B♭ Bebop Dominant at a glance
Bebop dominant is the eight-note workhorse of bebop and post-bop jazz. Its added passing seventh keeps chord tones on every downbeat across an eighth-note line — exactly what Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell built their language around. Built on the root B♭, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where B♭ is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | B♭ C D E♭ F G A♭ A |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3M · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7m · 7M |
| Step pattern | W W H W W H H H |
B♭ Bebop Dominant on the piano
Improvisation drone · B♭
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano B♭ Bebop Dominant uses three black keys (B♭, E♭ and A♭) and five white.
B♭ · C · D · E♭ · F · G · A♭ · A
Play B♭ Bebop Dominant on the online piano
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B♭ Bebop Dominant on the guitar
B♭ Bebop Dominant - fr 0–12
B♭ Bebop Dominant on the staff
Notes of the B♭ Bebop Dominant scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B♭ | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | C | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | D | major 3rd3M | 4 | |
| 4 | E♭ | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | F | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | G | major 6th6M | 9 | |
| 7 | A♭ | minor 7th7m | 10 | |
| 8 | A | major 7th7M | 11 |
What makes B♭ Bebop Dominant different
Bebop dominant is Mixolydian with one extra note, the major seventh, slotted between ♭7 and the octave. The added half step gives it eight notes, so a descending eighth-note line from the octave lands a chord tone (1, ♭7, 5, 3) on every beat. That passing note is the only difference from Mixolydian, and it's meant to be played through, not held. It's a core piece of bebop vocabulary, the language of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. On B♭, B♭ Bebop Dominant is B♭ Mixolydian (B♭ C D E♭ F G A♭) with A added.
How to use the B♭ Bebop Dominant scale
Because B♭ Bebop Dominant has fewer or more than seven notes, it doesn't produce a standard set of seven diatonic triads. Instead, build chords by stacking thirds within the scale or use it as a melodic colour over chords drawn from a related diatonic key.
Bebop dominant is the eight-note workhorse of bebop and post-bop jazz. Its added passing seventh keeps chord tones on every downbeat across an eighth-note line — exactly what Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell built their language around.
Practice tips
Run the bebop dominant scale eighth-notes-per-beat starting from the fifth, the third, and the root over a V7 chord. You'll hear how the added passing seventh always lands chord tones on the downbeat.
Formula & step pattern
The B♭ Bebop Dominant scale follows Mixolydian with an added passing major seventh (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ♭7, 7), the eight-note bebop scale that lands chord tones on every downbeat. Step pattern: W - W - H - W - W - H - H - H. Intervals from the root: 1P · 2M · 3M · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7m · 7M. Memorising the formula lets you transpose the scale to any other root note quickly.
Where you will hear B♭ Bebop Dominant
Start with the music described above: listen for B♭ Bebop Dominant in it and transcribe a few short phrases by ear. It's the quickest way to learn how the scale sounds.
Questions people ask
What notes are in the B♭ Bebop Dominant scale?
The B♭ Bebop Dominant scale contains B♭, C, D, E♭, F, G, A♭ and A.
What is the formula for the B♭ Bebop Dominant scale?
B♭ Bebop Dominant follows Mixolydian with an added passing major seventh (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ♭7, 7), the eight-note bebop scale that lands chord tones on every downbeat.
Is B♭ Bebop Dominant a major or minor scale?
B♭ Bebop Dominant is a bebop dominant scale. Mixolydian with an added passing major seventh (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, ♭7, 7) — the eight-note bebop scale built to land chord tones on every downbeat.
What chords belong to the B♭ Bebop Dominant scale?
B♭ Bebop Dominant doesn't produce a standard seven-chord diatonic set. Use chords from a related diatonic scale instead.
Which genres use B♭ Bebop Dominant?
Bebop dominant is the eight-note workhorse of bebop and post-bop jazz. Its added passing seventh keeps chord tones on every downbeat across an eighth-note line — exactly what Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and Bud Powell built their language around.
How do you play the B♭ Bebop Dominant scale on the piano?
On the piano B♭ Bebop Dominant uses three black keys (B♭, E♭ and A♭) and five white.
What is the difference between B♭ Bebop Dominant and B♭ Mixolydian?
On B♭, B♭ Bebop Dominant is B♭ Mixolydian (B♭ C D E♭ F G A♭) with A added.
How do I practise the B♭ Bebop Dominant scale?
Run the bebop dominant scale eighth-notes-per-beat starting from the fifth, the third, and the root over a V7 chord. You'll hear how the added passing seventh always lands chord tones on the downbeat.