Jazz Guitar Lesson with Mathew Warnock: Bebop Scale Fingerings

Here is a cool fingering for the Bebop Scale that I got from USC guitarist Jon Bremen.  The first fingering is used on what Jon refers to as a "straight loop"  this is an exercise that helps one play the scale around in circles with all of the passing tones on the right beats.

Bebop Scale: A Mixolydian Scale with an added major 7th, so in C it will be:

C B Bb A G F E D C

Note that in most circumstances the passing B note is only used when going down the scale, this is the more "authentic" way to play the scale.

First String Fingering:

1st    3   2   1   (C B Bb)

2nd   4   3   2   1   (A G F E)

3rd    4   3   2   1   (D C B Bb)

4th    4   3   2   1   (A G F E)

5th    4   3    2   1  4   (D C B Bb D)

4th    2  (F)

3rd   1   3   2   1  3   (A C B Bb D)

2nd   2  (F)

1st    1  3   2   1  4   1  (A C B Bb D A)

2nd   4  (G)

The cool thing is that the fingerings are always the same, 4321, and if you notice every second string has the same notes which makes it easy to burn through once you get the pattern under your fingers.

The fingering for begining the "straight loop" on the second string is the exact same just take each fingering and move it down by one string.  So the fingering on the 1st string is now on the 2nd string etc.

Check it out, this fingering sits extremely well on the guitar and is real easy to play at high tempos.

Extra Note:  To allow for an even easier fingering add pull-off's between the natural and flat 7th's, in the key of C it would be B and Bb.  As well as the fourth and third, in C it would be F and E.

Enjoy!

Please check out Mathew Warnock's MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/mattwarnockguitar to see what else Mathew has to offer.