E 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 E, the scale takes on the specific colour and pitch range of that key - making it especially useful in genres and registers where E is a comfortable tonal centre.
| Notes | E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D D♯ |
|---|---|
| Formula | 1P · 2M · 3M · 4P · 5P · 6M · 7m · 7M |
| Step pattern | W W H W W H H H |
E Bebop Dominant on the piano
Improvisation drone · E
Loop the root note as a pad to practice improvising over this scale.
On the piano E Bebop Dominant uses four black keys (F♯, G♯, C♯ and D♯) and four white.
E · F♯ · G♯ · A · B · C♯ · D · D♯
Try E Bebop Dominant on the virtual piano
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E Bebop Dominant on the guitar
E Bebop Dominant - fr 0–12
E Bebop Dominant on the staff
Notes of the E Bebop Dominant scale
| Degree | Note | Interval | Semitones | Hear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | unison1P | 0 | |
| 2 | F♯ | major 2nd2M | 2 | |
| 3 | G♯ | major 3rd3M | 4 | |
| 4 | A | perfect 4th4P | 5 | |
| 5 | B | perfect 5th5P | 7 | |
| 6 | C♯ | major 6th6M | 9 | |
| 7 | D | minor 7th7m | 10 | |
| 8 | D♯ | major 7th7M | 11 |
What makes E 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 E, E Bebop Dominant is E Mixolydian (E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D) with D♯ added.
How to use the E Bebop Dominant scale
Because E 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 E 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 E Bebop Dominant
Start with the music described above: listen for E 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 E Bebop Dominant scale?
The E Bebop Dominant scale contains E, F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D and D♯.
What is the formula for the E Bebop Dominant scale?
E 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 E Bebop Dominant a major or minor scale?
E 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 E Bebop Dominant scale?
E Bebop Dominant doesn't produce a standard seven-chord diatonic set. Use chords from a related diatonic scale instead.
Which genres use E 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 E Bebop Dominant scale on the piano?
On the piano E Bebop Dominant uses four black keys (F♯, G♯, C♯ and D♯) and four white.
What is the difference between E Bebop Dominant and E Mixolydian?
On E, E Bebop Dominant is E Mixolydian (E F♯ G♯ A B C♯ D) with D♯ added.
How do I practise the E 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.