Guitar scale · augmented hexatonic
Bb Augmented Scale
Six-note symmetrical scale that alternates a minor 3rd and a half step: 1 ♯2 3 5 ♯5 7. It holds two augmented triads.
Tap any note to hear it.
Bb Augmented Scale tab: all 5 positions
Each tab climbs from the low E string to the high e string. Play it up, then back down.
e|----------------------------6-9-10-| B|-----------------------7-10--------| G|----------------6-7-10-------------| D|------------7-8--------------------| A|--------8-9------------------------| E|-6-9-10----------------------------|
e|---------------------------------9-10-| B|---------------------------10-11------| G|---------------------10-11------------| D|-------------8-11-12------------------| A|------8-9-12--------------------------| E|-9-10---------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------10-13-14-| B|-------------------------------11-14----------| G|----------------------10-11-14----------------| D|----------------11-12-------------------------| A|----------12-13-------------------------------| E|-10-13-14-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------13-14-17-| B|-------------------------------14-15----------| G|-------------------------14-15----------------| D|-------------------15-16----------------------| A|----------13-16-17----------------------------| E|-13-14-17-------------------------------------|
e|-------------------------------------17-18-| B|-------------------------------18-19-------| G|----------------------15-18-19-------------| D|-------------15-16-19----------------------| A|-------16-17-------------------------------| E|-17-18-------------------------------------|
How to play Bb Augmented on guitar
Find the root first: Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. The blue notes on the diagram are every Bb on the neck; the gold ones are the rest of the scale's home chord (3, 5, 7), the safest notes to land on at the end of a phrase.
Learn it one box at a time. Position 1, the E shape, sits at frets 6–10. Once it's under your fingers, move to position 2 (the D shape) and play the notes the two boxes share, then keep going up the neck. After all five, the scale joins up into one pattern across the whole fretboard.
Degrees
| Degree | Note |
|---|---|
| 1 | Bb |
| ♯2 | C# |
| 3 | D |
| 5 | F |
| ♯5 | F# |
| 7 | A |
Fretwise · Free on iPhone & Android
Practise Bb Augmented anywhere, even offline.
This page is a small slice of Fretwise. The app adds practice: exercises that play as tab, a new routine every day, and the tools to tune and keep time. On iPhone, iPad and Android, no sign-up.
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- 65 scales and 56 chord types in every key, with CAGED shapes
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- Maqam & makam between the frets, and the Name the Note quiz
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- 282 exercises that play as tab, and routines with a speed trainer
- Chord & Scale Finder: tap the neck, get the name
- Theory Lab and the Progression Builder with 51 genre loops
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Questions
- What notes are in the Bb Augmented Scale?
- The Bb Augmented Scale has 6 notes: Bb, C#, D, F, F#, A.
- What is the formula of the augmented scale?
- 1 ♯2 3 5 ♯5 7, which is the step pattern W+H H W+H H W+H H (W = whole step, H = half step).
- Where do I play Bb Augmented on the guitar?
- The root Bb is at fret 6 on the low E string and fret 1 on the A string. Position 1 (the E shape) covers frets 6–10, and four more positions connect it up the neck.