C# Bebop Major Guitar Scale — Drop B

Guitar scale in Drop B tuning — fretboard diagram

C# Bebop Major in Drop B — Notes and Intervals

The C# Bebop Major scale is a classic swing tool that introduces a chromatic link between the fifth and sixth degrees. On Guitar, its notes are C#, D#, F, F#, G#, A, A#, C. It is essential for creating the flowing, endless melodic lines characteristic of the traditional bebop era. Commonly used in Jazz, Swing, Bebop. Notable players include Wes Montgomery, Barney Kessel, Kenny Burrell. Use over Maj7, Maj6 chords. Essential for the smooth, flowing lines of traditional swing and bebop over major harmony.

Notes: C#, D#, F, F#, G#, A, A#, C

Intervals: 1P, 2M, 3M, 4P, 5P, 5A, 6M, 7M

Degrees: 1 2 3 4 5 #6 7 8

Formula: W-W-H-W-H-H-W-H

Number of notes: 8

Tuning: Drop B (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#)

About Drop B Tuning

Drop B tuning (B-F#-B-E-G#-C#) takes the guitar into territory traditionally reserved for 7-string instruments, delivering a subsonic heaviness that you can feel in your chest. This tuning has become essential in modern extreme metal, deathcore, and djent, where low-end clarity and rhythmic precision are paramount.

Drop B represents the practical limit of what a standard 6-string guitar can handle before tone quality degrades. With the right string gauge (12-60 or heavier) and proper setup, it delivers the crushing lows of a 7-string while keeping the familiar 6-string layout. Bands like Architects, Periphery (on some tracks), and Parkway Drive have used Drop B to create some of the heaviest riffs in modern metal.

DeathcoreDjentProgressive MetalExtreme MetalMetalcore

Notable artists: Architects, Parkway Drive, Whitechapel, Born of Osiris, Emmure

Best for: Extreme metal riffs, deathcore breakdowns, djent chugs, and any style demanding the lowest possible 6-string tuning

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in Drop B tuning