Major Bebop Scale

This blog post is all about the major bebop scale and, as the name suggests, it’s a scale that you can use when you’re playing bebop. However, you’ll also hear it and play it over other forms of jazz, such as latin, gypsy, funk etc. So let’s take a look.

The major bebop scale is, basically, the major scale with an added chromatic note between the 5th and the 6th note. You’ll probably be aware that in bebop a lot of chromatic notes are used throughout, so this scale is a really simple and useful way of adding that chromaticism and bebop sound - and all you have to learn is an extra note to the standard major scale.

We’ll use the C major scale as an example and because it has no sharps or flats it’s really easy to see where and what the extra note is. So C major is C, D, E, F, G, A, B and the fifth and sixth notes in the scale are G and A, so we’d simply add a passing note between them, in this case it’s G# or Ab.

That’s it, it really is that simple. Learn this scale in all 12 keys and you’ll always have something to play over a major chord. This is going to add some chromaticism and interest to your playing over those major chords, which can sometimes feel more restrictive than the minors and dominants.

I hope you enjoy practising and playing the major bebop scale! But it doesn’t stop there because there are other bebop scales, such as minor bebop scales and dominant bebop scales, so there’s lots more to explore.

See you next time.