A Composite Blues Piano Scale
Piano scale diagramAdvanced
A Composite Blues Scale — Notes and Intervals
The A Composite Blues scale is a comprehensive nine-note jazz scale that merges major and minor blues structures. On Piano, it contains the notes A, B, C, C#, D, Eb, E, F#, G. It allows improvisers absolute melodic freedom over dominant chords, blending happiness and grit in every line. Commonly used in Jazz, Blues, Fusion, Funk. Notable players include John Scofield, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton. Use over dominant 7th chords in blues and jazz-blues. Contains both major and minor 3rds, allowing fluid switching between bright and dark.
Notes: A, B, C, C#, D, Eb, E, F#, G
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 3M, 4P, 5d, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 8 b9
Formula: W-H-H-H-H-H-W-H-W
Number of notes: 9
Musical Character
A 9-note 'super blues' scale that merges major and minor blues, giving improvisers absolute freedom to blend happy and gritty textures over dominant chords.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Jazz, Blues, Fusion, Funk
Notable players: John Scofield, Robben Ford, Larry Carlton
How to Use the A Composite Blues Scale
Use over dominant 7th chords in blues and jazz-blues. Contains both major and minor 3rds, allowing fluid switching between bright and dark.
Origin & Background
A jazz-blues composite that merges major and minor pentatonic blues into a single comprehensive scale.
How to Play A Composite Blues on Piano
On piano, the A Composite Blues scale uses 3 black keys. Start with your thumb on A and use the black keys as landmarks for consistent finger placement. Standard major or minor fingering patterns apply.
The A Composite Blues scale contains both sharps and flats (2 sharps, 1 flat), which is common in altered and exotic scales. This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Practice the A Composite Blues scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 100 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 9 notes of the scale.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on A to let the characteristic intervals of the Composite Blues scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in fusion contexts.
Piano Tips
At the piano, try voicing the A Composite Blues scale in the left hand as blocked intervals (thirds or sixths) while the right hand plays the melody. This develops your harmonic ear and comping skills simultaneously. Aim for a rich quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
The A Composite Blues scale contains 9 notes (A, B, C, C#, D, Eb, E, F#, G). Use the interactive piano diagram above to explore this scale on Piano.