So I recently purchased the Bass Grimoire, i.e. the best bass book on the market. It's incredibly thorough and leaves nothing out, but I'm not quite sure of the concepts yet.

When being introduced to modal theory by my private instructor, he showed me, of course, the major scale and it's modes; II being Dorian, V being Mixolydian, ect...

The way I am to understand it, once you know what key you're in, the modes of the scale can be used to create more harmonic interest in the bassline you're playing, i.e.- In the key of GM, if the progression is I-IV-VII-V-I, then I can play my basslines according to the modal scales for that particular key, with a slight margin for personal preference.

Am I on the right track?

Thanks to anyone that helps out!

So I recently purchased the Bass Grimoire, i.e. the best bass book on the market. It's incredibly thorough and leaves nothing out, but I'm not quite sure of the concepts yet.

When being introduced to modal theory by my private instructor, he showed me, of course, the major scale and it's modes; II being Dorian, V being Mixolydian, ect...

The way I am to understand it, once you know what key you're in, the modes of the scale can be used to create more harmonic interest in the bassline you're playing, i.e.- In the key of GM, if the progression is I-IV-VII-V-I, then I can play my basslines according to the modal scales for that particular key, with a slight margin for personal preference.

Am I on the right track?

Thanks to anyone that helps out!

Your teacher should be talking about ways of appling the modes. They can be used in many ways, composition, improvisation, and for basslines. I don't know what stage your playing is at so hard to decide what answer to give. In general using modes for basslines is more for when chords are lasting more than a measure. If a chord isn't going to last long you will probably stick to chord tones and approach notes. If the chord is going to last a few bars and I want to add some more harmonic interest then modes are one source to use.

That is real basic answer.

The key is practice making basslines using a mode over a chord. Get the sound in your ear. Practice both a static chord progression and one with chords changing constantly. What notes are you choosing for one and not the other.

Also what is difficult is too say when is something a scale/mode, or just a note you like the sound of. For example a song has a bar of Ami7 and an F# in the bassline. Is it Dorian becasue the major 6th is the what gives Dorian its character, could be melodic minor too. Is it they know a major 6th on minor sounds good. Is the line decending so using scale to descend, then it might be Dorian or melodic minor. Is it ascending and using chromatics then the F# is a passing tone. What beat is it on that will determine its character too. All the things I have said are things they you intentionally practice and jam on. When you get up to play your ear or gut says I want that F# sound and I don't care how you get it, then it just comes out.

Great, thank you! That makes much more sense to me- I much prefer being able to relate all this to something musical as opposed to memorizing everything in a book and not even beginning to be able to apply it to anything.

Yes my teacher has told me all this, but unfortunetely we miss wavelenghts very often anymore and don't see each other as often as I'd like.

But once again thanks for the help, that makes it much easier to apply!

Is the Bass Grimoire book worth purchasing? :bassist:

Is the Bass Grimoire book worth purchasing? :bassist:

I think it is a good reference book. I mainly use it that way, but now and then I will use it to find an interesting scale to play around with.