Skip to content
piano.org
A piano reference: chords, scales, theory & ear training.
/

Scale type

Major Bebop Scales on Piano

The major bebop scale adds a chromatic passing tone between the 5th and 6th degrees of the major scale, creating an eight-note scale that lines up chord tones on the strong beats when played in eighth notes. This rhythmic alignment is the entire point of bebop scales — they let jazz improvisers run continuous eighth-note lines while keeping the harmony clear.

Each key below opens the full reference entry — keyboard diagram, audio, fingerings, and notation.

Formula: W–W–H–W–H–H–W–H
Intervals: P1–M2–M3–P4–P5–A5–M6–M7–P8
Scale degrees: 1–2–3–4–5–♯5–6–7
Sound: Bright, flowing, bebop, rhythmically aligned
Also known as: Bebop major, major scale with chromatic passing tone
Why add an extra note? A seven-note scale played in eighth notes alternates chord tones between strong and weak beats every measure. Adding the chromatic passing tone creates eight notes per octave — an even number that keeps root, third, fifth, and seventh landing on downbeats. This is the engineering behind bebop's flowing, harmonically clear lines.

Browse by key

All 18 spellings, ♯ and ♭ keys listed separately.

Major Bebop Scale in All 18 Keys

Select any key to see the full scale with notes, fingering, audio, and practice tips.

C Major Bebop ScaleNotes: C – D – E – F – G – A♭ – A – B
C1C2C3CDEFGABCC6C7C8A♭
C♯ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: C♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – G♯ – A – A♯ – B♯
C1C2C3C4E♯AC5B♯C7C8C♯D♯F♯G♯A♯C♯
D♭ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: D♭ – E♭ – F – G♭ – A♭ – B♭♭ – B♭ – C
C1C2C3C4FB♭♭CC6C7C8D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭D♭
D Major Bebop ScaleNotes: D – E – F♯ – G – A – B♭ – B – C♯
C1C2C3C4DEGABC5DC6C7C8F♯B♭C♯
D♯ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: D♯ – E♯ – F♯♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯♯ – B♯
C1C2C3C4E♯F♯♯BC5C♯♯B♯C7C8D♯G♯A♯D♯
E♭ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: C♭ – E♭ – F – G – A♭ – B♭ – C – D
C1C2C3C♭C4FGCDC6C7C8E♭A♭B♭E♭
E Major Bebop ScaleNotes: E – F♯ – G♯ – A – B – C – C♯ – D♯
C1C2C3C4EABCEC6C7C8F♯G♯C♯D♯
F Major Bebop ScaleNotes: F – G – A – B♭ – C – D♭ – D – E
C1C2C3C4FGACDEFC6C7C8B♭D♭
F♯ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: F♯ – G♯ – A♯ – B – C♯ – D – D♯ – E♯
C1C2C3C4BC5DE♯C6C7C8F♯G♯A♯C♯D♯F♯
G♭ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: C♭ – G♭ – A♭ – B♭ – D♭ – E♭♭ – E♭ – F
C1C2C3C♭C4C5E♭♭FC6C7C8G♭A♭B♭D♭E♭G♭
G Major Bebop ScaleNotes: G – A – B – C – D – E♭ – E – F♯
C1C2C3C4GABCDEGC6C7C8E♭F♯
G♯ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: G♯ – A♯ – C♯ – D♯ – E – E♯ – F♯♯ – B♯
C1C2C3C4C5EE♯F♯♯B♯C7C8G♯A♯C♯D♯G♯
A♭ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: A♭ – B♭ – C – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – F – G
C1C2C3C4CF♭FGC6C7C8A♭B♭D♭E♭A♭
A Major Bebop ScaleNotes: A – B – C♯ – D – E – F – F♯ – G♯
C1C2C3C4ABC5DEFAC6C7C8C♯F♯G♯
A♯ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: A♯ – C♯♯ – D♯ – E♯ – F♯ – F♯♯ – G♯♯ – B♯
C1C2C3C4C5C♯♯E♯F♯♯G♯♯B♯C7C8A♯D♯F♯A♯
B♭ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: B♭ – C – D – E♭ – F – G♭ – G – A
C1C2C3C4CDFGAC6C7C8B♭E♭G♭B♭
B Major Bebop ScaleNotes: B – C♯ – D♯ – E – F♯ – G – G♯ – A♯
C1C2C3C4BC5EGBC6C7C8C♯D♯F♯G♯A♯
C♭ Major Bebop ScaleNotes: C♭ – D♭ – E♭ – F♭ – G♭ – A♭♭ – A♭ – B♭
C1C2C3C♭C4C♭C5F♭A♭♭C6C7C8D♭E♭G♭A♭B♭
Want the full theory? Intervals, construction, and how this scale connects to others.What Is a Scale? ›