Scales/Modes issue for a newbie

[Steve Harris Is]

I am working through the "Bass for Dummies' book and concentrating initially on being able to find any given note on the fretboard quickly. However I have also gone through and memorized the Major/Minor/Diminished/7th chords as well off their cheat sheet, and I can play them decent enough but I have a question? How, as a newbie do I figure "what notes go with what" (as I remember when I took guitar lessons there was like some kind of circle/key thing), and also how do open strings come into play in these scales/modes as all the ones listed in the book I am learning have roots that are on the fretboard and not on open strings.

Any info/help is appreciated.

[JDT]

I try to avoid open strings. If I do use them, I use them either as an incomplete scale (eg Emaj scale starting on open E, forget about notes I don't have) or make sure the scale ends there (eg Em scale starting on open E). Or if I'm lucky I know that the scale I'm in has an E, A, D or G and I can use an open string. I do a couple of slides all across the fretboard (going 0->12th fret) to please the crowd a bit Thus, you could use the open strings to 'move' into a more convenient note higher on the neck.

As far as 'what notes go with what', I'm not sure what you are talking about

[Steve Harris Is]

I'm talking about when you play a scale or a chord, obviously if you hit a wrong note in there you hear it and you know it doesn't "go" with that scale. My previous knowledge of guitar was that there was a key diagram that discussed what notes fit together in various scales, etc. Maybe I am mistaken or thinking of something else but as an example, say I am playing a Major 7 Chord in "C" and I want to now move to some higher notes but still stay in key, is there some basic element I am missing as to how to learn what I might be able to play that "fits"?

[lemur821]

How, as a newbie do I figure "what notes go with what

To decide whether a chord is in key, you just compare the notes that make up the chord to the notes which are in the key. If all the notes in the chord are in the key, then the chord is in key.

and also how do open strings come into play in these scales/modes

First of all, modes are scales, so there's no need to mention them both (just trying to clear up any confusion you may have in the future). Open strings are just like any other notes. They're no more or less important. The only difference is that you don't have to stop a string to play them. Just think of the open notes as being played at "fret zero".

[Steve Harris Is]

I guess what I need then is a printout of actual notes for given chords then...can't see that hurting. Maybe the book has it...
Are there any specific scales that are best to focus on as a new player?

[Bassist4Life]

You Need: "Introduction to Scale and Chord Theory"

Introduction to Scale and Chord Theory

Check this post out. It should answer ALL of your questions and create about 1,000 new ones.

Joe

[Steve Harris Is]

Hey cool, I printed this out and it's been very helpful. Not sure how I missed it. Thanks!

[Bassist4Life]

No problem

Joe