STRINGSCALES

F composite blues Scale — Guitar Fretboard Visualization

Low E string: F, G, Ab, A, Bb, Cb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11

A string: A, Bb, Cb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, A at frets 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12

D string: D, Eb, F, G, Ab, A, Bb, Cb, C, D at frets 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12

G string: G, Ab, A, Bb, Cb, C, D, Eb, F, G at frets 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

B string: Cb, C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, A, Bb, Cb at frets 0, 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

High E string: F, G, Ab, A, Bb, Cb, C, D, Eb at frets 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11

Pick a root note

Pick a scale

F composite blues

The composite blues scale merges the major and minor blues scales into one nine note super set: root, 2nd, both 3rds, 4th, flat 5th, 5th, 6th, flat 7th. It is less a scale to run than a map of every blues inflection available in one key: major sweetness, minor grit and the blue note all coexist. Blues and jazz players effectively think in it already.

it consists of these notes and degrees:

F

I

G

II

A♭

bIII

A

III

B♭

IV

C♭

bV

C

V

D

VI

E♭

bVII

composite blues in all 12 keys, with chords and related scales

tip
  • Do not run all nine notes: treat F composite blues as a map and pick the major-blues subset over I and IV, minor-blues subset over V.
  • Practice switching mid-phrase: answer a line built on II, bIII (Ab), III, VI with one built on IV, bV (B), V, bVII (Eb).
  • The double chromatic runs (II-bIII-III and IV-bV-V) are built-in slurs: hammer through them landing on the chord tone.
  • Over a shuffle in F, keep strong beats for triad tones and spend all that chromatic wealth on the upbeats.

How to play F composite blues on guitar

Four open strings, A, D, G and B, all carry F composite blues tones, so half-open licks work well below fret 5. Open B lands on the flat fifth, which puts that note on a string you never have to fret. Root work starts at fret 1 on both E strings, matching the E-shape barre. Capo at fret 1 and the whole key converts to E fingerings, meaning cowboy-chord vocabulary applies. More roots wait at frets 3 and 8.

homeall scalesaboutfaqpricingmicrotonalterms & conditionsprivacy policycookie policy© 2026 StringScales. All rights reserved.