Where can i learn scales?.

[makanudo]

Well watching some videos, a billy sheehan video actually, i heard him mentioning something about great players knowing their scales, right know i dont know anything about scales other than you know, starting on G on the E string and finishing on G on the D string, so does anybody know where i can larn more about them and all that stuff?

thanks a lot!

[thombo]

you can lean scales in bedrooms, practice rooms, outside, on planes... pretty much anywhere.

[makanudo]

sorry man, not funny

anyway i meant where in websites or books videos etc

[Freddels]

It's best to learn them at home by yourself. Here is a link to get you started.

http://www.musictheory.net/

Also, look at Pacman's surefire way to learn scales thread. Pacman's sure-fire scale practice method

Also, look at the other stickies at the top of this forum.

[rcarraher]

Originally Posted by makanudo

Well watching some videos, a billy sheehan video actually, i heard him mentioning something about great players knowing their scales, right know i dont know anything about scales other than you know, starting on G on the E string and finishing on G on the D string, so does anybody know where i can larn more about them and all that stuff?

thanks a lot!

There is some pretty informative lessons here:

www.studybass.com

[standupright]

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-scales/

have a blast!

[thombo]

sorry, i couldn't resist.

you can google scales and learn them from the interweb, buy any number of books at a music shop, or take a/some theory classes at a community college. though it is not imperitive, a good music instuctor or bass teacher can be a real assest... a crappy one will be a hinderance. if you go this route, make your learning objectives clear.

if googleing scales, start w/ major scales. as you delve into it, they lead will help you understand chord relationships (arpegios) and into learning the cycle of 5th's.

not to get ahead of yourself, but this will then lead you to everything else... modes, pentatonics, blues, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, half-whole and whole half diminished scales.

while this may look overwhelming, a lot of it is renaming the same thing in different contects... there are only 12 notes.

[makanudo]

Originally Posted by thombo

sorry, i couldn't resist.

you can google scales and learn them from the interweb, buy any number of books at a music shop, or take a/some theory classes at a community college. though it is not imperitive, a good music instuctor or bass teacher can be a real assest... a crappy one will be a hinderance. if you go this route, make your learning objectives clear.

if googleing scales, start w/ major scales. as you delve into it, they lead will help you understand chord relationships (arpegios) and into learning the cycle of 5th's.

not to get ahead of yourself, but this will then lead you to everything else... modes, pentatonics, blues, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, half-whole and whole half diminished scales.

while this may look overwhelming, a lot of it is renaming the same thing in different contects... there are only 12 notes.

lol i know i couldnt resist in the how to come out of the closet thread haha thank you all!

[Stumbo]

You might want to check out the links in my sig. for some great TB info that may help you with your goal of learning scales.

Good luck!

[EADG mx]

Originally Posted by makanudo

sorry man, not funny

anyway i meant where in websites or books videos etc

Who said it was meant to be a joke? It's true.

[fourstringburn]

You need to ask yourself how involved in music theory you want. If you want to be well studied and be able to read music and have a wealth of musical information to draw from, I would recommend a real music teacher by private lessons. A good teacher will guide and motivate you, just like your early years in elementary school by teachers who taught you to read and write, it's no different. It's not hard at all, but it does take some time and patience. Music is a generic language that applies to nearly all instruments. A "d" major scale played on bass is the exact same notes played on a violin,trumpet,xylophone,etc.

If you just want to learn some of the commonly used scales in hard rock music, just learn the blues scale, minor pentatonic, natural minor, and mixolydian mode (major scale with a lowered seventh) and that should pretty much cover it. Nowadays, tablature seems to be an accepted way by many players as a shortcut to learning them the old fashioned way.
There should be many websites you can google for this information. Or check with your local music store, they usually have "teachers" giving lessons who are usually good rock players and will teach you what you want rather than what you need. A couple of lessons from them and you'll be on your way!


Kind of funny, I have music books that I studied out of which contains scales,chords, arpeggios, etc, but these books don't contain the pentatonic scales.
I do have one music book which contains the pentatonic scales, but it acknowledges it for reference rather than usage.
As for rock music, the pentatonic scale is used exclusively along with the "barre chord" which is not a chord due to certain factors pertaining to the makeup of a chord.
As you learn more about scales and chords you will find out why this is so.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by EADG mx

Who said it was meant to be a joke? It's true.

