Problem with diminished scale

[fearceol]

Hi guys,
Hope you can tell me if this is a common problem. I've been playing bass about nine months . At present my teacher has me practicing the diminished scale. I'm having problems getting to grips with it. I have no problem with the half/whole steps when they are on the same string, but when changing to another string I find it hard to figure out where the next step is, especially higher up the fret board. Usually with other scales my ear tells me if I'm wrong, but in this scale the notes just sound random. I know it will come together with practice but is a little frustrating at present. I have a fairly good knowledge (not 100% yet ) of the fret board.

[Freddels]

ok, let's assume you have one finger per fret. On the A string with your index (pointing) finger on the second fret (which is B), middle finger on C, third finger on C#, and pinky on D.

If you move your index finger over one string (to the D string) that's an E which is one whole step above the D (pinky finger on A string).

If you play the whole/half diminished starting on B (index finger on A string) you would play B, C#, D (on A string) and then move index finger over to D string to play E, F (with middle finger) then G with pinky then slide your pinky up to the Ab/G# (still on D string). Then move your index finger over to the G string and play Bb with the index finger, then B nat/Cb with your middle finger, then Db/C# with your pinky, etc.

As an alternative to sliding on your pinky to play the Ab/G# you could stretch back with your index finger and play the Ab/G# on the G string.

The half/whole diminished is the same really it just differs when you do the first slide with the pinky.

I hope this helps.

[fearceol]

Thanks Freddels, that seems a good way to figure it out. I'll give it a try at my next practice.

[steveb98]

An improv teacher showed me this fingering a few months ago and it has made playing diminished a breeze. It is a bit of a stretch, but I have small hands and it works for me.

Basically you play four notes per string. So index finder, second finger get the first half-step. Then third finger up a whole-step and fourth finger the half step above that. Then when you switch strings you just move up a half step and do the same pattern.

Also being symmetric pattern you can start wherever you need for half-step/whole step or whole step/half-step dimished. Also can pull some cool intervals out of the scale using that fingering.

Try it out, but as always YMMV.

[fearceol]

That's another good tip !

Thanks Steve

[PocketGroove82]

play minor 3rds across two strings in the HW/WH sequence. work with the arps and really try to enjoy the sound of the chords created from the scale.
you'll see the patterns in time

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by steveb98

An improv teacher showed me this fingering a few months ago and it has made playing diminished a breeze. It is a bit of a stretch, but I have small hands and it works for me.

Basically you play four notes per string. So index finder, second finger get the first half-step. Then third finger up a whole-step and fourth finger the half step above that. Then when you switch strings you just move up a half step and do the same pattern.

Also being symmetric pattern you can start wherever you need for half-step/whole step or whole step/half-step dimished. Also can pull some cool intervals out of the scale using that fingering.

Try it out, but as always YMMV.

Tried your method at practice today and it worked great for me Thanks again, and also to the other guys who replied to my post.