Help Learning Scales

[Maksymilian]

I wasn't too sure where to post this (I'm new), but I want to learn the 5 pentatonic positions and I can't find anything to show them, anyone able to help? The more detail the better

 

[fearceol]

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-scales/one-octave-major-pentatonic-scale/

Scales are very important to learn, but so too are chord tones, so dont neglect these in favour of scales. Work on both.


http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-chord-patterns/chord-tones-are-primary/


http://www.studybass.com/lessons/bass-chord-patterns/

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes to chord tones. IMO those five position things are for the guitar guys. I never use them on my bass. Yes to scale patterns so we learn our fretboard, and then later use scales in our playing, but, that five position stuff is seldom used for what you will be doing right now. Of course IMO.

Now for what it's worth here is something I use for both scales and chord tones.
My old standby major scale box pattern. I've inserted scale degree numbers as just dots did not help me learn anything beyond the pattern.

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Major Scale Box.

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

The Cmaj7 chord is coming up -- Place the box's R on a C note on the 3rd or 4th string and then play the spelling of a Cmaj7 chord, I've given you the spelling below. It's R-3-5-7.

Want the C major pentatonic scale next -- Place the box's R on a C note on the 3rd or 4th string and play the spelling for a major pentatonic scale (R-2-3-5-6). Point of interest I never go higher than the 8 as I leave those notes to the solo instruments. If you want to go up the neck C @ the 3rd string 3rd fret, then C @ the 4th string 8 fret. Then C @ the 3rd string 15th fret.
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Basic Chord Spelling

• Major Triad = R-3-5 makes a C chord IF you put the box's R on a C note found on the 3rd or 4th string of your fretboard.
• Minor Triad = R-b3-5 makes a Cm chord as you flatted the 3rd.
• Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5 Makes a Cdim chord as you flatted the 3 and 5.

7th Chord Spelling

• Maj7 = R-3-5-7
• Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7
• Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7
• ½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7
• Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7

See a chord and play it's chord tones. As every key will have three major, three minor and one diminished chord it's a good idea to get your major, minor and diminished bass line chord tones into muscle memory so when you see a chord your fingers just know what will work. Now the song may only give you enough room for the root, or root five - adapt and get as many chord tones into your bass line as needed. Root on 1 and a steady groove from the other chord tones plus something to call attention to the chord change is what we do. One pattern and then adjust the spelling for what you want.

Scale Spelling. One pattern and then adjust the notes.

• Major Scale = R-2-3-4-5-6-7 Home base
• Major Pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6 Leave out the 4 & 7
• Natural Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7 Major scale with the 3, 6 & 7 flatted.
• Minor Pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7 Leave out the 2 & 6.
• Blues = R-b3-4-b5-5-b7 Minor pentatonic with the blue note b5 added.
• Harmonic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 Natural minor with a natural 7.
• Melodic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-6-7 Major scale with a b3.

Let the major scale be your home base then change a few notes and you have something different. No need to memorize a zillion patterns. Let the major scale pattern be your go to pattern - then adapt/adjust from there.

Generic Notes - for your bass line.

• The root, five and eight (R-5-8-5) are generic and fit most any chord. Remember the diminished has a flatted 5.
• The 3 is generic to all major chords. So R-3-5-3 will fit under any major chord.
• The b3 is generic to all minor chords. And R-b3-5-8 will fit under any minor chord. Why the 8? Well the 8 is just another root in the next octave.
• The 7 is generic to all maj7 chords. Yep, R-3-5-7 fits nicely.
• The b7 is generic to all dominant seventh and minor seventh chords. G7 = R-3-5-b7 or Gm7 = R-b3-5-b7.
• The 6 is neutral and adds color, help yourself to 6’s. Love the sound of R-3-5-6 with a major chord.
• The 2 and 4 make good passing notes. Don’t linger on them or stop on them, keep them passing.
• In making your bass line help yourself to those notes, just use them correctly.
• Roots, fives, eights and the correct 3 & 7 will play a lot of bass.

OK fine, how to use all that I know is the question. Get that under your fingers and then we can get into how to use all that in songs.

Have fun.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

Let's take G pentatonic for this exemple :

G major scale is : G-A-B-C-D-E-F# (root-2-3-4-5-6-7 )

G major pentatonic is : G-A-B-D-E (root-2-3-5-6 )

So in all you have 5 positions ( one for each notes )

So on your E strings start with G on 3rd fret,
then with the same notes, start on A which will give you : A-B-D-E-G
then again on B ... etc

take the root of each position on the E strings to make it simple at first

so after that you can say you do Emajor pentatonic, I think you'll be able to do it by yourself if you follow the same structure

 

[Mushroo]

The best way to learn scales (in my opinion) is to learn to to HEAR them. If you have a good ear, then wherever you are on the neck, you can HEAR what the next note in the scale ought to be, then you can play it accurately on the first try.

The players I know who only learn the shapes on the fretboard, without practicing ear training every day, generally are the WORST soloists and improvisers, because they can't hear how each degree of the scale has its own unique melodic function. Furthermore, if their left hand isn't "in position" then they get completely tripped up and can't even find the next note of the scale!

First, watch this video IMMEDIATELY!!! Sing along with Bobby and the audience. Then do it again. And again. Do it every day at the start of your practice session until you are 100% confident with pentatonic scales.



Then you can move on to learning iconic pentatonic melodies like "Amazing Grace" and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot." (Obviously, for the exercise to have its benefit, you should learn them by ear, not using TAB/notation.)

Once you have the SOUND of the pentatonic scale imprinted in your mind, then you will realize that the "5 pentatonic positions" are simply starting the scale on each scale degree: the root, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th. It's not rocket science, and you shouldn't need a chart or reference in front of you (because you know the sound of the scale inside and out).

Good luck!