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Minor Bebop ScaleThe minor bebop scale  is one of the most commonly used and studied melodic sounds in jazz 

guitar.

Used by countless players over the decades, both consciously and subconsciously, this 8-note

scale can be used to add a bit of Bebop tension and release  to your improvised lines and 

 phrases.

In this lesson, you will learn how to build, apply and play  the minor bebop scale.

This will provide you with the knowledge and material necessary to add this important scale to

your jazz guitar soloing concept, taking your playing to the next level in the process.

 

Don’t forget to download your FREE Jazz Guitar eBook ! 

 

What is the Minor Bebop Scale

 

To begin our study of this important jazz scale, let’s take a look at how you build a minor bebop

scale.

T he easiest way to think about this scale is that it is simply a Dorian scale  with an added major 

7th interval between the b7 and R, creating an 8-note scale.

 

Dorian – R-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-R 

Minor Bebop – R-2-b3-4-5-6-b7-7-R 

 

Here is how that difference  looks on the fretboard.

 

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Since both of these scales are closely related, you can apply the minor bebop scale in the same

way you apply the Dorian scale, over m7th chords.

Try putting on a Dm7 backing track and playing up and down both of these scales in a row to

hear how they sound the same, yet different, over that chord.

From there, you can begin soloing over the same backing track using both scales to hear how 

they sound in comparison when applied to an improvisational situation.

 

Minor Bebop Scale Fingerings – 1 Octave

 

Now that you know how to build a minor bebop scale, and apply it to your soloing lines over 

m7th chords, it’s time to take this theory knowledge to the fretboard.

Here are 12 different one-octave scale shapes that you can use to practice the minor bebop

scale in all keys across the fretboard.

To begin, here are four one-octave shapes that begin with your index finger .

 

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Now, here are four one-octave shapes that begin with your middle finger , with the exception

of the 3rd-string root, which begins with the index finger.

 

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Lastly, here are four shapes that begin with your pinky finger .

 

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One-octave shapes are essential when learning to solo over fast-moving jazz changes.

When you have a few of these one-octave fingerings under your belt, try putting on a backing 

track that has Cm7 for 1 bar and Fm7 for 1 bar , moving between these chords in your lines.

From there you can change the keys or add new keys as you begin to apply one-octave bebop

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scales to your improvised lines and phrases.

 

Minor Bebop Scale Fingerings – 2 Octave

 

Though one-octave bebop scale fingerings are essential for fast-moving chord changes, there

are times when you will want to stretch out and cover more of the fretboard with your lines.

To help you expand this scale on the fretboard, here are four commonly used minor bebop scale

fingerings written out across two octaves.

 

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 As well, for those that are interested in players such as Kurt Rosenwinkel and Alan

Holdsworth, here are two four-note-per-string scale shapes that can help you play the minor 

bebop scale across a wide stretch of the fretboard.

 

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Once you have learned these shapes, try putting on a m7th chord backing track in various keys

and using the two-octave scale shapes to build your lines and phrases as you take these

fingerings from a technical to improvisational setting in your workout.

 

3 Minor Bebop Licks

 

To help you get started with taking the minor bebop scale to an improvisational setting, here are

three classic minor bebop licks to work out in 12 keys, and then apply to tunes you are

working on in the woodshed.

The first lick uses a D minor bebop scale to outline a Dm7 chord  over a two-bar phrase.

 

Click to hear VmP

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Once you have worked these licks out and begun applying them to your solos, try writing out 

three minor bebop licks of your own  to practice in a similar manner.

 

Minor Bebop Scale Resources

 

Now that you have checked out how to play the minor bebop scale, how to solo with this fun

scale, and 3 sample licks, here are links to resources for further study.

 

Master m7th Chords

21 Bebop Scale Patterns

Bebop Scales: Definitions and Applications

The 9-Note Bebop Scale

Dorian Scale for Jazz Guitar 

 

Do you have a question about the Minor Bebop Scale? Share your thoughts in the comments

section below.

7 Comments

1. Mamalov, January 26, 2012:

Nice job.

 Are these fingerings on purpose?Don’t you think there might be some easier fingerings?

2. Matthew Warnock , January 26, 2012:

Yeah, these are just one option, you can basically take any Dorian fingering you know and 

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 just add in the maj7 interval and it will become the minor bebop scale

3. Mamalov, January 26, 2012:

 Agree.

Since fingering has always been a matter to me, I’ve come to conclusion it’s mostly 

dependent on your ease.

 Anyway, I’m really enjoying your post.

Keep on dude.

4. Matthew Warnock , January 26, 2012:

For sure, a lot of it for me is where I am on the neck as well as tempo, those two things

will often define what fingering I use.

5. Chris W, September 22, 2013:

I think the idea of the fingering is to have the tension note and its resolution on the same

string descending (the big spreads accomplish this for 6 to 5 and 4 to 3).

6. Kyle, November 19, 2014:

Hi Matt. I have a question about using this scale as a sub over V chords. Since it’s acombination of Dorian and melodic minor, I would assume you can move it up a semi-

tone and do the old trick. But then the b7 becomes a major 7–which clashes against a

dominant sound. Do you have any advice for being melodic with that major 7th so it 

sounds musical? Thanks! 

7. Matt Warnock , November 19, 2014:

Hi Kyle

Yes you can move it up a half step and try it out. For the major 7 use it as a passing tone,

or try some of the licks above and move them up a 1/2 step to see how they sound.

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