Bb Bebop Major Scale
Notes in the Bb Bebop Major Scale
| Degree | Name | Note | Frequency (A=440) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tonic | Bb | 466.164 Hz |
| 2 | Supertonic | C | 261.626 Hz |
| 3 | Mediant | D | 293.665 Hz |
| 4 | Subdominant | Eb | 311.127 Hz |
| 5 | Dominant | F | 349.228 Hz |
| ♯5 | Chromatic | Gb | 369.994 Hz |
| 6 | Submediant | G | 391.995 Hz |
| 7 | Leading Tone | A | 440.000 Hz |
Interval Pattern
| Step | Interval | Semitones | From Note | To Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Bb | C |
| 2 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | C | D |
| 3 | Half Step (H) | 1 | D | Eb |
| 4 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | Eb | F |
| 5 | Half Step (H) | 1 | F | Gb |
| 6 | Half Step (H) | 1 | Gb | G |
| 7 | Whole Step (W) | 2 | G | A |
| 8 | Half Step (H) | 1 | A | Bb |
Chords Built on Scale Degrees
| Degree | Note | Chord | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bb | Bb | major |
| 2 | C | C diminished | diminished |
| 3 | D | D (complex) | other |
| 4 | Eb | Eb diminished | diminished |
| 5 | F | F (complex) | other |
| ♯5 | Gb | Gb diminished | diminished |
| 6 | G | G minor | minor |
| 7 | A | A diminished | diminished |
Key Signature
2 ♭ — The Bb key signature uses Bb, Eb.
Bb Bebop Major Scale in Practice
The Bb Bebop Major Scale uses the key signature of 2 flats (Bb, Eb). Bb major has two flats (Bb, Eb) and is extremely common in jazz and wind ensemble music. It is the home key for Bb instruments such as the trumpet and tenor saxophone. On guitar, Bb positions offer comfortable transposing instrument keys for this scale.
The bebop major scale adds a chromatic passing tone (♯5) between the 5th and 6th degrees of the major scale. This creates an 8-note scale that aligns chord tones on strong beats.
Tuning Frequencies Across Temperaments
Frequencies shown at A=440 Hz. View full temperament data for any note.
| Note | Equal Temp. | Pythagorean | Just Intonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bb | 466.164 Hz | 463.538 Hz | 470.926 Hz |
| C | 261.626 Hz | 260.740 Hz | 261.626 Hz |
| D | 293.665 Hz | 293.332 Hz | 294.329 Hz |
| Eb | 311.127 Hz | 309.026 Hz | 313.951 Hz |
| F | 349.228 Hz | 347.654 Hz | 348.834 Hz |
| Gb | 369.994 Hz | 371.251 Hz | 367.911 Hz |
| G | 391.995 Hz | 391.111 Hz | 392.438 Hz |
| A | 440.000 Hz | 440.000 Hz | 436.043 Hz |
Related Scales
Transposing Instruments: Bb Bebop Major Scale
Bb is a natural key for B♭ instruments (trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax), which sound a major second lower than written. B♭ instruments reading in C produce Bb concert pitch. E♭ instruments (alto sax, baritone sax) reading in Bb sound a major sixth lower.