Bebop Scales And Patterns

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The bebop scales are frequently used in jazz improvisation and are derived from the modes of the major scale, the melodic minor scale, and the harmonic minor scale.According to Corey Christiansen, 'David Baker, one of the world's finest jazz educators, named these scales the 'bebop scales' because they were used so often by jazz artists from the Bebop Era.

The Bebop scales

In the Bebop era the basic phrasing in improvisation shifted from crochets to extended quaver patterns. This caused a problem with the traditional 7-note scales, as they did not fit into patterns of 8 quavers to the bar.
To overcome this problem Bebop scales were formed by adding one extra note to three modes of the major scale. This brought them in phase with the new rhythmic pulse (but see note).
Shown below are the Bebop major, Bebop dominant and Bebop minor scales. They are resp. the Major scale with an added b6, and the Mixolydian and Dorian modes each with an added major 7th.

  1. Bebop scale is a term referring to common seven-note scales that have an added chromatic passing note. These are frequently used in jazz improvisation and are derived from the modes of the major scale, the melodic minor scale, and the harmonic minor scale.
  2. This is a valuable little book, showing how a bebop scale can be constructed using the major, Dorian, Mixolydian, and Locrian modes/scales. Basically 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th. It takes you through all the keys for each mode/scale, and the music is displayed in two octaves, good practice for anyone learning to read.
KeyBebop majorBebop dominantBebop minor
C C - D - E - F - G - Ab - A - B - c C - D - E - F - G - A - Bb - B - c C - D - Eb - F - G - A - Bb - B - c
G G - A - B - C - D - Eb - E - F# - g G - A - B - C - D - E - F - F# - g G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F - F# - g
D D - E - F# - G - A - Bb - B - C# - d D - E - F# - G - A - B - C - C# - d D - E - F# - G - A - B - C - C# - d
A A - B - C# - D - E - F - F# - G# - a A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G - G# - a A - B - C - D - E - F# - G - G# - a
E E - F# - G# - A - B - C - C# - D# - e E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - D# - e E - F# - G - A - B - C# - D - D# - e
B B - C# - D# - E - F# - G - G# - A# - b B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - A# - b B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A - A# - b
Gb Gb - Ab - Bb - B - Db - D - Eb - F - gb Gb - Ab - Bb - B - Db - Eb - E - F - gb Gb - Ab - A - B - Db - Eb - E - F - gb
Db Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - A - Bb - C - db Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - B - C - db Db - Eb - E - Gb - Ab - Bb - B - C - db
Ab Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - E - F - G - ab Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - Gb - G - ab Ab - Bb - B - Db - Eb - F - Gb - G - ab
Eb Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - B - C - D - eb Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - D - eb Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - Db - D - eb
Bb Bb - C - D - Eb - F - Gb - G - A - bb Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - A - bb Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G - Ab - A - bb
F F - G - A - Bb - C - Db - D - E - f F - G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - E - f F - G - Ab - Bb - C - D - Eb - E - f
Bebop

Note
A perhaps more effective way to deal with this problem is to play 7-note scales and modes up to and/or down from the 9th.
This also has the advantage that all chord tones fall on down-beat positions in the bar, emphasizing them in the process.

- D - - F - - A - - c - - c - - A - - F - - D -

Bebop Scales And Patterns Catalog

© 2016 Michael Furstner