Running a blues scale up the neck

[TheBassBetween]

Hey guys, I'm new here and I waas wondering if maybe you could answer a question for me.

So I've been doing a lot of soloing using the blues scale, but I only find myself in two positions, which is where the root is, and then where the root is 12 frets up, and I was wondering how I could actually run the scale all the way up the neck, or at least as far as I can get.

Anyways, I was wondering if someone could tab out a blues scale run up the neck, perhaps in F, and then perhaps explain it? I feel that I learn better when I get tabs and I can play, see and hear how everything relates.

[jadesmar]

Originally Posted by TheBassBetween

Anyways, I was wondering if someone could tab out a blues scale run up the neck, perhaps in F, and then perhaps explain it?

IIRC, the blues scale consists of 1 - b3 - 4 - b5 - 5 - b7 - R

Here's that in F:

G +---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+
D +---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+
A +---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+
E +---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+
    0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22

Take chunks of this and make your own runs. For example:

G +---+-b3+---+-4-+---+---+---+
D +---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+---+
A +---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+---+
E +---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+---+
    0   1   2   3   4   5   6

G +---+---+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+
D +---+---+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+
A +---+---+-X-+-5-+---+---+-b7+
E +---+---+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+
    0   1   2   3   4   5   6   

G +---+---+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+
D +---+---+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+
A +---+---+---+-5-+---+---+-b7+---+
E +---+---+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+
    0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7

Etc.

Disclaimer: There may be another note between the b7 and octave. Plus, in the case where you have to stretch between say 2nd and 6th fret, note that this is a "crazy" stretch and may need working into or, just shift your hand. Otherwise, you could injure yourself seriously.

Now, please do this for all keys in major, minor, melodic minor and harmonic minor.

[TheBassBetween]

Ok, so this is what I came up with for blues in the key of F:

|-----------------------8-10|
|--------------6/8-9-10-----|
|----------6-8--------------|
|1/4/6-7-8-----------------|

Hmm, is there a way I could have gone up another octave?

[jadesmar]

G +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+
D +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+
A +---+---+---+---+---+---+-b7+---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
E +---+-R-+---+---+-b3+---+-4-+-X-+-5-+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22

Obviously, the more you run, the more shifting you need to do. There are a few ways to do run three octaves. Here is one example, I have bolded the notes which should be fretted by the index finger.

Keep in mind that there is more to music than running scales. This can help with fretboard recognition and give you some ideas to play when you are in different positions without needing to shift, but, these may also sound dull if you don't vary your fills.

I hope you don't mind my not using tab. I don't find it as useful as a fretboard diagram.