learning scale patterns

[consectaneus]

What the heck is Millpad?

It's a system organized by bassist Anthony Wellington. Here he is explaining it in a clinic. It was a real epiphany for me! I don't see it as a box pattern. In fact it works horizontally and vertically. It's a neat way of memorizing all the intervals of the seven "church" modes quickly.

 

[InhumanResource]

It's a system organized by bassist Anthony Wellington. Here he is explaining it in a clinic. It was a real epiphany for me! I don't see it as a box pattern. In fact it works horizontally and vertically. It's a neat way of memorizing all the intervals of the seven "church" modes quickly.

Ok, now I feel like I'm on another planet. What are "church" modes?

I guess I'm confused by his statement about people taking thirty years to learn modes (and he specifically says he's not taking about applying them). If you can play a major scale end to end you can play all the modes. Just start on whatever scale degree you need for given mode.

 

[MVE]

Ok, now I feel like I'm on another planet. What are "church" modes?

I guess I'm confused by his statement about people taking thirty years to learn modes (and he specifically says he's not taking about applying them). If you can play a major scale end to end you can play all the modes. Just start on whatever scale degree you need for given mode.

To clarify the term “box pattern” as a pattern typically starting with your first or second finger.
(Edit: .... or any finger, just the same finger every time.)
((Edited again: Yeah, that last edit didn’t help clarify anything, did it?))

 

[consectaneus]

Ok, now I feel like I'm on another planet. What are "church" modes?

I guess I'm confused by his statement about people taking thirty years to learn modes (and he specifically says he's not taking about applying them). If you can play a major scale end to end you can play all the modes. Just start on whatever scale degree you need for given mode.

I just use "church modes" to cover my basses (no pun intended) since I believe it's the traditional term to describe the seven modes of Mixolydian, Ionian, Lydian, Locrian, Phrygian, Aeolian, Dorian (MILLPAD order) and to make it clear I'm not talking about other modes derived from other scales. This is a tricky subject here. I know because I have read many a discussion on modes here and I would be way out of my depth to get drawn into such a discussion.

It's true the system does not tell you what to do with this knowledge or how to make music with it. It's just as I say, a system of organization which helps me see the intervals on the fingerboard where I can almost instantly create any of the modes starting on any note on any string anywhere on the fretboard. It's true that as you say you are playing all the modes when you play a major scale, but for me, knowing that starting the major scale on (for example) the 5th degree of the scale gives me Mixolydian never helped me when I wanted to extend the scale up or down the fingerboard. It was confusing and tiring trying to memorize all those intervals.

So in short I guess, it helped me. What flips the switch for me could be different for someone else.

 

[TheDirtyLowDown]

No one has really mentioned ear training yet. I find that practicing scales and modes is very helpful in terms of ear training. Knowing how one note in a scale follows another and how different intervals stack up against one another is very helpful. It's even better (and a little easier) if you practice this on piano but practicing on bass will still help.

^^^^^ This ^^^^^

I first worked on this with piano (in music theory classes) and for me that was a big help, because it's easier to visualize on a keyboard. I want to also echo the point about ear training -- for me, that's where the real payoff starts to appear, because as you play these patterns your ears learn the intervals, and then your hands do too. In my opinion the thing you're really doing with this practice is teaching your hands how to play intervals that you hear, and that gives you the building blocks to play anything you hear.

One sax player that plays with our band is always talking about what scale he's playing over what part of a tune, and although I get what he's trying to say and do, I like his playing better when he's playing a melody, or a harmony that has a shape. I want that more and more for myself: I can hear what I want to play in my head, and I want to be more and more able to translate that into my hands with no lag time or errors. To do that, I need to be able to hear the intervals between the notes in the melody I want, and play them without thinking, in the right key at the right time. Simple, right?

 

[InhumanResource]

I just use "church modes" to cover my basses (no pun intended) since I believe it's the traditional term to describe the seven modes of Mixolydian, Ionian, Lydian, Locrian, Phrygian, Aeolian, Dorian (MILLPAD order) and to make it clear I'm not talking about other modes derived from other scales. This is a tricky subject here. I know because I have read many a discussion on modes here and I would be way out of my depth to get drawn into such a discussion.

It's true the system does not tell you what to do with this knowledge or how to make music with it. It's just as I say, a system of organization which helps me see the intervals on the fingerboard where I can almost instantly create any of the modes starting on any note on any string anywhere on the fretboard. It's true that as you say you are playing all the modes when you play a major scale, but for me, knowing that starting the major scale on (for example) the 5th degree of the scale gives me Mixolydian never helped me when I wanted to extend the scale up or down the fingerboard. It was confusing and tiring trying to memorize all those intervals.

