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favorite scale or mode?

Hutzbordello

Hutzbordello

Mar 18, 2010
1,476
41
Western Massachusetts, USA
#1
I know about 3-4 scales and one mode. and with that ive been able to keep myself occupied and my playing interesting to me. i see people on here telling others to learn all the scales, but i see it as not how much you know but how you play what you do.

so im in the mood to learn some new scales or modes, what are your favorites?

maybe something doomy or bluesy.....
 
#3
Here are the only possible answers to your question:

1) Search is your friend

2) What's your favorite direction? North, South, East or West?
2.b) What's your favorite color?

3) The one that's in the key of the song you're playing.

4) D minor, I find it the saddest of all keys really. What's this song called? (watch Spinal Tap for the answer)

5) Dragon scales are badass. As long as they are brutal, medieval, killing knights and eating sacrificed virgins type dragons. The skinny asian dragons with the little wings and long mustaches are just wusses and their scales aren't as badass.
 
#7
funkyebk said:
Here are the only possible answers to your question:

1) Search is your friend

2) What's your favorite direction? North, South, East or West?
2.b) What's your favorite color?

3) The one that's in the key of the song you're playing.

4) D minor, I find it the saddest of all keys really. What's this song called? (watch Spinal Tap for the answer)

5) Dragon scales are badass. As long as they are brutal, medieval, killing knights and eating sacrificed virgins type dragons. The skinny asian dragons with the little wings and long mustaches are just wusses and their scales aren't as badass.
Click to expand...

if this was stand up comedy id be balling over sir
 
#8
Hutzbordello said:
if this was stand up comedy id be balling over sir
Click to expand...

Sadly, I'm quite serious.

1) I can't begin to count how many times scales and modes pop up in thread titles... there's even at least one "what's your favorite scale" thread already

2) Very serious... it's like asking what is your favorite direction. They're all flavors or ingredients. Fact is if you know a major and minor scale BAM you know know 2 Modes... what do you mean by "knowing" anyway?
2.b) see above.

3) Come on... that's what really matters.

4) Come on... that's the definitive answer.

5) You asked. That's my answer. I even said it in the other thread.

All in all... polling TB for our collective "favorite scale or mode, cuz I need to learn a new one" is the wrong question. It's not a new "one" there's not a magic scale that will make you sound awesome or unlock all the "keys" to bass greatness... You're going to get wrong answers... just as wrong as my four. well, 4 of my five... 2 & 2b were kinda spot on.

The question should be "how do I learn music theory in general, so it will inform how I interact with other musicians" "What's the relationship between major and minor scales" "why do certain scales work over this chord progression" etc.
 
#10
funkyebk said:
Sadly, I'm quite serious.

1) I can't begin to count how many times scales and modes pop up in thread titles... there's even at least one "what's your favorite scale" thread already

2) Very serious... it's like asking what is your favorite direction. They're all flavors or ingredients. Fact is if you know a major and minor scale BAM you know know 2 Modes... what do you mean by "knowing" anyway?
2.b) see above.

3) Come on... that's what really matters.

4) Come on... that's the definitive answer.

5) You asked. That's my answer. I even said it in the other thread.

All in all... polling TB for our collective "favorite scale or mode, cuz I need to learn a new one" is the wrong question. It's not a new "one" there's not a magic scale that will make you sound awesome or unlock all the "keys" to bass greatness... You're going to get wrong answers... just as wrong as my four. well, 4 of my five... 2 & 2b were kinda spot on.

The question should be "how do I learn music theory in general, so it will inform how I interact with other musicians" "What's the relationship between major and minor scales" "why do certain scales work over this chord progression" etc.
Click to expand...


so this is probably the "which order do i put these pedals in" therad for the technique side of tb. in which case id say....get over seeing threads like this alot.

i just assumed id get peoples input on scales and modes and choose from the myriad of ones there are.

you dony HAVE to read these if you dont want to.

also by knowing i mean i can play them by heart
 
#11
Hutzbordello said:
I know about 3-4 scales and one mode. and with that ive been able to keep myself occupied and my playing interesting to me. i see people on here telling others to learn all the scales, but i see it as not how much you know but how you play what you do.

so im in the mood to learn some new scales or modes, what are your favorites?

maybe something doomy or bluesy.....
Click to expand...

OP: No sure what you mean by 3-4 scales and one mode. Care to identify them explicitly?
 
#16
Hutzbordello said:
e major and minor, f minor and the dorian mode

swore i knew more
Click to expand...
There are 84 diatonic scales (7 modes x 12 roots).
If you were to become a proficient transposer you'd already know 36 (3 modes). Add mixolydian mode and you're more than half way there (48 of 84).

At or before that point, learning the remaining diatonic modes is probably less important than learning some non-diatonic scales.
 
#17
The blues scale is a necessity for every musician to at least know. I love working in the minor pentatonic. As for keys, there's really no memorization required. As long as you know the pattern for each scale, just shift it up and down the neck and the new key will fall into place accordingly. You gotta love how the bass is such a symmetrical instrument.
 

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