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Scales · October 27, 2026

By Justin Comstock · JazzValve creator, longtime guitarist and adult trumpet learner · Updated October 27, 2026

Minor Bebop Scale for Trumpet

Learn the Dorian version of the minor bebop scale on B-flat trumpet, hear its F-sharp passing note, and connect an original phrase through ii–V–I.

Minor Bebop Scale for Trumpet
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The minor bebop scale often means a Dorian scale with an added major third. In written D, that is D–E–F–F-sharp–G–A–B–C–D. F-sharp passes between F and G; F natural remains the minor third.

For trumpet, start with that small chromatic connection rather than a long scale drill. This lesson uses it over Dm7, checks what actually lands on the beat, then builds an original phrase through Dm7–G7–Cmaj7.

Which minor bebop scale are we using

“Minor bebop” is not one universally fixed label. Two common collections differ in both their added note and their seventh:

VersionWritten D notes before the octave repeatsConstruction
Dorian bebopD, E, F, F-sharp, G, A, B, CDorian plus the major third
Melodic minor bebopD, E, F, G, A, B-flat, B, C-sharpJazz melodic minor plus a passing note between the fifth and sixth

For a short reading comparison, play each row from D4 upward. Use eight eighth notes in bar 1, then D5 as a half note followed by a half rest in bar 2. Read the Dorian row first, then the melodic-minor row, without accompaniment. These original reading exercises compare the pitches; they do not imply that both collections fit the same chord.

Dorian bebop reading comparisonWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, D4 eighth note, sounds C4; beat 1.5, E4 eighth note, sounds D4; beat 2, F4 eighth note, sounds E-flat4; beat 2.5, F-sharp4 eighth note, sounds E4; beat 3, G4 eighth note, sounds F4; beat 3.5, A4 eighth note, sounds G4; beat 4, B4 eighth note, sounds A4; beat 4.5, C5 eighth note, sounds B-flat4.
  2. Bar 2: beat 1, D5 half note, sounds C5; beat 3, half rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. Original unaccompanied pitch-comparison reading exercise: eight eighth notes, then D5 half note and a half rest. These deliberately composed rhythms are not prescribed by the scale sources. No chord symbols or shared-harmony claim.

Melodic minor bebop reading comparisonWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, D4 eighth note, sounds C4; beat 1.5, E4 eighth note, sounds D4; beat 2, F4 eighth note, sounds E-flat4; beat 2.5, G4 eighth note, sounds F4; beat 3, A4 eighth note, sounds G4; beat 3.5, B-flat4 eighth note, sounds A-flat4; beat 4, B4 eighth note, sounds A4; beat 4.5, C-sharp5 eighth note, sounds B4.
  2. Bar 2: beat 1, D5 half note, sounds C5; beat 3, half rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. Original unaccompanied pitch-comparison reading exercise: eight eighth notes, then D5 half note and a half rest. These deliberately composed rhythms are not prescribed by the scale sources. No chord symbols or shared-harmony claim. B-natural cancels B-flat in bar 1; C-sharp follows.

B-flat in the second row can also be spelled A-sharp. Jamey Aebersold’s Scale Syllabus distinguishes these as Bebop Minor and Bebop Minor No. 2. Paul Abrahams’s lesson likewise treats Dorian and melodic minor bebop separately.

Here, minor bebop means the Dorian version, with the formula 1–2–flat 3–3–4–5–6–flat 7. We use it over a minor-seventh chord functioning as ii in a major-key ii–V–I. The melodic-minor version is a different lesson; do not substitute its B-flat and C-sharp into the following Dorian-based exercises.

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Set up the minor chord sound

All notes and main chord symbols in this lesson are written for standard B-flat trumpet. Written Dm7 sounds concert Cm7. Choose a concert Cm7 vamp, or ask a pianist for C–E-flat–G–B-flat. B-flat trumpet sounds a major second below written pitch, as shown in UTEP’s transposition reference.

Start in 4/4 at quarter note = 60. First play D4, F4, A4, C5, one quarter note each, then rest for a full bar. These are the four Dm7 chord tones. D4 is just below the treble staff; C5 is the third space. Sing the notes before repeating them on the horn.

Hear the Dm7 chord tonesWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.Chord symbols use written B-flat trumpet pitch; see the transcript for accompaniment.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, chord Dm7, D4 quarter note, sounds C4; beat 2, F4 quarter note, sounds E-flat4; beat 3, A4 quarter note, sounds G4; beat 4, C5 quarter note, sounds B-flat4.
  2. Bar 2: beat 1, chord Dm7, whole rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. Play D4, F4, A4 and C5 as quarter notes, then rest for one full bar. Concert accompaniment: Cm7 | Cm7.

