I have a bunch of questions about jazz theory that may or may not be stupid. Ive learned a ton just practicing the licks on this site (I LOVE this site) and listening to my favorite artists but im still frantically trying to fill in knowledge gaps. My first question/questions are these:

If the bebop scale is the mixolydian scale with an added note between the seventh degree of the scale and the octave, would it make sense to add that same passing note to the other modes of its relative key?

Do I always have to start on the root(or the 7th descending to the root) of the mixolydian scale, and if not am I really playing the mixolydian.

I think because Im used to looking at the modes as one big major scale I tend to get a bit confused.

much thanks for any help.

Hi, the first and most important thing is that none of your questions are even remotely "stupid". Music, jazz, and jazz improvisation are all art forms and we all need to keep learning and asking questions.

To answer your question on the bebop dominant scale, the root, seventh, flat seventh movement is just the beginning on using chromatics. For example, you can also use ninth, flat ninth, root. The "trick" is that you can connect any scale tones with chromatics as long as the chromatics fall on an up-beat. So, using the C mixolydian scale for C7, you can have E Eb D Db C B Bb A G (all 8th notes)for a longer line. Notice that the chromatics fall on an upbeat.

An other "trick" is to replace the chromatic with a scale tone. For example, instead of C B Bb A G for the dominant bebop scale, replace the note B with a lower G (C G Bb A G). Try replacing the the B with a higher D (C D Bb A G).

These ideas can be applied to all scales (major, minor, dominant, diminished, whole-tone) and modes.

With respect to your second question, you can start on any note. At the beginning, try to start with chord tones if on a down beat or if you start with an up beat start with a neighbor scale tone or a chromatic.

If you are interested in a different approach to improvisation that is based entirely on pentatonic scales where there are no "avoid" notes, check out my website at:

http://instructional1.calstatela.edu/rle...

Hope this helps.

Ron

This is a good question.
To get a better understanding of the Be Bop scales and some of the rules/tricks to using them get a copy of David Bakers "How to Play Be Bop" book series. David does a great job of explaining how to use the Be Bop scales (what they are when to use them etc..) and provides a ton of examples of phrases over typical chord changes.

The great thing once you get through his book(s) is that you can quickly analyze what is going on and come up with some really interesting and original phrases.

All the best!

This does help a lot, thanks. It made an immediate difference in the sound and that makes me both happy and hopeful. Im gonna check out your site as well.


Teddy

Just put them on my amazon wish list! thanks a bunch

Teddy