Jazz Scales - Bebop Scales

In this series of videos I cover everything you need to know about Jazz Scales, including but not limited to:
- How scales are related to chords (the Chord-Scale System)
- Why you can use different scales over the same chord
- Commonly used jazz scales including: melodic minor modes, bebop scales, whole tone scale, diminished scale, pentatonic scale.

This Jazz Piano Tutorial is about Bebop Scales. They are effectively just regular western scales and modes - such as the major, melodic minor, dorian and mixolydian scales and modes - but with an added chromatic note. This added chromatic note exists to line up the number of notes in the scale with the number of quavers in a bar of 4/4 time.

But adding this chromatic note, Bebop scales are able to better emphasise the harmonically strong notes during improvisational runs and better align the number of notes to the number of beats in a bar. This makes an improvisational run simply fit better over the time signature.

While you can in theory add any additional chromatic passing note to a scale to get a bebop scale, over time jazz musicians have settled on a few standard passing notes for each of the scales.

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[derHuckepackmann]

I'm a guitarist and your videos give me more insight in how to play jazz than any guitarist on youtube ever could. Thank you very much.

[blindsfitvince]

How you present the material is so straight forward and simple makes it really easy to follow. Thanks

[TheTilde]

This is one of the clearest and straight to the point explanation. Thank you.

[MarcelPetit]

Very clear. This will help my roommates embrace my jazz practicing much more! ;)

[cullenbrownmusic]

best video on this topic! great job i really appreciate

[CutiepieTinWhistle]

I know nothing about music theory, and I don't play piano, but this video was fantastic. Thank you!

[haroldsayers]

Thank you for the excellent lesson right to the point easy to understand very well laid out thank you

[andrebenites]

I have always loved songs that played with a half-step before concluding.
That little extra note to fit it right.

Couple of examples that come to mind is the Entertainer and a few of the Super Mario Soundtrack.

Now it is nice to know there is a name and some theory on these scales.
Great video! Congrats

[rolandmadjitey]

You are a genius man . Thanks or making a huge impact .

[bebopreview]

My study of Charlie Parker has revealed that there is a bit more to 'bebop' scales than this. I think the early boppers saw it more as just adding chromatic notes to diatonic scales which we now call Bebop scales. My study has shown that these added notes are related to the function of chords and should not just be seen as 'passing notes'. I noticed also that Charlie Parker never plays them in an accending line as you do here. However, having said that, this is by far the best explaination of Bebop scales I've seen on You tube.

[wildfeather]

Loved it, loved it, loved it! ... Excellent description. Can't wait to review your other material. Muchas Gracias!!!

[miguelmaharaj]

Helped me out. This is to cool. Subscribed.

[MrHenderson]

excellent video really helpful to understand where the outside tone effects the scales strength... Is it possible for you to do video on how to improvise over rhythm changes an area in my playing that most church musicians that I'm surrounded with truly have a true grasp and understanding of knowing what tonality to play over these changes is the most confusing part for me as well knowing what scales work over standards such as My funny valentine for example, Thanks for all you do. Chris

[GenuineColour]

dude this is so damn informational. I have watched like 200 vids trying to find info like this but I swear they don't want to release the cheat codes lol.. cheat codes activated here!

[raffaelrameh]

You have the best music channel ever on Youtube

[yuribolognini]

Most geniuine reasonable explanation on passing notes and jazz scales out there definately! thanks! btw would u mind explane why some passing notes sound better than others and u can in fact stop on them like the blue note? or why to put them on a pentatonic scale? does it have something to do with rythm at all?

[omgnocapslock]

Hi, not sure if you'd read this now but can you do a video on "what & how to think during an improvisation" or "how to think fast during an improvisation" because with all the theories I know, I can't seem to put them in my playing as what I think it would ideally be.
Most of the improvisations I've done are just by pure feelings & letting my fingers play by itself. Although I think it sounds "okay", a lot of the times it ends up messy.
Thank you very much!

[Wilqr]

Perfect explanation, thank you for the video!

[kjetilbirkeland]

This was a very Goo explaination! Thanks

[rodrigocortez]

Hello! I have a question. I've been training pentatonic scales, major and minor, 4 octaves 12 keys. For the natural major and minor it's OK, the patterns are clear, but as the pentatonic has got space in between the notes, I'm a bit lost on how to use my fingers, each octave goes with a random finger pattern. So do you have any tips, or premises, on how to use fingers for major and minor pentatonics to make it fluid through all 4 octaves exercises and improvs? Thank you! Ur channel has been helping a great deal