What are blue notes?
Blue notes are lowered (or sometimes flattened) versions of certain scale degrees—commonly the minor third, diminished fifth (flattened fifth), or minor seventh—used extensively in blues and jazz to create expressive, soulful sounds.
How to use blue notes in improvisation
Blue notes are typically added to pentatonic or blues scales to introduce tension and color. For example, in A minor pentatonic (A C D E G), adding the flattened fifth (D# / Eb) gives the A blues scale: A C D D# E G. Try targeting blue notes on strong beats and resolving them to chord tones.
Practical exercises
- Play the five pentatonic boxes in a single key slowly, then add the flattened fifth in each box.
- Improvise 12-bar blues using only pentatonic notes, then add blue notes to emphasize phrases.
- Record a short phrase that uses a blue note as a passing tone and listen to how it resolves.
Visualization in the app
Enable "Show Blue Notes" in the control panel to highlight these tones on the fretboard. This visual feedback helps you locate and practice expressive targets across different positions and tunings.