Indeeed...
I found cafe's to be alright places too.
Using a Piano may also be helpful as you can play the chord at the same time as the scale which is going to give you a bigger picture of the sound and character and put it into an harmonic context which you'll need to understand to use the scale effectively...Just sayin'

This way you can , once you know the scales, play around with different chords etc.
FUN!!

[makanudo]

Originally Posted by fourstringburn

You need to ask yourself how involved in music theory you want. If you want to be well studied and be able to read music and have a wealth of musical information to draw from, I would recommend a real music teacher by private lessons. A good teacher will guide and motivate you, just like your early years in elementary school by teachers who taught you to read and write, it's no different. It's not hard at all, but it does take some time and patience. Music is a generic language that applies to nearly all instruments. A "d" major scale played on bass is the exact same notes played on a violin,trumpet,xylophone,etc.

If you just want to learn some of the commonly used scales in hard rock music, just learn the blues scale, minor pentatonic, natural minor, and mixolydian mode (major scale with a lowered seventh) and that should pretty much cover it. Nowadays, tablature seems to be an accepted way by many players as a shortcut to learning them the old fashioned way.
There should be many websites you can google for this information. Or check with your local music store, they usually have "teachers" giving lessons who are usually good rock players and will teach you what you want rather than what you need. A couple of lessons from them and you'll be on your way!


Kind of funny, I have music books that I studied out of which contains scales,chords, arpeggios, etc, but these books don't contain the pentatonic scales.
I do have one music book which contains the pentatonic scales, but it acknowledges it for reference rather than usage.
As for rock music, the pentatonic scale is used exclusively along with the "barre chord" which is not a chord due to certain factors pertaining to the makeup of a chord.
As you learn more about scales and chords you will find out why this is so.

Thats what i want, i want to know what imd oign and where im going or where to go when im writing something or just jamming with friends, i dont know i just feel like i need to know more about them

[Febs]

Originally Posted by fourstringburn

As for rock music, the pentatonic scale is used exclusively along with the "barre chord" which is not a chord due to certain factors pertaining to the makeup of a chord.

A barre chord is indeed a chord, and the pentatonic scale has plenty of uses outside of barre chords.

[fourstringburn]

Originally Posted by Febs

A barre chord is indeed a chord, and the pentatonic scale has plenty of uses outside of barre chords.

anyone one want to answer why a barre chord(root-fith/octave) is not a true chord?

[fourstringburn]

Makanadu, I say your best bet is to find a local teacher for private instructions. You can find some at music stores,or ask the clerks for to see if they know any available. You can check the newspaper ads in your hometown and even in the yellow pages. Yes you can teach yourself, a lot of people are self taught, but a teacher can guide you at your own pace and explain things along the way if things get confusing. Just be honest with yourself and your teacher about what kind of music instruction your looking for and what kind of player you want to be. You may find after a couple weeks of lessons, you want to explore music further. If not, that's fine too, but the learning experience will last you forever.

[Febs]

Originally Posted by fourstringburn

anyone one want to answer why a barre chord(root-fith/octave) is not a true chord?

A barre chord is more than root/fifth/octave.

An A7 barre chord on the fifth fret of a guitar, for example, is R 5 7 3 5 R.

[fourstringburn]

Originally Posted by Febs

A barre chord is more than root/fifth/octave.

An A7 barre chord on the fifth fret of a guitar, for example, is R 5 7 3 5 R.

Your explaining an A7 chord. On guitar, isn't all chords barred when playing them? can you play a F#13TH b9 without barring?
What I meant is the heavy metal power "chord" the root- fith- sometimes octave, other wise known by some as a barre chord, and this is not a true chord.

[Richard Lindsey]

Originally Posted by fourstringburn

Your explaining an A7 chord. On guitar, isn't all chords barred when playing them? can you play a F#13TH b9 without barring?
What I meant is the heavy metal power "chord" the root- fith- sometimes octave, other wise known by some as a barre chord, and this is not a true chord.

It's not a barre chord either, and it doesn't matter how many people mistakenly think it is.

This is what a barre chord is:

http://www.answers.com/topic/barre-chord

It doesn't have anything to do with which harmonic elements are present or absent (e.g., the 3rd). It has to do with the physical technique employed by the left hand.

You COULD play a root-5-octave chord on the bass as a barre chord, but I for one can't see the point of doing so, because it would provide no advantage that I can see and would be more physical work.

And no, not all chords are barred on the guitar. Many are, not all.

[Cyber Soda]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

You might want to check out the links in my sig. for some great TB info that may help you with your goal of learning scales.

Good luck!

Stumbo's sig links tell all!