So in short I guess, it helped me. What flips the switch for me could be different for someone else.

I’m glad folks find it helpful. I’m trying to work out how it works though, so far I am missing it. Why are the modes out of order in the acronym? What’s a box pattern? Etc. Will continue my googling.

 

[MVE]

I’m glad folks find it helpful. I’m trying to work out how it works though, so far I am missing it. Why are the modes out of order in the acronym? What’s a box pattern? Etc. Will continue my googling.

A box pattern is, for example, most people first learn the Maj scale with 1 finger per fret as: ( “I”s are frets)

XI IXIXI I
XIXI IXI I
IXI IXI I
I I I I I

 

[InhumanResource]

A box pattern is, for example, most people first learn the Maj scale with 1 finger per fret as: ( “I”s are frets)

XI IXIXI I
XIXI IXI I
IXI IXI I
I I I I I

What are the x’s?

 

[IamGroot]

Don't forget the 5 pentatonic modes up and down the neck.

I had a guy tell me he knew the modes cold and then proceeded to play them in one position, just moving up one note each pass.

Sigh.

Learn to play the modes up and down the neck with the root on the E or A string.

Learn to play the modes with the same root note: i.e
G ionian, G Dorian, G phrygian etc.

Repeat using progressive flats: Lydian, Ionian, Mixolydian, Dorian,.....

Learn to play in broken thirds, descending and ascending. Very useful.

 

[Malcolm35]

Here is the major scale box I learned many years ago. Still use it today.

Major scale box showing scale degree numbers and the root note on the 4th string.

…..…..Index..Middle..Ring….Little
G~~|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
​

One pattern and then I adjust the spelling of what I want.

You may recognize this pattern with dots.
Adding the numbers lets the pattern come alive.

Cmaj7 chord coming up in the song. Find a C note on the 3rd or 4th string and put this box's R over that C note. Then play the "spelling" for the Cmaj7 chord. That spelling is listed below and it is R-3-5-7. If you wanted to play the C major scale, that spelling is R-2-3-4-5-6-7.

Basic Chord Spellings

• Major Triad = R-3-5 for the C chord.
• Minor Triad = R-b3-5 for the Cm chord.
• Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5 for the Cdim chord.

7th Chord Spellings

• Maj7 = R-3-5-7 for the Cmaj7 chord.
• Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7 for the Cm7 chord.
• Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7 for the C7 chord.
• ½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7 for the Cm7b5 chord.
• Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7 for the C with the little o - no strike through.

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.

Scale Spellings Yep, gotta do our scales so our fingers know where the notes are and our ears get used to the good and bad sounds. Scales are a right of passage thing. Got to know them, however, chord tones is what we get paid to play.

• 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.

Major modes:
Ionian is the same notes as the major scale. If you want lydian sharp the 4th, mixolydian, flat the 7, i.e. change one note.

Minor modes:
Aeolian is the same notes as the natural minor scale. If you want Dorian sharp the b6 to a natural 6. Phrygian flat the 2 and for Locrian flat the 2 and 5.

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 are generic (R-5-8-5) 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. Why? How many chords have a 2 or 4 in their make up? Sus and Add chords are the only ones I can think of.
• 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. How about some generic riffs and or grooves:
Here are some:
|6667 8555 5668|5538 6333 3378| and the ole R-5-8-5 will fit most anywhere.

 

[MVE]

What are the x’s?

Better picture... thanks Malcolm!

Here is the major scale box I learned many years ago. Still use it today.

Major scale box showing scale degree numbers and the root note on the 4th string.

…..Index..Middle..Ring….Little
G~~|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D~~|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A~~|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E~~|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
​

One pattern and then I adjust the spelling of what I want.

So MILLPAD pattern on a 7 string bass would be:

F~~|—|—-|-1-|—-|-3-|-4-|
C~~|—|—-|-1-|—-|-3-|-4-|
G~~|—|—-|-1-|-2-|—-|-4-|
D~~|—|—-|-1-|-2-|—-|-4-|
A~~|—|-1-|-—|-3-|-—|-4-|
E~~|—|-1-|-—|-3-|-—|-4-|
B~~|—|-1-|-—|-3-|-—|-4-|

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But, I don’t play 7 string bass!” Right?

So, each of the 1s above correspond to the root of each mode in the following order MILLPAD. (I guess, if you’re more comfortable starting from Ionian, you can say ILLPADM, but that’s kinda hard to say.

 

[Discount Bassy]

My playing has never suffered by learning more than I thought I needed to.

 

[consectaneus]

I’m glad folks find it helpful. I’m trying to work out how it works though, so far I am missing it. Why are the modes out of order in the acronym? What’s a box pattern? Etc. Will continue my googling.