Keep this chord sound in your ear when you introduce F-sharp. The passing note does not turn Dm7 into D major or replace its F natural.

Hear the half steps in a short phrase

Play this one-bar figure over written Dm7:

Then rest for one complete bar before repeating.

Approach the minor thirdWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.Chord symbols use written B-flat trumpet pitch; see the transcript for accompaniment.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, chord Dm7, G4 eighth note, sounds F4; beat 1.5, F-sharp4 eighth note, sounds E4; beat 2, F4 eighth note, sounds E-flat4; beat 2.5, E4 eighth note, sounds D4; beat 3, D4 quarter note, sounds C4; beat 4, quarter rest.
  2. Bar 2: beat 1, chord Dm7, whole rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. Play four eighth notes, D4 quarter note and a quarter rest, then rest for one full bar. Show F-natural after F-sharp. Concert accompaniment: Cm7 | Cm7.

Count 1 and 2 and 3 4. G lands on 1, F-sharp on the and of 1, F natural on 2, E on the and of 2, and D on 3. The two half steps G–F-sharp–F lead into the minor third; E then connects F to the root.

Start with even eighth notes so the coordination is easy to hear. Keep the air moving through F-sharp rather than accenting it because it is unfamiliar. If the change is uneven, practice G4–F-sharp4–F4 as three quarter notes followed by a quarter rest. Return to the eighth-note phrase only when those three pitches are clear.

Slow the chromatic connectionWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.Chord symbols use written B-flat trumpet pitch; see the transcript for accompaniment.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, chord Dm7, G4 quarter note, sounds F4; beat 2, F-sharp4 quarter note, sounds E4; beat 3, F4 quarter note, sounds E-flat4; beat 4, quarter rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. Play G4, F-sharp4 and F-natural4 as quarter notes, then a quarter rest. F-natural cancels F-sharp. Concert accompaniment: Cm7.

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Check the beats before trusting the scale

Now play the complete ascending collection:

D4 E4 F4 F-sharp4 G4 A4 B4 C5 | D5

The first eight notes are eighth notes in bar 1. In bar 2, hold D5 for a half note, then take a half rest. There are nine written notes including the repeated root, so the upper D arrives on the next bar’s beat 1.

Check a root-started ascentWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.Chord symbols use written B-flat trumpet pitch; see the transcript for accompaniment.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, chord Dm7, D4 eighth note, sounds C4; beat 1.5, E4 eighth note, sounds D4; beat 2, F4 eighth note, sounds E-flat4; beat 2.5, F-sharp4 eighth note, sounds E4; beat 3, G4 eighth note, sounds F4; beat 3.5, A4 eighth note, sounds G4; beat 4, B4 eighth note, sounds A4; beat 4.5, C5 eighth note, sounds B-flat4.
  2. Bar 2: beat 1, chord Dm7, D5 half note, sounds C5; beat 3, half rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. Play the eight ascending eighth notes in bar 1, then D5 half note and a half rest in bar 2. The bar-1 downbeats are D4, F4, G4 and B4. Concert accompaniment: Cm7 | Cm7.

Notice the numbered beats of bar 1:

BeatWritten noteRelationship to Dm7
1D4Root
2F4Minor third
3G4Fourth or eleventh
4B4Major sixth or thirteenth

They are not the four Dm7 chord tones. A and C fall on offbeats in this particular ascent. An eight-note collection can return to its root on a downbeat without placing a chord tone on every numbered beat.

Those G and B colors are not automatically wrong. Hear them against the vamp, and decide whether to continue or resolve. Starting elsewhere, changing direction or inserting a rest changes the alignment again.

Carry the minor idea through a ii V I

Use one chord per bar:

Try this original four-bar phrase:

