Newbie Question: Keep in mind I have very little knowledge pretaining to theory. I'm hoping to learn it as I go along. I took my first lesson last week. A very introductory lesson on bass guitar and ended with some finger placement exercises.

Question: I worte in my journal that I need to begin to learn the notes on the fret board and I need to practice the natural scale.

What is the natural scale? and where can I get a good diagram of the notes on a fretboard. I'd like to print it out for reference.

My lesson left off with finger exercises. open, first finger, first fret, second, finger, second fret,...etc. I know that this is only an exercise; not the natural scale.

A lot of info was crammed in to 30 minutes and I tried to hinge on every word.

Thanks!:confused:

Natural scale? I'm not sure what you mean. Perhaps "Natural Minor" or the Aeolian mode? Which is a basic minor scale:

1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8

or

a b c d e f g a


Go to www.activebass.com and click on "basics", it'll show you all kinds of patterns for scales and such.

I'd interpret "natural scale" as a normal, unaltered major scale; e.g. c, d, e, f, g, a, b, c. There is a natural minor scale too like stedtale mentioned, but I'm not sure that was what he meant in this case. You usually start off with the major scale, not the minor.

I think you were given this exercise is to make you comfortable with playing scales, that you start fretting right and that you develop a (muscle) memory for those scales. You'll learn a lot of scales so which one you start with is not the important thing. The important thing is that you practice. So, don't worry too much about this. Practice a scale like the major or the minor scale and ask your teacher on the next lesson what he meant with "natural" scale.

I'd interpret "natural scale" as a normal, unaltered major scale; e.g. c, d, e, f, g, a, b, c. There is a natural minor scale too like stedtale mentioned, but I'm not sure that was what he meant in this case. You usually start off with the major scale, not the minor.

Yeah, sorry, I should have been more clear on that. I thought "natural minor" because there is also "harmonic minor" and "melodic minor", and I don't think of the ionian scale as being "natural" major, but I do think of the aeolian scale as being "natural" minor.

But, I bet Deacon is right. The scale being referred to is most likely a major scale, I was just thrown by the "natural" part of it.

C D D F G A B C

I think because it is related to learning the fretboard the teach was probably talking about the Natural notes which would be the C major scale. Which I have talked about in other threads to learn notes on the neck. To play the C major scale (all the natural notes) on a single string up the neck to about the 15th fret to learn the notes. It also teaches how a scale is constructed and playing teaches shifting. Student works on a single string till confident, then moves on and works on another till done.

Ahhh yes. The naturals that make up a scale, C natural. I'm thinking way too much.

C major and all of it's modes.

Thanks to all.
Your replies were a big help! I do remember my teacher playing the scales utilizing the first half of the fret board. It was the last thing we talked about and he ran through it rather fast. I must admit I was overwelmed with the amount of music introduction we covered on the first day.

Thanks to all. Your replies were a big help! I do remember my teacher playing the scales utilizing the first half of the fret board. It was the last thing we talked about and he ran through it rather fast. I must admit I was overwelmed with the amount of music introduction we covered on the first day.If you feel your teacher is going too fast, be sure and tell him. I'm sure he'll break his examples into smaller "bites" if you feel overwhelmed with too much info. Keep in mind a teacher/student relationship is a two way street. You have to communicate your concerns to him if you're not sure your understanding something. I bet he'd really appreciate your honesty.

Since it was at the end of a lesson I'll bet he's going to start where he left off next time. He was probably giving you a starting point to think about 'til the next lesson.

Learning music, like anything, is done in steps and it's important you really understand each step before proceeding to the next.

Thanks for the great advice ryco.
He was giving me a preview of this week's lesson and I just wanted to try to get ahead of my own learning curve. I guess I'm a little anxious to start playing something other than the finger exercises, but still I'm cautious, I don't want to pick up bad habits by striking out on my own.
I really need a good foundation!

Maintain that frame of mind. You'll be a great bass player.

Yesterday was my second lesson. And as posted you guys were right. It was more an exercise to learn the fret board. starting with A then B then C...etc.

Playing the exercises illustrated how the notes are related on the fret board. I may have mispoke when I said natural scales.


I'm starting to feel the raport building with the teacher. Especially since he went over our time by 20 minutes to ask and answer questions.

btw- Yesterday I found out that at 40 years old... you can still teach the old dog a trick or two!!!


Just to wet my appetite- the instructor chose the song Purple Haze to demo for me.. just out of the blue because it was easy. At least the beginning. He wrote the notes out to the intro and the begining for me, to start to teach time, notes, etc. Then I got to play it. Corny, I know, but it was sweet!

Thanks for being there