I live by this.
Bass Patterns based upon the Major Scale box.
Major Scale Box.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
Basic Chords
Major Triad = R-3-5
Minor Triad = R-b3-5
Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5
7th Chords
Maj7 = R-3-5-7
Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7
Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7
½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7
Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7
Scales
Major Scale = R-2-3-4-5-6-7
Major Pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6 leave out the 4 & 7
Natural Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7 Major scale with the 3, 6 & 7 flatted
Minor Pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7 Natural minor scale with out the 2 & 6.
Blues = R-b3-4-b5-5-b7 Minor pentatonic with the b5 blue note added.
Harmonic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 Natural minor scale with a natural 7.
Melodic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-6-7 Major scale with a b3.
Major modes
Ionian same as the Major Scale. R-2-3-4-5-6-7
Lydian use the major scale and sharp the 4 - yes, it’s that simple.
Mixolydian use the major scale and flat the 7.
Minor Modes
Aeolian same as the Natural Minor scale. R-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7.
Dorian use the Natural Minor scale and sharp the b6 back to a natural 6.
Phrygian use the Natural Minor scale and flat the 2.
Locrian use the Natural Minor scale and flat the 2 and the 5.
Generic Notes.
The root, five and eight are generic and fit most any chord. (R-3-5-8) Remember the diminished has a flatted 5.
The 3 is generic to all major chords. R-3-5-3
The b3 is generic to all minor chords. R-b3-5-8
The 7 is generic to all maj7 chords. R-3-5-7
The b7 is generic to all dominant seventh and minor seventh chords. R-3-5-b7 or R-b3-5-b7
The 6 is neutral and adds color, help yourself to 6’s. R-3-5-6
The 2 and 4 make good passing notes. Don’t linger on them or stop on them, keep them passing.
In making your bass line help yourself to those notes, just use them correctly.
Roots, fives, eights and the correct 3 will play a lot of bass.
Time for Church, will add things when I get back. I'm back.
Play from fake chord sheet music. Most musicians pass among themselves fake chord sheet music so it makes since you know how to play from it.
See a C chord - question is what to play over/under that chord. Roots just by them selves is OK, A root-5 is better, R-5-8-5 is a little better and the whole chord tone of R-3-5-"x" is even better than that. What's "x"? If you have 4/4 time you need one more sound to fill out the measure. Kinda left up to you. R-3-5-3 or R-3-5-8 would be good choices.
One last thing to leave you with. Lyrics need one note per word, i.e. Happy Birthday both hap-py and birth-day will need two notes each now the word to and you only get one note per word. So ---- pay attention to the lyrics and let the lyrics help you with how many notes will be needed. Which note depends on what chord is harmonizing that part of the melody.
Go to
www.studybass.com and ask specific questions here.
Good luck.
