Quote:
Originally Posted by Iplaybassyo  Hi guys im new to Talk bass, Ive been playing bass for a while and never bothered to learn the notes. I have them On a sheet but i cant seem to remember them all off by heart.
Are there any ryhmes to help me remember? Like for the strings there is Go Dancing At Easter GADE. But is there any for all the notes? or some off them? Thanks, |
If you will let the major scale box be your guide that can be your home base. If you want the natural minor scale use the major scale box pattern and flat the 3, 6 & 7. If you want the major pentatonic scale use the major scale box and leave out the 4 and 7. No you do not have to put all of the following into memory - today. Start with the major scale box and see where it takes you.
Place the box correctly and the notes of the scale/chord you want are there automatically waiting on you. Instead of worrying where all the notes of the scale are located all over your fretboard learn where they are on the 3rd and 4th string from the nut to the 12th fret. If you know that then place the pattern and trust your box to have the right notes waiting for you.
Another way of looking at it. A short cut that will get you playing now. Sooner or later you will need to know where all the notes are - your choice - stick with notes if you like and especially if you will be playing from standard notation, however, if you will be using fake chord sheet music you may find the box to be a friend. .
Code:
Major Scale Box.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
Place the root (R) on the C note 4th string 8th fret and the C major scale await you.
Place the root (R) on the C note and play the R-3-5 and you have just played the notes of the C major chord aka C arpeggio. Chord progression for this song is G-C-D. Place your box root on a G on the 3rd string. Where is your C? Where is the D? The next song's progression is C-F-G. Place your box root on a C on the 3rd string. Where is your F? Where is your G? Yep, piece of cake.
Basic Chord intervals to use in your bass lines.
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 - The scale notes to use in your solos and to get your fingers doing what they need to do and your ear recognizing the good sounds from the bad sounds.
Major Scale = R-2-3-4-5-6-7
Major Pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6 Major scale without the 4 & 7
Major Bebop = R-2-3-4-5-b6-6-7 Major scale with a b6 added
Major Dominant Bebop = R-2-3-4-5-6-b7-7 Major scale with both b7 and 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 without 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
Minor Bebop = R-2-b3-3-4-5-6-b7 Dorian with a natural 3 added
That’s enough to get you going.
Major modes Something to use when you start soloing.
Ionian same as the Major Scale.
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 Again used for your solos, chord tones for your accompaniment work.
Aeolian same as the Natural Minor scale.
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 to use in your bass lines. The following is a good guide of what to put into your bass lines.
The root, five and eight are generic and fit most any chord. Remember the diminished has a flatted 5.
The 3 is generic to all major chords. See a major chord R-3-5-8 is a generic bass line that will work.
The b3 is generic to all minor chords. See a minor chord R-b3-5-8 is a generic bass line that will work.
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. I like R-3-5-6 for major chords. Has a great sound.
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.
Remember roots, fives, eights and the correct 3 will play a lot of bass.
Now this will take you down the interval road, C E G becomes R-3-5, which is not going to help you play from standard notation, however, if you play from fake chord sheet music you can play a bunch of bass using R-3-5, i.e. the chord tone interval numbers. See a C chord coming up in the music and know that R-3-5-8 will be a safe bass line under the C chord. If the next chord coming up is an Am7 well you can bet the farm that R-b3-5-b7 will work - if you have time (space) for it. If not just the Root will always work. Another story best taken up on another post.
Print this off and use it as a reference guide, put it into your reference material. You know that three ring binder you've started for stuff like this.
Good luck.
