Need scale exercises

[Vorago]

Ok, I need some help here.

I can play Pentatonic, Major, Minor and some of the modes in all 5 positions. The problem with especially the major, minor and modes is that I have a lot of trouble shifting between and combining various positions.

I can play in box 1, box 2 but it's very hard for me to use box 1, 2 and 3 (for example) in one lick.

Are there any specific exercises for this issue?

TIA

[jadesmar]

I'm confused by "5 postions" and this talk of boxes.

[Vorago]

Well, on a 4 string, you can play C major in 5 different "fingerings".

Starting with the middle finger on G on the E string, going up to C on the A string. Or,you can start with the middle finger on the A on the E string, going up to the G on the D string (5th fret) etc.

Each of these fingerings is what I refer to as a box or position.

On a 4 string there's 5 of them, and I'm having trouble combining those 5 fingerings/boxes.

[jadesmar]

Ok. This leads me to a few questions. Sorry.

I am a self-taught bass player so, in my little musical worldview I would call these shapes and I would name each one after a classical mode which I would be starting with my index finger.

So, your first shape I would call Lydian shape, your second a Myxolydian shape. Which leads me to the question, why are there only 5 shapes in your view, if there are 7 classical modes.

It can't be due to trying to avoid large stretches, because, the A shape you decribed has some big ones in it.

Why does the first of your 5 shapes contain 4 notes, while the second contains 7?

I am assuming this is a typo and your first shape continues to the C on the G-string and the second shape carries to the D on the G-string.

Why do these shapes start with the middle finger? Would you not be able to extend each of these one note lower if you started with the index finger?

Forgive my ignorance.

[thelibster]

At my site, there are a couple of lessons on modes, with lots of exercises.

[jadesmar]

Libster, those also seem to be disconnected boxes, but at least there are 7 of them.

[jadesmar]

To describe the 7 boxes, let's use C-major and 3 notes per string. Then we have the following shapes.

Starting on E (0 or 12th fret) - going to B (4th or 16th fret) - Phrygian
Starting on F (1 or 13th) - going to C - Lydian
Starting on G - Myxolydian
A - Aeolian
B - Locrian
C - Ionian (Major)
D - Dorian

and back to E.

So, here's an excercise.. off the top of my head.

1. Starting with any of these mode shapes on the E string, climb a predetermined amount, shift to a higher mode shape and descend.

2 . Starting with any of these mode shapes on the G string, descend a predetermined amount, shift to a lower mode shape and ascend.

3. Starting with any of these mode shapes on the E string, climb a predetermined amount, shift to a lower mode shape and descend.

4. Starting with any of these mode shapes on the G string, descend a predetermined amount, shift to a higher mode shape and ascend.

Example.. Climbing up a 5th .. jumping up 2 mode shapes , climbing down.

Start with your index finger on the first fret of the E string.. climb to C on the A. Shift to third finger on the 7th fret of the A string and descend to A.

YMMV.. I may get around to actually attempting this excercise later.

[WillPlay4Food]

I started getting used to using the different positions by practicing 2 octave scales. Then I took some chord progressions like I-vi-IV-V and played them through the different boxes. Pick a key and a progression then go to town.

Plug in your metronome and start playing the progressions using only chord tones. Then add scale tones. Lastly incorporate chromatic passing/leading tones.

[64jazzbass]

There is a great book out called "Serious Electric Bass" by Joel DiBartolo that covers all of these issues and more. Every position is covered and so are all the modes in both Major and Minor. It is a large book and covers a ton of territory but it is well worth it. Plenty of scale exercises too.