Scale Finder

I am a little confused about the A sharp and the B flat scale finder. The scale of A sharp and B flat are listed on the same button and when I open the fretboard with that button only the A sharp notes are shown on the fretboard. Are the notes the same and only named differently or am I not doing something right?
Thanks for your help
bob1944

A sharp (or A#) is the exact same as B flat (or Bb). It doesn't matter which of those names you use, you'll always be referring to the same note. It's just two sides of the same coin, really. I generally prefer to use "flat" because that's what I see most frequently on tabs, but my tuner uses "sharp" instead, but when you remember it, it's not that hard. I do understand your confusion, though. It took me some time to learn too (and by that, I mean at least half a year).

Thank you that is what I thought, but wasn't sure. So basically I can replace the sharp notations and replace them with a flat on the B and the E notes. Is that correct?
Thanks again
BOB

Correct. Keep in mind that Sharp means half-step up and Flat means half-step down. if you need need to tune your low E string to Eb, for example, it makes no difference if your tuner says D# or Eb. The two are the same note, and they always will be. In your case, you want to find a scale in the key of A# (or Bb), so you can just go ahead and click on the A#/Bb button. It's really just a matter of opinions, really. Some prefer A#, others prefer Bb, but it's still the same note.

Hope this helps clear up some of the confusion.

I cover the naming of the musical notes on the guitar in GF1 starting here:

http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=11078

The term for notes that are the same pitch, but named differently, is enharmonic. I cover the complete list of all 12 basic chromatic note names in GF1 here:

http://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=11135

Originally Posted by: bob1944So basically I can replace the sharp notations and replace them with a flat on the B and the E notes. Is that correct?

In general yes, but you've got to be careful with some of those because there are double sharps in certain scales & this is one of them!

When you see an x for example, that is a double sharp & it means two frets higher, instead of the normal sharp that means one fret higher.

So, in this scale, the Gx is G double sharp & it does not translate to Ab, it is A natural.

This is the reason that it is sometimes easier to write certain scales using flats instead of sharps. Or vice versa!

The A-sharp scale is:

A# - B# - CX - D# - E# - FX - GX

But, the same exact notes are much easier to spell & read if you label it B-flat major:

Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - A

You can see this if you place the mouse over each note. A pick-shaped image with each possible note name pops into view.

Hope this helps, please ask more if necessary. :)

Thanks, Kasperow for responding!