| Most teach scales using five fingering pattens for each scale. That gives you a fingering so you could play all twelve keys in basically one position (give or take a fret or two.)
Then play scales in intervals. Such as thirds. So using scale degree numbers it would be like 1,3, 2,4, 3,5, 4, 6, etc. and back down. I find it useful to vari that going up a 3rd, then down the next 3rd like. 1,3, 4, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4 etc. Again decent using similar pattern. The doing same type thing with 4th's and 5th's. Most bass players stop at 3rd's and 4th's but if you can go further that is good. Also make up sequences of notes like 1, 2, 3, 2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 5 etc. Four note seqences and any up and down pattern. Do this and similar exercises with a metronome, and say especially in the begining with going slow say the scales degrees as you play them. That will make this into a ear trainning exercise while working on technique. In fact a real good pattern to play and sing is 2, 1, 4, 3, 6, 5, 7, 8. Drill that into your ear those are the common tendencies for notes to move. 2 down to 1, 3 down to 4 and etc. Also as working on the scale start making mental note of the fingering pattern on each string that makes up the major scale. That will be usefull for playing extended scales (more than and octave) and having to shift positions. Be sure to take advantage of the five scale patterns and play the scale all over the neck especially above the 12th fret. This gives you a general idea of learning scales to develop technique and start getting the sound of the scale and its degrees in your ear. Be sure to give yourself time at the end to "Jam" on the scale. Use the intervals and sequences as a starting point, but just spend 10-15 minutes trying to make music with the scale. It will be real rough in the beginning, but as you go you will find your own licks and phases you like. I would say get all this down in C Major first. That will help get the basic technique down, the sounds in your ear, and with 5 fingering patterns cover a lot of the neck. Once you feel you have C major down then start expanding to all twelve keys.
Okay once you have those basics down in one octave, then expand to two octave scales. After those then to playing scales from lowest note in key on your bass to the highest available in key on your bass. Remember to do these in interval patterns and sequences too.
Once you have good grip on the major scale start adding moving onto minor scales and modes. You can apply the same things intervals, sequences, jamming, two octaves, low-to-high on neck.
As you go you will discover things that are difficult for you to do. Well you can usually make up your own sequence or interval sequence pattern to work on that issue. You learn to make your own exercises to address problems.
Hope that helps you get started. There are 1000's of ways to practices scales these are just some common ones.
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Steve Barnette
The Dojo of Cool :ninja:
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Practice is the best of all instructors - Publilius Syrus
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