Explore scales · Guitar
F bebop major scale on guitar
F bebop major contains F, G, A, B♭, C, D♭, D, E. The added D♭ fills the gap between C and D.
How it is built
Formula 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ♭6, 6, 7
How do you play the F bebop major scale on guitar?
F bebop major in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 14 notes across 6 strings, from F on the low E string at fret 1 up to G on the high e string at fret 3. The root falls on the low E string at fret 1, the D string at fret 3 and the high e string at fret 1.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1, 3 | F, G |
| 5 (A) | 1, 3, 4 | B♭, C, D♭ |
| 4 (D) | 2, 3 | E, F |
| 3 (G) | 2, 3 | A, B♭ |
| 2 (B) | 1, 2, 3 | C, D♭, D |
| 1 (e) | 1, 3 | F, G |
Box 2 · frets 3–6
F bebop major in box 2 runs from fret 3 to fret 6, 17 notes across 6 strings, from G on the low E string at fret 3 up to B♭ on the high e string at fret 6. The root falls on the D string at fret 3 and the B string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 3, 5, 6 | G, A, B♭ |
| 5 (A) | 3, 4, 5 | C, D♭, D |
| 4 (D) | 3, 5 | F, G |
| 3 (G) | 3, 5, 6 | B♭, C, D♭ |
| 2 (B) | 3, 5, 6 | D, E, F |
| 1 (e) | 3, 5, 6 | G, A, B♭ |
Box 3 · frets 5–8
F bebop major in box 3 runs from fret 5 to fret 8, 18 notes across 6 strings, from A on the low E string at fret 5 up to C on the high e string at fret 8. The root falls on the A string at fret 8 and the B string at fret 6.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5, 6, 8 | A, B♭, C |
| 5 (A) | 5, 7, 8 | D, E, F |
| 4 (D) | 5, 7, 8 | G, A, B♭ |
| 3 (G) | 5, 6, 7 | C, D♭, D |
| 2 (B) | 5, 6, 8 | E, F, G |
| 1 (e) | 5, 6, 8 | A, B♭, C |
Box 4 · frets 8–11
F bebop major in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 16 notes across 6 strings, from C on the low E string at fret 8 up to D on the high e string at fret 10. The root falls on the A string at fret 8 and the G string at fret 10.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 8, 9, 10 | C, D♭, D |
| 5 (A) | 8, 10 | F, G |
| 4 (D) | 8, 10, 11 | B♭, C, D♭ |
| 3 (G) | 9, 10 | E, F |
| 2 (B) | 8, 10, 11 | G, A, B♭ |
| 1 (e) | 8, 9, 10 | C, D♭, D |
Box 5 · frets 10–13
F bebop major in box 5 runs from fret 10 to fret 13, 17 notes across 6 strings, from D on the low E string at fret 10 up to F on the high e string at fret 13. The root falls on the low E string at fret 13, the G string at fret 10 and the high e string at fret 13.
Every note in this box, string by string
| String | Frets | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 10, 12, 13 | D, E, F |
| 5 (A) | 10, 12, 13 | G, A, B♭ |
| 4 (D) | 10, 11, 12 | C, D♭, D |
| 3 (G) | 10, 12 | F, G |
| 2 (B) | 10, 11, 13 | A, B♭, C |
| 1 (e) | 10, 12, 13 | D, E, F |
Why it sounds like that
Start with F major (F–G–A–B♭–C–D–E) and insert D♭ as the ♭6. This creates an eight-note scale that aligns chord tones with downbeats. Compare with F major to hear the added note.
When to use it
Use it over F major or F7 chords in bebop and hard bop. The D♭ adds a bluesy color against the fifth. Try it on F major or F 5th progressions.
Which position to practise
Start with Box 1. It covers frets 1–4 with the root on string 6, fret 1, giving access to low F lines.
Common questions
What notes are in F bebop major?
F, G, A, B♭, C, D♭, D, E. The added note is D♭, the ♭6. It sits between C and D.
Which chords fit F bebop major?
F major and F7 chords are the best fits. The scale also works over F6 and F9 chords. The D♭ note adds a passing color.
How do I practise F bebop major effectively?
Start slowly with a metronome and focus on even eighth notes. Practise ascending and descending from each root. Then apply it to an F7 backing track.