Scale
A Bebop Major Scale
Interactive keyboard
Highlighted notes form this scale.
Notes
A · B · C♯ · D · E · E♯ · F♯ · G♯
Root: A
Intervals
1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · ♯5 · 6 · 7
How it is built
This scale starts on A and applies the intervals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ♯5, 6, 7. The result contains 8 distinct pitch classes per octave.
Explore related combinations
Guide and musical context
About A Bebop Major Scale
A Bebop Major Scale uses the notes A, B, C♯, D, E, E♯, F♯, G♯. Its character is major and chromatic, designed for linear phrasing.
Character and sound
Major and chromatic, designed for linear phrasing.
Musical context and history
Bebop major adds a chromatic degree to the major scale to create an eight-note collection. The pedagogical logic is to help structural chord tones fall on metrically strong positions.
How and where it is used
Use it in jazz improvisation over major chords and tonal progressions.
In Theory view you can hear the pitch collection without depending on a specific fingering. Then switch to Piano, Guitar, Ukulele or Mandolin to see how the same notes are physically distributed on each instrument.
Harmonic and musical relationships
A practical way to understand this scale is to compare it with the major and minor scales starting on A. The altered notes are exactly what create its characteristic color.
The formula on this page is 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · ♯5 · 6 · 7 and, from A, produces the notes A · B · C♯ · D · E · E♯ · F♯ · G♯.
Frequently asked questions
What notes are in the A Bebop Major Scale?
The notes are A, B, C♯, D, E, E♯, F♯, G♯.
What is its interval formula?
The formula is 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · ♯5 · 6 · 7.
How does it sound and what is it used for?
Major and chromatic, designed for linear phrasing. Use it in jazz improvisation over major chords and tonal progressions.
Can I view it on a specific instrument?
Yes. Use the selector near the top to switch between Piano, Guitar, Ukulele and Mandolin without changing the musical combination you are studying.