C Minor Bebop Guitar Scale
Guitar scale — fretboard diagramAdvanced
What chords fit over C Minor Bebop?
Open C Minor Bebop HarmonizerC Minor Bebop Scale — Notes and Intervals
The C Minor Bebop scale is a variation used to navigate melodic minor harmonies in a jazz context. On Guitar, it contains the notes C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, B. The added chromatic passing tone allows for sophisticated phrasing and ensures that the tension and resolution points are perfectly timed with the rhythm. Commonly used in Jazz, Fusion, Contemporary. Notable players include Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, John Scofield. Use over mMaj7, m6 chords. Connects melodic minor theory with bebop rhythm for advanced jazz improvisation.
Notes: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, B
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 4P, 5P, 6m, 7m, 7M
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8
Formula: W-H-W-W-H-W-H-H
Number of notes: 8
Musical Character
Designed for melodic minor harmony — the chromatic passing tone allows sophisticated phrasing over mMaj7 and altered dominant chords.
Genres & Notable Artists
Genres: Jazz, Fusion, Contemporary
Notable players: Pat Metheny, Mike Stern, John Scofield
How to Use the C Minor Bebop Scale
Use over mMaj7, m6 chords. Connects melodic minor theory with bebop rhythm for advanced jazz improvisation.
Origin & Background
A modern bebop variation for the melodic minor system, used by contemporary jazz musicians.
How to Play C Minor Bebop on Guitar
Place your index finger at fret 8 on the 6th (low E) to find your C root note. Because this scale has 8 notes, four-notes-per-string stretches may be necessary. Start with a single position and expand gradually. Keep your thumb centered behind the neck for reach.
The C Minor Bebop scale contains 3 flats (Eb, Ab, Bb). This scale does not follow a traditional major or minor key signature, so reading from sheet music may require accidentals.
Practice Routine
Practice the C Minor Bebop scale by playing it ascending with one rhythmic feel (straight eighth notes) and descending with another (swing or triplets) at 100 BPM. This dual approach trains both technical accuracy and rhythmic versatility with the 8 notes of the scale.
Experiment with simple two-chord vamps rooted on C to let the characteristic intervals of the Minor Bebop scale come through clearly. This scale is especially effective in contemporary contexts.
Guitar Tips
On guitar, try playing the C Minor Bebop scale using legato technique (hammer-ons and pull-offs) to develop a smooth, connected sound. This is particularly effective for longer scale runs. Aim for a sophisticated quality in your phrasing to match the natural character of this scale.
Related Scales
Minor Bebop is the Melodic minor with added chromatic passing tone. View C Melodic minor scale
The C Minor Bebop scale contains 8 notes (C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb, B). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this scale on Guitar with different tunings and fret ranges.
CAGED Positions & Patterns for C Minor Bebop
The C Minor Bebop 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.
Explore C Minor Bebop Further
- Harmonize the C Minor Bebop scale — triads & 7th chords
- Browse chord progressions
- C Minor Bebop on Ukulele
- C Minor Bebop on Bass
- C Minor Bebop on Piano
Explore C Minor Bebop in Other Tunings
- C Minor Bebop in Drop D (E-B-G-D-A-D)
- C Minor Bebop in DADGAD (D-A-G-D-A-D)
- C Minor Bebop in Open G (D-B-G-D-G-D)
- C Minor Bebop in Baritone (B Standard) (B-F#-D-A-E-B)
- C Minor Bebop in 7-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B)
- C Minor Bebop in 8-string (E-B-G-D-A-E-B-F#)
- C Minor Bebop in Drop C (D-A-F-C-G-C)
- C Minor Bebop in Drop B (C#-G#-E-B-F#-B)
- C Minor Bebop in Open D (D-A-F#-D-A-D)
- C Minor Bebop in Half Step Down (Eb-Bb-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb)
- C Minor Bebop in Open E (E-B-G#-E-B-E)
- C Minor Bebop in Open A (E-C#-A-E-A-E)
- C Minor Bebop in Double Drop D (D-B-G-D-A-D)
- C Minor Bebop in Open C (E-C-G-C-G-C)