The Bebop scales

In the Bebop era the basic phrasing in improvisation shifted from crochets to extended quaver patterns. This caused a problem with the traditional 7-note scales, as they did not fit into patterns of 8 quavers to the bar.
To overcome this problem Bebop scales were formed by adding one extra note to three modes of the major scale. This brought them in phase with the new rhythmic pulse (but see note).

Shown below are the Bebop major, Bebop dominant and Bebop minor scales. They are resp. the Major scale with an added b6, and the Mixolydian and Dorian modes each with an added major 7th.

Bebop scales

Key Bebop major Bebop dominant Bebop minor
C C - D - E - F - G - Ab - A - B - c C - D - E - F - G - A - Bb - B - c C - D - Eb - F - G - A - Bb - B - c
G G - A - B - C - D - Eb - E - F# - g G - A - B - C - D - E - F - F# - g G - A - Bb - C - D - E - F - F# - g
D D - E - F# - G - A - Bb - B - C# - d D - E - F# - G - A - B - C - C# - d D - E - F# - G - A - B - C - C# - d
A A - B - C# - D - E - F - F# - G# - a A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G - G# - a A - B - C - D - E - F# - G - G# - a
E E - F# - G# - A - B - C - C# - D# - e E - F# - G# - A - B - C# - D - D# - e E - F# - G - A - B - C# - D - D# - e
B B - C# - D# - E - F# - G - G# - A# - b B - C# - D# - E - F# - G# - A - A# - b B - C# - D - E - F# - G# - A - A# - b
Gb Gb - Ab - Bb - B - Db - D - Eb - F - gb Gb - Ab - Bb - B - Db - Eb - E - F - gb Gb - Ab - A - B - Db - Eb - E - F - gb
Db Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - A - Bb - C - db Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - B - C - db Db - Eb - E - Gb - Ab - Bb - B - C - db
Ab Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - E - F - G - ab Ab - Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - Gb - G - ab Ab - Bb - B - Db - Eb - F - Gb - G - ab
Eb Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - B - C - D - eb Eb - F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - D - eb Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb - C - Db - D - eb
Bb Bb - C - D - Eb - F - Gb - G - A - bb Bb - C - D - Eb - F - G - Ab - A - bb Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - G - Ab - A - bb
F F - G - A - Bb - C - Db - D - E - f F - G - A - Bb - C - D - Eb - E - f F - G - Ab - Bb - C - D - Eb - E - f

Note
A perhaps more effective way to deal with this problem is to play 7-note scales and modes up to and/or down from the 9th.
This also has the advantage that all chord tones fall on down-beat positions in the bar, emphasizing them in the process.

C - D - E - F - G - A - Bb - c - d - c - Bb - A - G - F - E - D - C

© 2016 Michael Furstner