How To Add The Major Bebop Scale To Your Playing
Have you ever heard of the bebop scale? Do you wish knew more ways to bridge the gap between the scales you know and what real jazz musicians actually use in their jazz solos?
One of the best ways to go about doing this is to learn the method behind the major bebop scale.
When used properly this scale can open a lot of doors in your improvisation!
The Major Bebop Scale Action Plan
To get started learning first watch the video below so you can best understand how to use this jazz scale and hear it in action.
Then scroll down and check out the notation and extra tips!
Jazz Scale Theory
Major Bebop Scale: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, #5, 6, 7, 8.
The passing note makes all the difference! Keep reading to learn how to use it effectively.
Essential Bebop Scale Stuff To Know
- This scale is essentially a major scale with 1 chromatic passing note between scale degrees 5 and 6.
- A measure of 4/4 has 8 eighth notes in it. Major scales and their modes only have 7 notes in them. Bebop scales have 8 notes.
- So, bebop scales are designed to always have chord tones happening on the strong beats (beats 1, 2, 3, 4) and passing notes notes happening on the off beats (the &’s of the beat).
- In general, if you look at great jazz solos, alot of the lines have chord tones happening on the strong beats and passing tones on the weak beats. So, this scale falls right in line with this powerful concept.
- If you want some examples of this in action then you should check out this sweet bebop lick, this Charlie Parker riff, or this Wynton Kelly Lick.
- It can be used in other ways but most of the time I tend to use the bebop scale at the ends of my phrases.
- So, when you play your favorite jazz licks or runs and then use the bebop scale at the end of your lines it can really round out your phrases!
- I also tend to use it a bit more when I’m playing at faster tempos. I talk about why this is a good strategy in this fast tempo lesson.
- If you want more information on some other scales you can use to improvise then check out this major chord scale lesson, this minor scale lesson, this blues scale piano lesson and of course this altered scale lesson.
Your Bebop Scale Action Steps
This site is all about you taking action and helping you improve as a musician. So, I offer you 3 ways to improve your playing right now.
1. Find an example of the major bebop scale is one of your favorite jazz solos. Leave a quick comment below and mention where you hear it.
2. Extra Credit: Make a quick recording of you using the major bebop scale over a few measures of music, your favorite set of chord changes, or a jazz tune. It can literally be anything you like.
(You can easily record and upload to soundcloud.com in like 5 minutes. Leave a link to your playing below and I’ll personally take a listen to it! 🙂
3. EXTRA EXTRA CREDIT: Create a quick youtube video of you using the major bebop scale.
Making videos is a great learning experience and it’s a fantastic way to share music and your passion with the world.
More Bebop Scale & Jazz Scale Resources
Here are some additional articles you can check out to deepen your understanding of jazz theory, scales, bebop etc. etc.
Check out this article on the mixolydian mode.
You can also check out this cool lydian mode lesson, this lesson on phrygian, this lesson on locrian, and this lesson on gospel chords.
I also highly recommend you check out this monster course on jazz improvisation. It will take the mystery of out legendary jazz solos for you and save you years of time at your instrument.
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Excellent. I’ve known the bebop scale for years, yet I never really use it. This lesson will help.
BTW, your intro music for each lesson, only comes out of the left channel (speaker). As a result, many will think, for a while, that there is something wrong with their computer or headphones. That’s what happened to me.
Thanks Al. Glad you found the lesson useful. I will take a look at why that’s happening to you.
Hey, Steve, I’m not getting the kind of result I’d like, perhaps you can tell what’s wrong.
In this recording I’m playing some bebop scales over the changes to Green Dolphin.
https://www.box.com/s/da8adbba571180fada98
But to me it’s just sounding like an exercise. I get the benefit of the chord tones falling on downbeats only if I play a scale, but the scales sound boring.
Perhaps you can record something similar, and show me what I could be doing to make it sound better.
Thanks!
Al
Awesome work Al! Thanks for your contribution. Ok, off the top of my head there are a few things that I would add in to your playing. Most of it has to do w/ phrasing and context in which you’re using the scale.
1. You could make it sound a lot more interesting if you didn’t start your phrases right on the downbeat. Use a pickup and start on the “&”. This is especially true on your first phrase.
2. Your phrasing and swing feel is much better bars 6-7 over the II-V-I. It sounds way more musical. This is because you start on an &
3. I don’t play the ascending version of the scale as much as I use the descending version.
3. In general, I tend to use this scale as a connector idea into other ideas. I’ll especially use it after I play an ascending idea that has more jumps in it.
4. I don’t usually start a phrase with the scale. You absolutely could. It’s not against the law or anything but I don’t hear it happening that much 🙂
5. Also, your first phrase could end a bit more musically on the rhythmic level. It would have swung alot more if you would have cut off your last note earlier instead of holding it out. Alot of the swing and groove is in the subtle stuff like note duration.
OK, I’ve got it now. Here’s a harder-swinging version using Have You Met Ms. Jones changes. In real life, I wouldn’t use the scale so much and so explicitly, but to help me learn it and prove to myself that it is worth learning, there’s a lot of scalar passages here.
https://www.box.com/s/e8085f52fbee1e16db30
Now that I see how things work, I’ve committed myself to learn the major bebop scale well in all keys.
This was also a wake-up call telling me that for some reason I’ve been neglecting to swing hard enough.
Thanks, Steve!
I tried it out at a gig last night:
https:// www. box. com/s/b6cc4e491ec8f2d5270b
Nice work Al. That’s what I’m talking about!
As always. Thanks from Mexico.
Gracias amigo.
Could you please help me understand what your LH is playing starting at 2:18?
Are these just different (exotic?) voicings of Cmaj7?
I’m playing Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 with rootless voicings in my left hand.
Sincerely,
Steve Nixon
*freejazzlessons.wpsc.dev*
I see, so the lick over the ii-V was just a lead-in to the main example: going down the major bebop scale over the I chord (with chord tones landing on the downbeats).
Thank you so much for your reply and also for this wonderful site!
You got it 🙂