C Bebop Minor Charango Scale — Standard
Charango scale in Standard tuning — fretboard diagram
C Bebop Minor in Standard — Notes and Intervals
The C Bebop Minor scale is a specialized eight-note scale for minor-key jazz. On Charango, it contains the notes C, D, Eb, E, F, G, A, Bb. It adds a chromatic note to the Dorian mode to maintain rhythmic drive and harmonic clarity during fast improvisations over minor seventh chords. Commonly used in Jazz, Bebop, Hard Bop. Notable players include Wes Montgomery, Joe Henderson, Dexter Gordon. Use over m7 chords in jazz. The chromatic addition keeps the phrasing rhythmically clean during fast improvisation.
Notes: C, D, Eb, E, F, G, A, Bb
Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3m, 3M, 4P, 5P, 6M, 7m
Degrees: 1 2 b3 4 5 6 7 b8
Formula: W-H-H-H-W-W-H-W
Number of notes: 8
Tuning: Standard (G-C-E-A-E)
About Standard Tuning
The charango is a small Andean string instrument with five courses of doubled strings, tuned G-C-E-A-E. Its reentrant tuning — with the 4th course (A) lower than the outer courses — combined with its tiny body and nylon strings produces a distinctive bright, shimmering tone that evokes the high-altitude landscapes of the Andes.
Originally crafted from armadillo shells in Bolivia and Peru, the modern charango is the soul of Andean folk music. Its ten strings (five doubled courses) create a natural chorus effect, and the reentrant tuning produces a compact voicing range where strummed chords have an almost harp-like quality. Groups like Los Kjarkas and Inti-Illimani brought the charango to international audiences, while virtuosos like Jaime Torres and Ernesto Cavour pushed its technical boundaries. The charango is essential in huayño, bailecito, and carnavalito rhythms.
Notable artists: Los Kjarkas, Jaime Torres, Ernesto Cavour, Inti-Illimani, Gustavo Santaolalla
Best for: Andean folk music, South American ensemble playing, and any composition seeking a bright, shimmering Andean texture