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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Be-Bop Scale (Overblow Only)
Be-Bop Scale (Overblow Only)
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Ugly Bones Ryan
5 posts
Nov 17, 2013
4:18 PM
For those of you who are interested in playing some Jazzier more risky forms of Jazz and Blues I'd suggested learning the Be Bop scale. In second position just do the regular mixolydian scale BUT once you get to the flat seven (five draw) overblow to a regular seven directly after the flat seven and then hit the root note. This scale involves 9 notes instead of 8.

In first position do a regular major scale but overblow to the flat seven (over blow 6 hole) and then play the regular seven and then the root note.

I find this to be fun to work with and a little cooler sounding than the regular blues playing. You can use this scale over Dominant 7 chords but use the regular 7 as a passing note. Hanging on it sounds annoying to most. It can also be used over Major 7 chords but don't hang on the flat seven. That too is annoying.

All the best,
Ugly Bones Ryan
GMaj7
306 posts
Nov 17, 2013
7:05 PM
Bebop is cool and it is a very musical way to set oneself apart from the more common styles.

A bebop chromatic drops the 4 and 8 blow notes 1 whole step and gets you the bebop scale as well as the dominant chords on the blow side
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
Ugly Bones Ryan
6 posts
Nov 18, 2013
7:16 AM
There are a couple of different be bop scales. This is just the one my music teacher taught me but I've seen them a little differently especially with a tritone. Yours is a a little more complex but I'll try learning it. Enjoy the rest of your day @GMaj7

Last Edited by Ugly Bones Ryan on Nov 18, 2013 7:19 AM
MindTheGap
55 posts
Nov 18, 2013
7:40 AM
UBR - this one is called the 'bebop dominant scale'. WikiP says: When someone says they're playing the bebop scale, this is the one they're talking about.

This is also available in the top octave, with just the 9-hole blow bend rather than overblows.
Piro39
59 posts
Nov 18, 2013
8:39 AM
The major 7 is played on the upbeat for the dominant 7 bebop scale and it sounds off if you hold the note. Also you do not have to use it in a linear fashion meaning going to the next note, the octave or down to the flat 7th.
Try jumping around after hitting it. It's a great passing tone and adds a lot of color to one's playing.
Gnarly
783 posts
Nov 18, 2013
9:03 AM
Major 7th is the third of the V chord, a fact that may have escaped some of the less theory-bound blues players on this list.
I sure do like bebop tuning on the chrom, a fact I'm sure no one here cares about.
Little Walter

PS I usually jump around after hitting it.

PPS I'm such a troublemaker

Last Edited by Gnarly on Nov 18, 2013 9:05 AM
MindTheGap
57 posts
Nov 19, 2013
1:08 AM
Reading a bit more about this, they say that the purpose of this type of scale is rhythmic - by adding passing chromatic notes you can ensure that you play chord tones on the right beats when doing scale runs. On a conventional 7-note scale you can get out of sync.

I wonder when Adam does his characteristic upper octave moves e.g. +6 -6 6OB -7 +7... he is using the same device. That's the start of the 'Dorian Bebop Scale' apparently.


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