I don't know if the order has any significance beyond symmetry which for me makes it easier to visualize. Perhaps coincidentally the acronym makes a "word" you can say and remember and which helps to name them all (except for the two "L"s which you have to keep straight). Thus:

Whole step, whole step
Whole step, whole step
Whole step, whole step
Half step, whole step
Half step, whole step
Whole step, half step
Whole step, half step

I'm a visual person, so I have to "see" patterns in my mind's eye. If I can see and play this formula, then it doesn't matter on which line I begin or which direction, up or down. You just have to spend a little time making a strong association between the letters in the anagram and the order of that list. There is a quirk here or there, for instance there is a half step between successive whole step sequences (MIL) and a whole step between the others, but that is easy to recall and compensate for as you get it under your fingers.

 

[InhumanResource]

Better picture...

Ok so... I'm familiar with the pattern (well, the entire pattern... Not sure why we are only doing 1.5 octaves in this example). How does the millpad thing come in?

 

[InhumanResource]

I don't know if the order has any significance beyond symmetry which for me makes it easier to visualize. Perhaps coincidentally the acronym makes a "word" you can say and remember and which helps to name them all (except for the two "L"s which you have to keep straight). Thus:

Whole step, whole step
Whole step, whole step
Whole step, whole step
Half step, whole step
Half step, whole step
Whole step, half step
Whole step, half step

I'm a visual person, so I have to "see" patterns in my mind's eye. If I can see and play this formula, then it doesn't matter on which line I begin or which direction, up or down. You just have to spend a little time making a strong association between the letters in the anagram and the order of that list. There is a quirk here or there, for instance there is a half step between successive whole step sequences (MIL) and a whole step between the others, but that is easy to recall and compensate for as you get it under your fingers.

Help me understand. Ok, so I have a word that helps me memorize the names of the modes. Fair enough.

The intervals you listed don't spell out a scale. How do they fit in? Like, if I need to visualize a particular mode. Say phrygian.

Phrygian is iii. So I imagine the relative major scale, start on the third and play that. Done. Dorian is ii. So the same thing from the second scale degree. Mixolydian is V. Etc.

Obviously something is here because people "get" it but I'm at a loss.

 

[InhumanResource]

Better picture... thanks Malcolm!


So MILLPAD pattern on a 7 string bass would be:

F~~|—|—-|-1-|—-|-3-|-4-|
C~~|—|—-|-1-|—-|-3-|-4-|
G~~|—|—-|-1-|-2-|—-|-4-|
D~~|—|—-|-1-|-2-|—-|-4-|
A~~|—|-1-|-—|-3-|-—|-4-|
E~~|—|-1-|-—|-3-|-—|-4-|
B~~|—|-1-|-—|-3-|-—|-4-|

Now, I know what you’re thinking. “But, I don’t play 7 string bass!” Right?

So, each of the 1s above correspond to the root of each mode in the following order MILLPAD. (I guess, if you’re more comfortable starting from Ionian, you can say ILLPADM, but that’s kinda hard to say.

Ok, I think I understand. This seems SO much harder than it needs to be but if it works for you, cool!

 

[logdrum]

Church?? -- Maybe better to say Greek modes

 

[InhumanResource]

Church?? -- Maybe better to say Greek modes

Also known as modes!

 

[whm3223]

It's a system organized by bassist Anthony Wellington. Here he is explaining it in a clinic. It was a real epiphany for me! I don't see it as a box pattern. In fact it works horizontally and vertically. It's a neat way of memorizing all the intervals of the seven "church" modes quickly.

Thanks for posting this!! If you actually watch the video it's incredibly easy to understand. I've been wanting a system like this to just get the modes under my fingers. I can worry about really using them well after I get the muscle memory down.

 

[bherman]

When I started out, I tried to learn all the patterns - starting with the major/minor scale patterns and moving on to modes.

It all seemed like memorization for memorization's sake, and it didn't really click for me until I changed my focus to learning all of the key signatures, and then mapping all of the notes of the key to the notes on my fingerboard.

When that happens, wow. Everything changes. You won't need to memorize patterns, because the patterns will naturally reveal themselves to you. Plus, you'll be able to sight read chord charts and play bass lines as well as leads with a great deal of confidence.

I think that this is a useful way of looking at it. Knowing that if you are playing in C Maj (to keep it simple) that you have all of these other chords and scales that are based on C Maj (no sharps, no flats) gives you infinite possibilities all over the neck. I view scales, arpeggios, and modes as a way of learning all of the key signatures, and all of the possibilities that each contains. Add intervals on top of that (3rds, 4ths, 5ths, 6ths, and 7ths) and you are golden.