How do you practice scales?

[JohnBarr]

Subject line says it all.
If practicing scales is part of your routine or if you sit down to learn a new scale, what is your approach?

I usually do the spade work on a 5 string (easier to visualize the fretboard logic over two octives w/o shifting), usually in only one or two keys to get the fingering, and run the scale starting on each note, going up then back.

If you have a method, what works for you?

[DocBop]

New scales for me.

1 understand the theory of the scale. What intervals make up the scale. What chord does comes from harmonizing it from the root. Where could this scale be used from a chord/scale POV. Compare to other scale is it similar to any others. Just think about ways it could be used.

2 Then slowly work up a fingering for it. While doing that stopping and playing the chord the scale relates to. Continue play until I feel I have the scale in typical across the neck fingering down. Then try to break up into pieces so I can play up and down the neck.

3 After up to speed start playing scale in intervals, sequences, pull arpeggio out of the scale, and play patterns. Work on playing scale over two octaves, and from lowest to highest note on instrument. Again try to do the intervals and etc over two octaves.

4 Now the most important just sit and play with the scale. Improvising with the scale on the related chord, trying to make music with the scale, and then use it to solo over a chord progression it relates to so I can get used to going into the scale and out from other scales.

That is my general approach to learning a scale.

[magnusdeus123]

New scales for me.

1 understand the theory of the scale. What intervals make up the scale. What chord does comes from harmonizing it from the root. Where could this scale be used from a chord/scale POV. Compare to other scale is it similar to any others. Just think about ways it could be used.

4 Now the most important just sit and play with the scale. Improvising with the scale on the related chord, trying to make music with the scale, and then use it to solo over a chord progression it relates to so I can get used to going into the scale and out from other scales.

That is my general approach to learning a scale.

Doc , could you please expand upon what you mean by 'harmonizing it from the root' and figuring out the chord and such ?? I totally dont get what I'm supposed to do with a scale besides just running up and down it through the fretboard , and it's getting kinda lame now , and I dont wanna have a realization moment 10 years from now , so I want to do this right....

Could you or anyone else reading this , explain what you mean by "How to use the scale in terms of Chords"

[manbass]

Originally Posted by magnusdeus123

and it's getting kinda lame now , and I dont wanna have a realization moment 10 years from now , so I want to do this right....

That would be learning basic music theory, harmony and taking lessons from a Pro. In the meantime, get the Musicians Institute book "Bass Fretboard Basics". Their scale logic approach explains how scales apply to the major and minor chord tone theory and progression fundamentals as well as provide a multitude of 2 and 3 octave scale pattern excercises for 4-5-6 string basses (standard tuning in 4ths). This book provides standard notation/tab and FBoard diagrams for all studies in it.

So put the mouse down, get your bass and shed til it becomes a limb.
Sorry for the hijack Doc...

[David Lansen]

"Pacman's sure-fire scale practice method", stickied at the top of this forum.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by magnusdeus123

Doc , could you please expand upon what you mean by 'harmonizing it from the root' and figuring out the chord and such ?? I totally dont get what I'm supposed to do with a scale besides just running up and down it through the fretboard , and it's getting kinda lame now , and I dont wanna have a realization moment 10 years from now , so I want to do this right....

Could you or anyone else reading this , explain what you mean by "How to use the scale in terms of Chords"

I assume you know chords from from scales. Take a C Major scale and most chords are build by stacking up thirds. So C major scale is C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. A third up from C is E, a third up from E is G, a third up from G and B. There is your C Maj7 chord. I started from the root note of C. Also note thirds are every other note of the scale.

So you get a new scale or mode to learn you figure out the chord you get from harmonizing it from the root. In other words stack t he thirds again. So lets take take the Dorian mode since most have hear of it. The D Dorian mode is D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D. So D is the root and a third up from D is F, third up from F is A, third up from A is C. D, F, A, C spells a Dmi7 chord. So I would begin playing the D Dorian scale against a Dmi7 chord. That is only at start, but I will leave it there for now I don't want to confuse things.

So get a new scale figure the chord out that goes with it, or look it up on the internet. Most discussions of scales included the main chord and other chords that it gets used with.

I did explain what to do other than just runs up and down the fingerboard in my first message. I talked about intervals, patterns, sequences, arpeggios (from the harmonized scale) and doing improvisation with it against those chords. If you don't know what those terms mean Google is your friend there are lots of example available of playing scales in intervals like 3rd or 4th, doing 3 or 4 note sequences. Patterns is kind of like licks or riffs in the Rock world. They are short motifs or music ideas basic on a scale or the scale for a particular chord. Also search TB I know those terms have been explained in the past with examples.

Bottom line first get the scale under your finger, then play with trying to make music with it. To make music you usually play it against a chord. I have kind of a process I use, but bottom line I end up just playing around with the scale to see what sounds I can make with it. I stop running scales up and down as soon as my fingers are trained, then its time to train my ear for what the scale can do musically.

