B Bebop Melodic Minor Scale on Ukulele: Notes

How it is built

B1C♯2D♭3E4F♯5G♭6G♯6A♯7

Formula 1, 2, ♭3, 4, 5, ♭6, 6, 7

Chords these notes build

B1B Minor B 5th B Suspended 2nd B Suspended 4th B Minor Major 7th B Minor 6th B Minor Add 9
C♯2C♯ Minor C♯ 5th C♯ Suspended 4th C♯ Minor 7th C♯ Minor 7th Flat 5th C♯ 7th Suspended 4th C♯ Minor 6th C♯ Diminished C♯ Diminished 7th
D♭3D Augmented D Augmented Major 7th
E4E Major E Minor E 5th E Suspended 2nd E 7th E Minor 7th E 7th Flat 5 E Minor 7th Flat 5th E 6th E Minor 6th E Add 9 E Minor Add 9 E Diminished E Diminished 7th
F♯5F♯ Major F♯ 5th F♯ Suspended 2nd F♯ Suspended 4th F♯ 7th F♯ 7th Sharp 5 F♯ 7th Suspended 4th F♯ Add 9 F♯ Augmented
G♭6G Major G Minor G 5th G Major 7th G Minor Major 7th G 6th G Minor 6th G Diminished G Diminished 7th G Diminished Major 7th
G♯6A♭ Minor 7th Flat 5th A♭ Diminished A♭ Diminished Major 7th
A♯7B♭ 7th Flat 5 B♭ 7th Sharp 5 B♭ Minor 7th Flat 5th B♭ Diminished B♭ Diminished 7th B♭ Augmented

How do you play the B bebop melodic minor scale on ukulele?

B bebop melodic minor in box 1 runs from fret 1 to fret 4, 12 notes across 4 strings, from C♯ on the C string at fret 1 up to C♯ on the A string at fret 4. The root falls on the G string at fret 4 and the A string at fret 2.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (G)	1, 3, 4	G♯, A♯, B
3 (C)	1, 2, 4	C♯, D, E
2 (E)	2, 3, 4	F♯, G, G♯
1 (A)	1, 2, 4	A♯, B, C♯

Box 2 · frets 4–7

B bebop melodic minor in box 2 runs from fret 4 to fret 7, 12 notes across 4 strings, from E on the C string at fret 4 up to E on the A string at fret 7. The root falls on the G string at fret 4 and the E string at fret 7.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (G)	4, 6, 7	B, C♯, D
3 (C)	4, 6, 7	E, F♯, G
2 (E)	4, 6, 7	G♯, A♯, B
1 (A)	4, 5, 7	C♯, D, E

Box 3 · frets 6–9

B bebop melodic minor in box 3 runs from fret 6 to fret 9, 11 notes across 4 strings, from F♯ on the C string at fret 6 up to F♯ on the A string at fret 9. The root falls on the E string at fret 7.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (G)	6, 7, 9	C♯, D, E
3 (C)	6, 7, 8	F♯, G, G♯
2 (E)	6, 7, 9	A♯, B, C♯
1 (A)	7, 9	E, F♯

Box 4 · frets 8–11

B bebop melodic minor in box 4 runs from fret 8 to fret 11, 10 notes across 4 strings, from G♯ on the C string at fret 8 up to G♯ on the A string at fret 11. The root falls on the C string at fret 11.

Every note in this box, string by string

String	Frets	Notes
4 (G)	9, 11	E, F♯
3 (C)	8, 10, 11	G♯, A♯, B
2 (E)	9, 10	C♯, D
1 (A)	9, 10, 11	F♯, G, G♯

Why it sounds like that

B bebop melodic minor adds the major 6th G♯ to B harmonic minor, which already has the major 7th A♯. The extra note creates a chromatic run from G to A♯. Compare B harmonic minor to hear the added colour.

When to use it

B bebop melodic minor fits B minor and B 5th chords. Use it over minor vamps in B, especially when the chord moves to F♯ major or F♯ 5th.

Which position to practise

Practise Box 1 first. The root on string 4 fret 4 keeps the hand low, and the shape covers frets 1–4 for quick access to the chromatic cluster.

Common questions

What notes are in B bebop melodic minor?

B bebop melodic minor contains B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G, G♯, A♯. The G♯ is the added major 6th that distinguishes it from B harmonic minor.

Which chords work with B bebop melodic minor?

B bebop melodic minor works over B minor and B 5th chords. The major 7th A♯ also allows it to fit F♯ major or F♯ 5th in a B minor context.

How is B bebop melodic minor different from B harmonic minor?

B bebop melodic minor adds G♯, the major 6th, to B harmonic minor. This creates a chromatic line from G through G♯ to A♯.