  1. Dm7: G4–F-sharp4–F4–E4 as four eighth notes, then D4 quarter, C5 quarter.
  2. G7: B4 quarter, G4 eighth, A4 eighth, B4 quarter, D5 quarter.
  3. Cmaj7: C5 half note, E4 quarter, quarter rest.
  4. Cmaj7: Whole-bar rest.
Connect ii V IWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.Chord symbols use written B-flat trumpet pitch; see the transcript for accompaniment.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, chord Dm7, G4 eighth note, sounds F4; beat 1.5, F-sharp4 eighth note, sounds E4; beat 2, F4 eighth note, sounds E-flat4; beat 2.5, E4 eighth note, sounds D4; beat 3, D4 quarter note, sounds C4; beat 4, C5 quarter note, sounds B-flat4.
  2. Bar 2: beat 1, chord G7, B4 quarter note, sounds A4; beat 2, G4 eighth note, sounds F4; beat 2.5, A4 eighth note, sounds G4; beat 3, B4 quarter note, sounds A4; beat 4, D5 quarter note, sounds C5.
  3. Bar 3: beat 1, chord Cmaj7, C5 half note, sounds B-flat4; beat 3, E4 quarter note, sounds D4; beat 4, quarter rest.
  4. Bar 4: beat 1, chord Cmaj7, whole rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. Play this four-bar ii–V–I phrase as written, including the full fourth bar of rest. F-natural cancels F-sharp in bar 1. Concert accompaniment: Cm7 | F7 | B-flatmaj7 | B-flatmaj7.

The range is written D4–D5. If the upper D is not comfortable, replace D5 in bar 2 with G4. The rest of the phrase stays unchanged.

Lower-range replacement for C2 — REPLACE BAR 2 ONLYWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.Chord symbols use written B-flat trumpet pitch; see the transcript for accompaniment.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, chord G7, B4 quarter note, sounds A4; beat 2, G4 eighth note, sounds F4; beat 2.5, A4 eighth note, sounds G4; beat 3, B4 quarter note, sounds A4; beat 4, G4 quarter note, sounds F4.

Written for B-flat trumpet. REPLACE BAR 2 ONLY in the four-bar ii–V–I phrase. This lower-range alternative replaces the final D5 quarter note with G4; it is not an additional bar. Concert accompaniment: F7.

Listen especially to C5–B4 across the first barline. C is Dm7’s seventh; B is G7’s third. At the next barline, D5 moves down to C5 as the tonic chord arrives.

D Dorian bebop and G dominant bebop contain the same pitch classes, but the chord changes their roles. This phrase chooses clear arrivals instead of running the same scale mechanically across the progression. The dominant bebop lesson explores that related collection from the dominant chord’s perspective.

Change one ending and listen again

On your next pass, replace bar 3 with E4 quarter, G4 quarter, C5 quarter, quarter rest. Keep bars 1, 2 and 4 unchanged. Compare landing directly on C with arriving first on the tonic chord’s third, E.

Different tonic ending — REPLACE BAR 3 ONLYWritten B-flat trumpet pitch · No key signature; accidentals shown explicitly · 4/4 · quarter note = 60Sounds a major second below written pitch. Original instructional exercise.Begin with even eighths; swing only after counts and notes are secure. No slurs or accents required.Chord symbols use written B-flat trumpet pitch; see the transcript for accompaniment.

Read the note and rhythm transcript below. Staff notation requires JavaScript.

Notes, rhythm and playing instructions
  1. Bar 1: beat 1, chord Cmaj7, E4 quarter note, sounds D4; beat 2, G4 quarter note, sounds F4; beat 3, C5 quarter note, sounds B-flat4; beat 4, quarter rest.

Written for B-flat trumpet. REPLACE BAR 3 ONLY in the four-bar ii–V–I phrase. This tonic-ending variation is not an additional bar. Concert accompaniment: B-flatmaj7.

Once the pitches and counts are secure, try a relaxed swing feel without shifting the numbered-beat arrivals. Use the swing-eighth lesson if that needs separate practice.

Finish with the small G–F-sharp–F connection, one complete four-bar phrase and a recording. Listen for a clear F natural, steady time and an audible change of harmony. For more short practice ideas, Blue Lines is a free jazz trumpet workbook available with email signup.

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Related practice: D Dorian (Pro)

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Blue Lines jazz trumpet workbook cover

Free trumpet workbook

Blue Lines

Thirty days of focused B♭ trumpet practice: tone, time, jazz language and improvisation.

Email signup required

Get Blue Lines free

Sources

  • Jamey Aebersold Jazz — https://www.jazzbooks.com/mm5/download/FREE-scale-syllabus.pdf
  • Paul Abrahams — https://www.learnjazzpianoonline.com/blog/learn-bebop-scales/
  • Mark Feezell — https://learnmusictheory.net/PDFs/pdffiles/04-App-12-BebopScales.pdf
  • Charles Francis Leinberger, UTEP — https://utminers.utep.edu/charlesl/transpose.html
  • JazzValve — https://jazzvalve.com/workbook
Part of the guideJazz Trumpet Scales: Fingerings, Exercises & Practice →

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