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A Major Bebop Scale

Reviewed for accuracy · Last updated June 2026 · Maintained by Justin Evans

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A – B – C♯ – D – E – F – F♯ – G♯ – A
Formula:W-W-H-W-H-H-H-W
Intervals:P1-M2-M3-P4-P5-m6-M6-M7

Practice A Major Bebop Scale

Reading about it is one thing. Drilling it is what makes it automatic.

Scale Drill →Timed runs — every key, every tempoPractice Room →Plug in a MIDI keyboard for real-time feedback

Introduction

A Major Bebop Scale on piano — A, B, C#, D, E, F, F#, G#, A
The A Major Bebop Scale shown on a piano keyboard: A, B, C#, D, E, F, F#, G#, A.

The A Major Bebop scale contains eight notes: A, B, C♯, D, E, F, F♯, and G♯. It follows the whole-step / half-step pattern W-W-H-W-H-H-H-W.

A Major Bebop Scale Notes

DegreeNameNoteInterval
1RootAP1
2Major 2ndBM2
3Major 3rdC♯M3
4Perfect 4thDP4
5Perfect 5thEP5
♭6Minor 6thFm6
6Major 6thF♯M6
7Major 7thG♯M7
8OctaveAP8

Key Signature

The A Major Bebop Scale doesn’t line up with a single major or minor key, so it has no standard key signature. Its notes are written with accidentals as needed.

Accidentals

C♯F♯G♯

A Major Bebop Scale — Frequently Asked Questions

What are the notes of the A Major Bebop Scale on piano?
The A Major Bebop Scale uses the notes A – B – C♯ – D – E – F – F♯ – G♯ – A. Play them in order from the root up to the octave, hands separately first, then together.
What notes are in the A Major Bebop Scale?
The A Major Bebop Scale contains eight notes: A – B – C# – D – E – F – F# – G#. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.
How many sharps or flats does A Major Bebop have?
The A Major Bebop Scale doesn't correspond to a single major or minor key, so it has no standard key signature. Its notes are written with accidentals as needed: C♯, F♯, G♯.
What is the relative minor of A Major Bebop?
The relative minor of A Major Bebop is F# Minor. Both scales share the same key signature and the same seven notes — the difference is which note feels like "home." That's why a song in C major and a song in A minor look identical on the staff but feel completely different.
What is the parallel minor of A Major Bebop?
The parallel minor of A Major Bebop is A Minor. "Parallel" means same root, opposite mode — the third, sixth, and seventh are all a half-step lower in the minor version. Modal interchange (borrowing chords from the parallel key) is one of the most useful tricks in pop and jazz writing.
What does the A Major Bebop Scale sound like?
The A Major Bebop Scale has a distinctive sound shaped by its specific interval pattern. Listen to the audio playback above to hear the character on every note.

Related Tools

Circle of FifthsVisualize key relationships, relative minors, and key signatures.Chord FinderLook up any chord — see the notes, hear it, and play along.Practice RoomPlug in a MIDI keyboard and get real-time feedback on every chord and scale.Chord DrillTimed drills to build speed and recognition across all chord types.MIDI MonitorLive MIDI message stream with note names, velocity, and a scrolling staff.

References & Further Reading

How this scale page is sourced & verified

The note names, intervals, fingering, and harmony on this page are drawn from the established body of Western music theory and verified against the conventions below — the same fundamentals taught in conservatories and music programs. We list categories of source material rather than individual titles, and reference the standards themselves rather than any single edition.

  • Standard music theory texts — Widely taught fundamentals of pitch, rhythm, and notation.
  • Western tonal harmony conventions — Established rules for chord construction, voice leading, and key relationships.
  • Interval and chord construction standards — The conventional spelling of intervals, triads, sevenths, and extensions.
  • Scale and mode theory — The common derivation of major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and modal scales.
  • Piano pedagogy and technique references — Long-standing practices for fingering, hand position, and practice.

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