Applying pentatonics

[EddiePlaysBass]

My band plays a rendition of Howling Wolf's "Spoonful" but like with a lot of songs, kind of put our own spin on it. Except, as the drummer pointed out, where the rest improvises I tend to stick to always playing the exact same bass line.

I took this comment to heart, and figured it was high time I work on SOME scalar knowledge (after 20+ years ) so I decided to apply the pentatonic scale to my bass line - if it's good enough for Glenn Hughes, it sure as hell is good enough for me

So the past couple of weeks, in between doing other things I looked at pentatonic scales and modes, and how to properly apply them (instead of playing "the" box shape over all the chords and wondering why some notes are off).

Last night we had a rehearsal and started playing said song, slower than usual. Excellent, more time to consider note choices. And I did it! Worked out great, I was pretty proud of myself for this first attempt and ... to be honest ... I've never felt more like an actual musician

If anything, it motivated me to work harder and learn the scales and modes in both directions (up AND down the neck) and get fancier/busier during some sections.

Just felt like sharing

 

[Malcolm35]

Food for thought:

Pentatonic have a place in what we do. IMO scale notes for melody and chord tones for harmony. The song will need both -- while you are playing melody notes, aka pentatonic, is someone else taking care of the harmony. Or put another way, will chord tones work when others have the lead, then when the lead is passed to you that's the time for some pentatonic solos.

Like I said, food for thought. Happy trails.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Scales, modes, chords, arpeggios, etc. exist whether you are aware of the names or not. After 20 years you probably know more than you think you do, just not the proper names and language to define it. But you can already hear what notes work and which ones don't, theory gives you the answer to "why" and scales are the answer to "How do I play all the notes in key?" or, sometimes, "How do I control which notes are out and how they change the tone of the piece?"

The box shape pentatonic you hear in so much blues is a key foundation that makes everything else easier. If you're in A, playing A, D, E, G as your box shape, add a C and you have your full minor pentatonic scale. 99% of the time you're safe adding the 9 (second), which is B, and just like that you have 6 of the 7 notes.

You can take that same box shape, change the root, and instantly get your major pentatonic, which you probably hear a lot in blues, especially strolls and ballads. With the A D E G box add C as your root and you have the major pentatonic shape!

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

@JonathanPDX indeed, after 20+ years I do know a good bit of theory.

But the last time I conciously applied anything, was when I expanded my knowledge of walking bass. Having played a good deal of rockabilly and rock'n'roll, I was fairly acquainted with the basic 1-4-5 arpeggio, and initially I trialled and errored my way through different variations. Then I did some studying and really improved.

Something similar is taking place now, with pentatonic scales. I guess I got tired of guessing

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

One cool way to think of pentatonics is as sort of a hybrid of arpeggios and scales. They get you up or downstream fast, but not as fast as an arpeggio, and not as busy or time/beat consuming as walking a scale.

 

[Les Fret]

Maybe check the live rendition of Spoonful from Cream and take those phrases as an example.

 

[chris_b]

I'd use other songs to show my abilities. I play Spoonful as a 2 in the bar, root 5. It's a groove with the occasional flourish and run, but nothing should step outside the groove.