[Correlli]

I try to create motives, melodies, and maybe complete phrases out of scales. I used to play them up and down, back and forth, but that doesen't sound like music.

[ii7-V7]

Couple of things.

First, I understand it in terms of its notes, relationship to other scales, what chords it would work with, etc.

Then...in no certain order....

I'm a big advocate of the CAGED method. So, first I learn that scales fingerings in each of the five shapes.

While I'm doing that I make sure to say the note names out loud as I'm playing the scale.

I also listen for the sound of the scale. Is it a basic major scale? Funky sounding altered dominant? Or an ethereal wholetone sound?

Then I start singing the pitches of the scale as I play it.

Then I start singing the pitches of the notes before I play them and then check it on the instrument.

Then I play it with different sequences, i.e. 1, 3, 5, 2, 4, 6, 3, 5, 7, etc.

Then I make as many different arpeggios out of the scale as possible.

Then I use the scale over a two chord progression where I go from that scale to another scale that I know really well while playing a recording of the chords in the background.

These are some of the things that I do....though admittedly it takes a long time.

[ryco]

Here's a fun plan - specifically the second half of the page.
http://www.jazzbooks.com/miva/docume..._new_tunes.pdf

Also try as many different fingerings as you can. Start with the first finger on root, then the second finger on root, then the little finger on root.

Use four strings across per scale, then 3 strings , then 2, then 1 string.

Definitley practice two octaves.

These are all physical techniques. Be sure to listen closely to the notes as you play. Music is about sound. Listen to the tones and semi-tones, Listen to the intervals.

Originally Posted by ii7-V7

Then I use the scale over a two chord progression where I go from that scale to another scale that I know really well while playing a recording of the chords in the background.

This is a cool idea!

[higgi]

I play all the modes in a key starting with the root. I can't remember the names of the modes but I know what scale to play if I start on the 6th of a minor key and so forth. It really seems to help my improvisation.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by ryco

Use four strings across per scale, then 3 strings , then 2, then 1 string.

Definitley practice two octaves.

I would change that and reverse it, start with 1 string then move to 2, and 3 strings.

After starting back playing bass after years away my teachers first lesson was using this process. I couldn't believe how much more I could do with scales after learning to play them first on one string, then using two. I understood scale construction more, better knowledge of fingerboard, and improved tone. Many musical phrases sound better going up or down the neck instead of across to thinner strings. It also improve shifting and big help on improving because not you can start or finish a scale from anywhere with the knowledge you obtain. I have been working this approach with modes too.

[cnltb]

...first slow, then faster,then fast.
always over two octaves, arpeggios of the corresponding triads and chords.

[Rickett Customs]

This was a previous post on another thread, I has posted:
================================================
If I can give any advice on this, try what I did when I started, Go up the fretboard, throughout the different modes (Major, then Minor), incrementing a half-step each time ascending and descending.once you go up the fretboard, go back.once you get through all of them, try alternating as you move from a half-step to another. This is how I had adjusted to playing on an upright.
I implemented the same on the electric fretless.
Although this seems like some boring ****, I assure you, you will feel 10X more comfortable playing it, if you drill yourself like this.

Ionian

Suggested fingering

|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|
|-----|--2--|-----|--4--|


Scale functions

|--2--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--6--|-----|--7--|--1--|
|--3--|--4--|-----|--5--|
|-----|--1--|-----|--2--|



Dorian

Suggested fingering

|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|-----|
|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|


Scale functions

|--2--|-b3--|-----|--4--|-----|
|--6--|-b7--|-----|--1--|-----|
|-----|--4--|-----|--5--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--2--|-b3--|



Phrygian

Suggested fingering

|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|


Scale functions

|-b3--|-----|--4--|-----|
|-b7--|-----|--1--|-b2--|
|--4--|-----|--5--|-b6--|
|--1--|-b2--|-----|-b3--|



Lydian

Suggested fingering

|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|-----|--2--|-----|--4--|


Scale functions

|--2--|-----|--3--|-----|
|--6--|-----|--7--|--1--|
|--3--|-----|-#4--|--5--|
|-----|--1--|-----|--2--|



Mixolydian

Suggested fingering

|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|
|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|
|-----|--2--|-----|--4--|


Scale functions

|--2--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--6--|-b7--|-----|--1--|
|--3--|--4--|-----|--5--|
|-----|--1--|-----|--2--|



Aeolian

Suggested fingering

|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|-----|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|-----|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|


Scale functions

|--2--|-b3--|-----|--4--|-----|
|-----|-b7--|-----|--1--|-----|
|-----|--4--|-----|--5--|-b6--|
|-----|--1--|-----|--2--|-b3--|



Locrian

Suggested fingering

|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|-----|--3--|--4--|
|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|
|--1--|--2--|-----|--4--|


Scale functions

|-b3--|-----|--4--|-b5--|
|-b7--|-----|--1--|-b2--|
|--4--|-b5--|-----|-b6--|
|--1--|-b2--|-----|-b3--|
__________________