G7

4 &4
G

Bebop Lines
Developing lines

Jeff Ellwood

#
3-7

b #
5-1 1-5

Break the bebop scale up into 4 parts that connect chord tones using scale motion

& &
5-1

1-5

7-3 # 3-7

7-3

After learning the scales motion, we must now learn arpeggio's built form primary chord tones (7-5-3) 7th degree = Major 7

12

& &

5th degree = Minor 7

same chords as above, but with the 2nd note displaced down an octave (this allows us the use the same concept as above, but in a descending fashion)

3rd degree = Half Diminished

15

Notice that a chord was not built from the root of the chord. Here we will just insert the bebop passing link

18

&

Bebop passing link

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Bebop Lines

Here are sample lines using the arpeggio's built from chord tones with the bebop passing link. These line will consist of the ascending and decending versions mixed together. The formula will always move this way 7-5-3-bebop passing. (wash rinse, repeat) even if we start on another chord tones, it still follows the same cycle (3-bebop passing-7-5, 5-3-bebop passing-7)

G7

19

&

b b

23

& &

27

31

& b

G7

34

& b & # b b

38

42

b b &

Bebop Lines

Now all the material must be worked out if there are alterations on the Dominant chord b9 } chord We will now focus on applying the same concept to a G 7 {b13 take the same scale shapes and alter the 9 & 13 (2 & 6).

46

& b & b

b # b b

# b b b

50

Now the arpeggio's and their chord qualities need to be figured out 7th degree = Minor 7

54

& &

b b

5th degree = half diminished

displaced octave

b b

3rd degree = diminished

b b

b b

b b

57

G 7 {b13}

b9

60

&

b b b

64

& b &

68

72

b b A &

b9 G 7 {b13}

Bebop Lines

b b A

b A #

75

b b b A b A b A & b & b b b b b b b b A #

79

83

b b b b b & b A

These ideas work great over dominant 7 chords, but what do we do over minor 7 chords? I use the same ideas on minor, although I don't use a minor bebop scale. When I see a minor 7 chord, i use the dominant 7 chord that is a 4th away.
(example Dmi7 = G7, Cmi7 = F7, Emi7b5 = A7b9b13, Dmi7b5 = G7b9b13 etc....)

Let's apply this concept to a tune. We are going to use the changes to

Blue Bossa
F mi7

C mi7

C mi7

F mi7 B

87

& &

F7
b

b7
C mi7

D mi7( 5)

G 7 {b13}

b9

C mi7

91

E mi7

95

& A b7
b

G 7 {b13} A

b9

b7
b9

D ma7 D ma7

F7

D ma7

D mi7( 5) G 7 {b13}
b9

G 7 {b13}

C mi7 F7

G 7 {b13} G 7 {b13}
b9

b9

99

&

Bebop Lines

Notice how I simplified the chord chages to mostly all dominant 7 chords in the previous example Here is a solo using our bebop concept with the simplified changes

103

b b b b & b b b b
F7 B

b7

107

b b b & b & b b n b b b
b9

G 7 {b13}

b9

F7

b7

b b b
D ma7

111

115

b b b & b b

G 7 {b13}

b b b b
C mi7

G 7 {b13}

b9

! b

The solo above sounds a bit boring, WHY? Every phrase starts on a downbeat, and jazz is a syncopated music. The best way to solve this issue is starting a phrase on the & of the beat, but our bebop lines will sound odd if they are displaced by an 1/8 note. We can solve this problem by using one of our no primary chord tones (scale degrees 2-4-6) as approach notes. We can also use chromatic approach notes. We can also anticipate the note on the & of the beat Another important tool is editing. can we remove some note of the phrase to make it sound better? Yes!!! Let's take the same solo and do some editing and apply some approach notes

119

b b b b b b J J & b b
F7 B

b7

Bebop Lines

123

b b b b b b J & b
A

G 7 {b13}

b9

F7

127

&

b7

131

b & b b b b

G 7 {b13}

b9

b b b b J

b b

b b
C mi7

D ma7

G 7 {b13}

b9