Scales & Modes
F♯ Major Blues
Neck DiagramMajor pentatonic plus the flat third.
How it sounds, and where to use it
How usual it sounds: nearly side by side on the circle of fifths: familiar, with a touch of color. (2 gaps round the circle of fifths. See its shape.)
Same notes as D♯ Blues: read its key signature from there.
Solo with it over:F♯F♯mF♯sus2F♯6F♯m6
Chords on F♯ made only from this scale's notes, so every note of the scale sits safely over them.
Mode 2 of D♯ Blues: the same notes, started from its degree 2.
Formula: W-H-H-W+H-W-W+H · Arpeggios in F♯ Major Blues
Relative minor blues: D♯ Blues (same notes, from the 6th) · Parallel minor blues: F♯ Blues (same root, three notes lowered)
| Step | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | F♯ | G♯ | A | A♯ | C♯ | D♯ |
| Degree | 1 | 2 | ♭3 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Interval | P1 | M2 | m3 | M3 | P5 | M6 |
Degree and Interval are the same thing written two ways: how far each note is from the root (♭3 and m3 here). See them all on the Intervals page → Click either one in the table to open that interval.
Modes
Two octaves across; each mode starts one scale degree later and is numbered from its own root. ▶ plays a mode.
The same notes, started from each degree: the degrees against major, the steps between them, and the notes.
| # | Degrees and steps | Notes | Name(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | 12♭33568WHHW+HWW+H | F♯ G♯ A A♯ C♯ D♯ F♯ | Major Blues | |
| II | 1♭2245♭78HHW+HWW+HW | G♯ A A♯ C♯ D♯ F♯ G♯ | Pyrimic | |
| III | 1♭23♭5678HW+HWW+HWH | A B♭ C♯ D♯ F♯ G♯ A | Lydimic | |
| IV | 1♭34♭6♭778W+HWW+HWHH | B♭ D♭ E♭ G♭ A♭ A B♭ | Mixolimic | |
| V | 1245♭668WW+HWHHW+H | D♭ E♭ G♭ A♭ A B♭ D♭ | Dadimic | |
| VI | 1♭34♯45♭78W+HWHHW+HW | D♯ F♯ G♯ A A♯ C♯ D♯ | Blues |
Nobody has found a F♯ Major Blues track yet. The root drone on the Every 7-note scale page works for any scale meanwhile.
Whatever turns up is checked by a person before it appears here.
Know a good one?
Sign in to suggest a YouTube backing track for F♯ Major Blues.
For more on modes, check out
Derryl Gabel's Modal Fluency course
In this epic two hour course I'll teach you a new way to learn the modes, intervals, and arpeggios of the major scale. Next we will apply a three position fingering approach that will totally unlock the fingerboard like you've never seen before. We'll also look at other fingerings such as three notes per string and even a three plus four approach (think Holdsworth) all while keeping intervals in mind which will help you play the best notes.
Check it out ↗Save $10 with promo code erasmus10