Scale, arpeggio, and interval training I received while at Manhattan School of Music

[markth30]

I studied classical performance at Manhattan School of Music with Tim Cobb from 96-00. After not playing anything for the past 7yrs I picked up the electric bass and found this training technique to still be relevant. It's just as infuriating and rewarding on bass guitar as it is on upright so I wanted to share it with you.

We went through the following exercises in each key, in addition to any orchestra and solo works I was learning at the time. These were to be practiced every day or close to it. We also practiced exercises and etudes out of Bille New Method Volumes 1-4. There was an etude for each key that we'd practice for that week or two along with the below exercises. At first it's very tedious and painful but if you keep it up your muscle memory catches on and you'll be flying all over the fingerboard.

Start with C major, practice it for at least a week using the following methods described below. Then practice C minor. Then move to the key of G major/E minor, then F major/D minor. Keep moving through all the key signatures until you've practiced each one in the below manner. The goal is for all scales, arpeggios and intervals to become second nature going up one string or crossing strings.

To reinforce the training you should sing, say or at least think the note names while playing.

SCALES
At least 2 octaves.
Up and down single string. Practice each string.

G|------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------|
A|---c--d--e-f--g--a--b-c--d--e-f--g--a--b-c------|
E|------------------------------------------------|

Up and down crossing strings, practice at least 2 different patterns.

G|--------------------a--b-c--d--e-f--g--a--b-c---|
D|---------a--b-c--d--e-f--g----------------------|
A|---c--d--e-f--g---------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|


ARPEGGIOS
At least 2 octaves.
Up and down single string. Practice each string.

G|------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------|
A|---c-----e----g-------c-----e----g-------c------|
E|------------------------------------------------|

Up and down crossing strings(c e g, c e g, c e g, c), practice at least 2 different patterns.

G|-------------------------------e----g-------c---|
D|--------------------e----g-------c--------------|
A|--------------g-------c-------------------------|
E|-----------c-----e------------------------------|

Alternating up and down crossing strings(c e g, e g c, g c e, c e g, ...), practice at least 2 different patterns.

1)
G|------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------|
A|---------e----g---------------------------------|
E|-----------c------------------------------------|

2)
G|------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------c---------------------------------|
A|---------e----g---------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|

3)
G|------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------c-----e---------------------------|
A|--------------g---------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|

Continue up and down two octaves


INTERVALS
At least 2 octaves.

3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 7ths and 8ths.
Up and down single string.
Practice each string. Use efficient fingering patterns, not the same two fingers over and over again.
Example on A string playing 3rds(c e, d f, e g, f a, g b, a c, b d, c e, ... ).

1)
A|---c-----e--------------------------------------|

2)
A|------d----f------------------------------------|

3)
A|---------e----g---------------------------------|

Continue up and down two octaves

3rds, 4ths, and 5ths.
Up and down across 2 strings.
Practice each pair of strings. Use efficient fingering patterns, not the same two fingers over and over again.
Example on A and D strings playing 3rds(c e, d f, e g, f a, g b, a c, b d, c e, ... ).

1)
D|-e----------------------------------------------|
A|---c--------------------------------------------|

2)
D|---f--------------------------------------------|
A|------d-----------------------------------------|

3)
D|------g-----------------------------------------|
A|---------e--------------------------------------|

Continue up and down two octaves

6ths, 7ths, and 8ths.
Up and down across 3 strings.
Practice each pair of strings. Use efficient fingering patterns, not the same two fingers over and over again.
Example on A, D and G strings playing 6ths(c a, d b, e c, f d, g e, a f, b g, c a, ... ).

1)
G|-a----------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------|
A|---c--------------------------------------------|

2)
G|----b-------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------|
A|------d-----------------------------------------|

3)
G|------c-----------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------|
A|---------e--------------------------------------|

Continue up and down two octaves


One of the Bille books was focused on bowing techniques and phrasing. Not sure how relevant this is to electric bass players but it can't hurt to practice the above scales, arpeggios and intervals using different finger techniques and rhythms to kill two birds with one stone.

What I do find relevant from bowing to plucking technique are these three rules of tone control, POSITION, PRESSURE and SPEED. The bow changes position relative to where you're holding down the note on the fingerboard. The higher you play, the further down towards the bridge you bow. Plucking can be done in the same way to maintain an even tone. An example would be playing closer to the neck while in first position, and playing closer to the bridge while in 15th position.

Hopefully this helps out other players looking for a well thought out practice schedule. If any of you went through this same training with Tim and feel like I left something out let me know.

Mark

[m_bisson]

you have succeeded in hurting my brain. Thank you

[aarono]

This looks like a refreshing practice routine. Thanks for posting this will try tonight.

[jimmy.timms]

Thanks very much for sharing that. I have been digging for some systematic way to actually learn the neck and quit wearing out just the first seven frets.

[markth30]

No problem. If you have any questions or any of this is unclear let me know and I'll edit accordingly.

[aarono]

On part two of scales (across all the strings) when you come to the G string do you start with A in the 1st position or do you start in the 12th position and build until you run out of frets?

Doesn't really seem to matter but just curious what you do on an electric bass with only 21 frets.

