Part 10

Blues Scale

We should now be familiar with the Pentatonic scale intervals:-

All the pentatonic licks that have been learnt will also work within a Blues context because
the notes in the scale are virtually the same except the Blues Scale has one additional note

The Blues Scale on the banjo fingerboard is shown below

This scale are usefully employed in improvising  when playing 
Blues influenced tunes and songs. The fingering pattern is essentially minor 
pentatonic with the addition of the blue note.

They can be grouped into three sets of fingering patterns:-

The first position keeps the 1st finger locked onto the second string first fret
The 2nd position keeps the 2nd finger locked onto the second string 6th fret
The 3rd position keeps the 2nd finger locked onto the second string 11th fret

Note that at some locations there is a choice of which finger can be used 
to stop the string at a fret

Two finger blues run

Using a forward and backward roll

Forward rolls up the Board

Backward rolls up the board

Many of the licks developed for the pentatonic scales can be simply adapted
to become blues runs by adding that blue note
The open strings and fretted strings on this scale can be played in any order and 
in any combination so mess about and find a few licks you like

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