BLUES SCALE in 12 POSITIONS

The notes below are for a harp in the key of C, but the tab holds for

any key harmonica (e.g., if you pick up a Bb harp and play the same

1st position tab below, the actual notes will be different but the

position will be correct). 2nd position is what you hear most often in

blues, but don’t be afraid to mix it up.

+ = blow

- = draw

’ = halfstep bend (diatonic only)

’’ = whole step bend (diatonic only)

’’’ = whole step and a half bend (diatonic only)

o = overblow/overdraw (diatonic only)

< = push slide button in (for chromatic tab only)

BLUES SCALE -- DIATONIC HARMONICA by OCTAVE/

CHROMATIC HARMONICA (lowest octave only)

1st POSITION: C Eb F F# G Bb C

Low Octave: +1 +1o -2’’ -2’ -2 -3’ +4

Mid Octave: +4 +4o -5 +5o +6 +6o +7

High Octave: +7 +8’ -9 +9’ +9 +10’’ +10

CHROMATIC: +1 <-1 -2 <-2 +3 <-3 +4

2nd POSITION: G Bb C C# D F G

Low Octave: -2 -3’ +4 -4’ -4 -5 +6

Mid Octave: +6 +6o +7 -8o -8 -9 +9

CHROMATIC: +3 <-3 +4 <+4 -5 -6 +7

3rd POSITION: D F G Ab A C D

Low Octave: -1 -2’’ -2 -3’’’ -3’’ +4 -4

Mid Octave: -4 -5 +6 -6’ -6 +7 -8

CHROMATIC: -1 -2 +3 <+3 -3 +4 -5

4th POSITION: A C D Eb E G A

Low Octave: -3’’ +4 -4 +4o +5 +6 -6

Mid Octave: -6 +7 -8 +8’ +8 +9 -10

CHROMATIC: -3 +4 -5 <-5 +6 +7 -7

5th POSITION: E G A Bb B D E

Low Octave: +2 -2 -3’’ -3’ -3 -4 +5

Mid Octave: +5 +6 -6 +6o -7 -8 +8

CHROMATIC +2 +3 -3 <-3 -4 -5 +6

6th POSITION: B D E F Ab A B

Low Octave: -3 -4 +5 -5 -6’ -6 -7

Mid Octave: -7 -8 +8 -9 -9o -10 +10’

CHROMATIC: -4 -5 +6 -6 <+7 -7 -8

7th POSITION: F# A B C C# E F#

Low Octave: -2’ -3’’ -3 +4 -4’ +5 +5o

Mid Octave: +5o -6 -7 +7 -7o +8 +9’

CHROMATIC: <-2 -3 -4 +4 <+5 +6 <-6

8th POSITION: Db E Gb G Ab B Db

Low Octave: -1’ +2 -2’ -2 -3’ -3 -4’

Mid Octave: -4’ +5 +5o +6 -6’ -7 -8o

CHROMATIC: <+1 +2 <-2 +3 <+3 -4 <+4

9th POSITION: Ab B Db D Eb F# Ab

Low Octave: -3’ -3 -4’ -4 +4o +4o -6’

Mid Octave: -6’ -7 -7o -8 +8’ +9’ -9o

CHROMATIC: <+3 -4 <+4 -5 <-5 <-6 <+7

10th POSITION: Eb F Ab A Bb Db Eb

Low Octave: +1o -2’’ -3’’’ -3’’ -3’ -4’ +4o

Mid Octave: +4o -5 -6’ -6 +6o -7o +8’

CHROMATIC: <-1 -2 <+3 -3 <-3 <+4 <-5

11th POSITION: Bb Db Eb E F Ab Bb

Low Octave: -3’ -4’ +4o +5 -5 -6’ +6o

Mid Octave: +6o -7o +8’ +8 -9 -9o +10’’

CHROMATIC: <-3 <+4 <-5 +6 -6 <+7 <-7

12th POSITION: F Ab Bb B C Eb F

Low Octave: -2’’ -3’’’ -3’ -3 +4 +4o -5

Mid Octave: -5 -6’ +6o -7 +7 +8’ -9

CHROMATIC: -2 <+3 <-3 -4 +4 <-5 -6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

`1 `2 `3 `4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

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blow: |C |E |G |C |C |E |G |C |C |E |G |C |C |E |G |C | key out

draw: |d |f |a |b |d |f |a |b |d |f |a |b |d |f |a |b |

-----------------------------------------------

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

`1 `2 `3 `4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

-----------------------------------------------

blow: |C#|F |G#|C#|C#|F |G#|C#|C#|F |G#|C#|C#|F |G#|C#| key in

draw: |d#|f#|a#|c |d#|f#|a#|c |d#|f#|a#|c |d#|f#|a#|d |

d=draw b=draw bend ~warble

Good Morning Riff : 1d, 2, 2d

Down Riff : 4d, 4, 3d, 3

Up Riff: 3, 3d, 4, 4d

6 Draw Solo: 6, 6d-6b, 6

The 6 Blow Up: 6, 7d, 8d, 8, 9

The 9 Blow Down: 9, 9d, 8, 8d, 7d, 6d, 6

Complete Blues Scale Up: 1d, 2, 2d, 3d, 4, 4d, 5, 6, 7d, 8d, 8, 9

Complete Blues Scale Down: 9, 9d, 8, 8d, 7d, 6d, 6, 5d, 4d, 3d, 2d

Down & Out: 6, 5d, 4b, 3

2 Step Bend: 3, 3, 4, 4b

All the Way Up: 1d,2,2d,3d,4,4b-4d,5,6,6

All the Way Down: 6,5d,4b-4d,4,3,3b,3,3

Roseanne Riff: 4d~5d,4b-4,5,6,5d,4b-4d,4,3,3d-3b,3