C Bebop Locrian Bass Scale
Bass scale — fretboard diagram
C Bebop Locrian Scale — Notes and Intervals
The C Bebop Locrian scale is a modern bebop variation designed for half-diminished chords. On Bass, the notes are C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, G, Ab, Bb. It provides a chromatic bridge that helps musicians maintain rhythmic momentum while soloing over highly dissonant and difficult chord changes. Commonly used in Modern Jazz, Post-Bop, Fusion. Notable players include John Coltrane, Woody Shaw, Steve Coleman. Use over m7b5 chords. Maintains bebop rhythmic alignment in the most dissonant harmonic context.
Notes: C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, G, Ab, Bb
Intervals: 1P, 2m, 3m, 4P, 5d, 5P, 6m, 7m
Degrees: 1 b2 b3 4 5 6 b7 b8
Formula: H-W-W-H-H-H-W-W
Number of notes: 8
How to Play C Bebop Locrian on Bass
On bass, locate C on the A string at fret 3. Use a one-finger-per-fret approach starting from the root and span two to three strings. Keep your fretting hand relaxed and practice shifting between positions cleanly.
The C Bebop Locrian scale contains 5 flats (Db, Eb, Gb, Ab, Bb). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Begin by playing the C Bebop Locrian scale ascending and descending at 80 BPM using a metronome, one note per beat. Once comfortable, practice in thirds (C-Eb, Db-F) to build intervallic familiarity. Spend 5 minutes daily on this pattern before increasing tempo by 10 BPM.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on C to let the characteristic intervals of the Bebop Locrian scale come through clearly.
Bass Tips
Practice the C Bebop Locrian scale on bass using only your index and ring fingers for a two-finger-per-string approach, then switch to one-finger-per-fret. Both techniques are essential for different musical situations.
The C Bebop Locrian scale contains 8 notes (C, Db, Eb, F, Gb, G, Ab, Bb). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for C Bebop Locrian
The C Bebop Locrian scale can be played in 5 CAGED positions across the fretboard, each based on an open chord shape (C, A, G, E, D). As a 8-note scale, it also lends itself to 3-notes-per-string (3NPS) patterns that facilitate legato playing and diagonal shifting. Use the pattern selector above to isolate each position.