C bebop dominant uses C, D, E, F, G, A, A♯, B. The added A♯ between A and B creates a chromatic passing tone.
C bebop dominant uses C, D, E, F, G, A, A♯, B. The added A♯ between A and B creates a chromatic passing tone.
C bebop dominant adds a passing A♯ to the C major scale. The extra note creates a chromatic step between the sixth and seventh degrees. This eight-note scale keeps chord tones on downbeats. Compare it with C major to see the added note between A and B.
Use over C7 chords in jazz and blues progressions. It fits funk lines that need chromatic passing tones. Try it with C major or C 5th.
Start with Box 1. The root sits on string 3, fret 3 and covers frets 0–3 for a compact position.
C bebop dominant in box 1 runs from fret 0 to fret 3, 13 notes across 4 strings, from E on the E string at fret 0 up to A♯ on the G string at fret 3. The root falls on the A string at fret 3.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 0, 1, 3 | E, F, G |
| 3 (A) | 0, 1, 2, 3 | A, A♯, B, C |
| 2 (D) | 0, 2, 3 | D, E, F |
| 1 (G) | 0, 2, 3 | G, A, A♯ |
C bebop dominant in box 2 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 10 notes across 4 strings, from G on the E string at fret 3 up to C on the G string at fret 5. The root falls on the A string at fret 3 and the G string at fret 5.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 3, 5, 6 | G, A, A♯ |
| 3 (A) | 3, 5 | C, D |
| 2 (D) | 3, 5 | F, G |
| 1 (G) | 3, 4, 5 | A♯, B, C |
C bebop dominant in box 3 runs from fret 5 to fret 8, 12 notes across 4 strings, from A on the E string at fret 5 up to D on the G string at fret 7. The root falls on the E string at fret 8 and the G string at fret 5.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 5, 6, 7, 8 | A, A♯, B, C |
| 3 (A) | 5, 7, 8 | D, E, F |
| 2 (D) | 5, 7, 8 | G, A, A♯ |
| 1 (G) | 5, 7 | C, D |
C bebop dominant in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 10, 9 notes across 4 strings, from C on the E string at fret 8 up to F on the G string at fret 10. The root falls on the E string at fret 8 and the D string at fret 10.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 8, 10 | C, D |
| 3 (A) | 8, 10 | F, G |
| 2 (D) | 8, 9, 10 | A♯, B, C |
| 1 (G) | 9, 10 | E, F |
C bebop dominant in box 5 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 10 notes across 4 strings, from D on the E string at fret 10 up to G on the G string at fret 12. The root falls on the D string at fret 10.
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 (E) | 10, 12, 13 | D, E, F |
| 3 (A) | 10, 12, 13 | G, A, A♯ |
| 2 (D) | 10, 12 | C, D |
| 1 (G) | 10, 12 | F, G |
Every chord here uses only notes from the scale. Tap one to open it.
C bebop dominant adds an A♯ passing tone between A and B. This creates eight notes instead of seven. The extra note allows chord tones to fall on strong beats.
Use it over C7, C9, or C13 chords. It also works over C major triads in blues contexts. The scale adds chromatic color to dominant harmony.
Start with Box 1 and play ascending and descending. Use a metronome and accent the chord tones. Then move to other boxes.