), G4 at fret 12 (5).
String 4: C4 at fret 10 (root), D4 at fret 12 (2).
String 5: G3 at fret 10 (5), A3 at fret 12 (6).
String 6: D3 at fret 10 (2), D#3 at fret 11 (b3), E3 at fret 12 (3).
Major Blues scale essentials
- Interval formula
- 1 · 2 · b3 · 3 · 5 · 6
- Characteristic tones
- b3
Practice the C Major Blues sound
- Say and play the scale: Play C → D → D# → E → G → A → C up and back down, naming the degrees 1 → 2 → b3 → 3 → 5 → 6 → 1 as you go.
- Hear its defining tones: pause on D# (b3) before landing on C. Listen for how those characteristic tones color the phrase.
- Connect the positions: Work through all 5 position charts. Start in Position 1 (frets 7–10), then repeat a short phrase from the root in each shape. Use the full fretboard chart to find the next C as you move between positions.
Continue with this scale
Take Major Blues into the matching course and practice resources.