[dalconthenovice]

you lost me at appreggios

[NavyCherub]

Is there any specific way the scales practice should be fingered? I started practicing this in C major starting in third position for the first C and D and then moving my first finger down to the next note and playing them in sets of threes. It's hard to describe in words, so it's sort of like this:


G|--------------------a--b-c--d--e-f--g--a--b-c---|
----------------------1--3-4--1--3-4--1--1--3-4----
D|---------a--b-c--d--e-f--g----------------------|
-----------1--3-4--1--3-4--4-----------------------
A|---c--d--e-f--g---------------------------------|
-----1--2--1-2--4----------------------------------

[smgleitch]

Thanks!!! Have been wanting to find a good daily practice routine not involving playing with headphones to music. I can only hope that using exercises like this that we can only play better. I will try this tonight.

[markth30]

aarono
When you come to the G string you want to start with A in the the 12th position and build until you run out of frets.

Otherwise you'd be shifting from the 12 position on the D string back to the 1st position on the G string, to play the same A you played in 7th position on the D. Your scale would jump back an octave at that A shift to first position.

Basically you want the scale to flow up and down regardless of which position you start in. You can decide which notes to start from on each string change. It's better for you to come up with patterns that make sense to you.

[markth30]

NavyCherub

There's no specific fingering you should use. You should try different ones to find what is easiest for you.

In MY opinion you should try this alternate fingering


G|--------------------a--b-c--d--e-f--g--a--b-c---|
-|--------------------1--3-1--3--1-2--4--1--3-4----
D|---------a--b-c--d--e-f--g----------------------|
-|---------1--3-1--3--1-2--4-----------------------
A|---c--d--e-f--g---------------------------------|
-|---1--3--1-2--4----------------------------------


You see I'm not shifting on one finger to the next note repeatedly like 1--1 or 4--4. I try to find ways to shift from 3--1 or 4--1 and end the scale phrase on my 4th finger.

Shifting on the same finger over and over again is inefficient, unless you have a good reason to do so like the NEXT shift after that is easier if your hand ends up in that position.

It also depends on whether you play 1 2 3 4 fingering or 1 2 4 fingering.

As an upright player I played 1 2 4( pinky and ring fingers make up one finger together). The ring finger replaces the pinky when playing up high. The body of the instrument and the vertical position dictate this. I'm trying to stick with 1 2 3 4 since picking up electric.

[markth30]

Originally Posted by dalconthenovice

you lost me at appreggios

dalconthenovice where'd I lose you?

Up and down single string.
Up and down crossing strings.
or
Alternating up and down crossing strings.

[MonetBass]

This is a great way to learn all of the notes on the entire fingerboard, which IMO is essential to playing any stringed instrument. Good post.

[Steve Clark]

Subscribe so I don't miss this thread.

[ddk]

Subscribed.

[smgleitch]

Started practicing with this over the weekend and it is a great place to start. I have slowly been making my way through the exercises with some free play after and have found myself moving around the fret board a little more comfortably. Does anyone recommend a good book to buy that works with this kind of stuff. Been playing for years but just in bands by ear. Am really interested in learning my instrument better and have been hearing and reading on the form a lot about mods and other terms i am not yet familiar with. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Schlyder]

Here are some good exercises to learn your fingerboard. And it gets you out of starting with the same finger all the time.
This is just one octave in the Major scale. You can take this idea and make it 2 octaves, or full range of your bass... change it to the modes, or melodic, and harmonic minor scales, or whatever you can think of.

1st finger start

G---------B--C-----------
----------3---4
D------ F----G----A------
--------1----2----4-----
A ------C----D----E------
--------1----2----4-----
E------------------------


2nd finger start

G-------A---B-C-------
--------1----3-4
D-------E-F---G
--------1-2----4
A---------C---D
----------2----4


4th finger start

G-----B-C--------
------1--2-------
D-------G--A-----
--------2---3(4)--
A-------D--E-F----
--------1---3-4----
E------------ C-----
-------------- 4----

1-index
2-middle
3-ring
4-pinky

[markth30]

smgleitch

You should check out this thread,
Simandl Method for Electric Bass
Simandl Method for Electric Bass

Maybe consider something like Simandl, 30 Etudes for the String Bass.

I played out of the Bille books but I can't remember which ones.
http://www.lemurmusic.com/Bille-Bott.../products/363/

ANY book of studies should do provided there's a piece done in each key. I just don't know of any others.

You could also transpose some songs you already know into the key your working on.


If you were to practice it all in one sitting you'd do

Scales 2-3 octaves on a single string, every string.
Scales 2-3 octaves crossing strings.

Arpeggios 2-3 octaves on a single string, every string.
Arpeggios 2-3 octaves crossing strings.
Arpeggios 2-3 octaves, alternating inversions, crossing strings.

Intervals 3rds, 2-3 octaves on a single string, every string.
- repeat for 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, 7ths and 8ths.
Intervals 3rds 2-3 octaves crossing two strings, every pair of strings.
- repeat for 4ths, and 5ths
Intervals 6rds 2-3 octaves crossing three strings, every pair of strings.
- repeat for 7ths, and 8ths

Then practice an etude/study or song transposed in the key you just hammered away on.

It's a lot of work.

[smgleitch]

Thanks