A# Bebop Minor Guitar Scale — Drop C

Guitar scale in Drop C tuning — fretboard diagram

A# Bebop Minor in Drop C — Notes and Intervals

The A# Bebop Minor scale is a specialized eight-note scale for minor-key jazz. On Guitar, it contains the notes A#, C, C#, D, D#, F, G, G#. 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: A#, C, C#, D, D#, F, G, G#

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: Drop C (C-G-C-F-A-D)

About Drop C Tuning

Drop C tuning (C-G-C-F-A-D) drops every string one whole step below Drop D, delivering a massive, brutal low-end that has defined the sound of modern metalcore, post-hardcore, and nu-metal. The low C string provides earth-shaking power chords with a single finger while maintaining familiar Drop D shapes — just two frets lower.

From System of a Down's iconic riffs to Killswitch Engage's crushing breakdowns, Drop C has become the standard tuning for heavy music that needs to sound bigger than standard Drop D. It bridges the gap between standard guitar territory and the extended range of 7-string guitars, making it accessible to players who want heavier tones without buying a new instrument.

MetalcorePost-HardcoreNu-MetalHeavy AlternativeDjent-lite

Notable artists: System of a Down, Killswitch Engage, Bullet for My Valentine, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red

Best for: Modern metalcore breakdowns, heavy power chord riffs, nu-metal grooves, and aggressive rhythm playing

Explore This Scale in Other Tunings

← All Guitar scales in Drop C tuning