Introduction

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

C Major Bebop Scale Notes

Degree	Name	Note	Interval
1	Tonic	C	P1
2	Supertonic	D	M2
3	Mediant	E	M3
4	Subdominant	F	P4
5	Dominant	G	P5
6	Submediant	A♭	m6
7	Leading Tone	A	M6
8	Octave	B	M7
9	Degree 9	C	—

Key Signature

The key of C Major Bebop has no sharps or flats. Every note is natural, which makes it the easiest key signature to read on the staff.

Parallel and Relative Keys

Every major bebop scale has two close cousins. The parallel key shares the same root note but flips the mode (major ↔ minor). The relative key shares the exact same notes and key signature, but starts on a different tonic — three semitones down. Both relationships matter for songwriting: borrowing chords from the parallel key adds emotional color, and pivoting to the relative key is a smooth way to change the mood of a section without changing keys on paper.

Parallel key: C Minor Scale — same root note (C), opposite mode. The third, sixth, and seventh degrees shift by a half-step. See also the C Minor Chord.

Relative key: A Minor Scale — same key signature, different tonic. C Major Bebop and A Minor use the same seven notes; the difference is which note feels like “home.” See also the A Minor Chord.

Chords in the Key of C Major Bebop Scale

These are the diatonic triads built on each degree of the C Major Be♭op Scale:

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

I — C Major (major)

Degree	Numeral	Chord	Quality
1	I	C Major	Major
2	ii	D Minor	Minor
3	iii	E Minor	Minor
4	IV	F Major	Major
5	V	G Major	Major
6	vi	A Minor	Minor
7	vii°	B Diminished	Diminished

C Major Bebop Scale — Frequently Asked Questions

What notes are in the C Major Bebop Scale?

The C Major Bebop Scale contains eight notes: C – D – E – F – G – Ab – A – B. The notes table above shows each note with its scale degree and interval from the root.

How many sharps or flats does C Major Bebop have?

The key of C Major Bebop has no sharps or flats. Every note is natural — this is the simplest key signature on the staff.

What is the relative minor of C Major Bebop?

The relative minor of C Major Bebop is A 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 C Major Bebop?

The parallel minor of C Major Bebop is C 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 C Major Bebop Scale sound like?

The C 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.

Explore More

Major Bebop Scale in Other Keys

C#Db D D#Eb E F F#Gb G G#Ab A A#Bb B Cb

Browse all Major Bebop Scales →All C Scales →What is a scale? →

Related Lessons

Keep going with the Major Bebop scale — these pages cover the underlying theory, the connected reference material, and the practice tools that work with this scale.

C Major Bebop Scale