learning scale patterns

[Mark Ambler]

Yes, I meant Gould. Sorry.

It's really sad to hear humming over one the world's best interpreters of Bach.

Yeah, I knew you meant Gould. Agreed about some musicians being total jerks. Being a genius
and being a jerk aren't mutually exclusive, unfortunately.

 

[JohnnyBottom]

Glenn Gould hummed and it detracted from many of his usually great recordings

Ever sit in front of Larry Coryell ? Airplane noise like a kazoo coming out of him

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Try this: Play the lowest note on the bass, play an octave higher (same string) then same note, next string, then an octave higher. Then do the 2nd lowest note, and so on. Great way to learn the fingerboard.

When I was "the young and the restless," as an amateur bedroom bass player, I would play the scales any way I wanted.
(From my TB older postings).

The important thing was the location of the note.
Any open string was a big plus.

https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...0/?temp_hash=bca3288cbc3562acc61191734bfd9eb9

https://www.talkbass.com/attachment...8/?temp_hash=bca3288cbc3562acc61191734bfd9eb9

 

[Mushroo]

A lot of players will 'sing' while they're playing, Jarret being a good example. I'd prefer it if he kept his gob shut, but you can't have everything.

When I watch his videos, I get the sense that Keith Jarrett is probably "stimming." His strong reaction to certain sounds (such as audience coughing) is consistent with audio/neurological conditions such as misophonia or hyperacusis.

 

[consectaneus]

It's funny that the recording engineers worked hard to minimize the humming bleeding in the recordings, because he "had" to do it. But on that two hour sound clip of sound checks (magnificent), he didn't hum much. I read his biography and he was a kind of a jerk, but a great piano player and truly gifted musician.

The other day I watched a performance with Bill Evans and scanning the comments section someone wrote that you can hear him singing. So I went back and sure enough if you listen close ( he wasn't miked) he was singing away while improvising his solo. Pretty cool. Just like the jazz method books telling you to sing a line. Like a little glimpse into his process.

 

[IamGroot]

I worked on 18 brand new songs today, none of which stayed on one chord. At least three of them were rooted in a dorian mode, but had the signature of the Ionian. Technically, I guess that's wrong. It forces me to look at the whole piece to be sure it's still in a minor key.

 

[consectaneus]

I don't even know if I should get into this here but I have been taking baby steps into Giant Steps. I got into it from an online instructor who uses it more as an exercise at this point...arpeggios through the changes---with the promise that it would open up my ability all over the fingerboard. That depends on me actually. I know I'm sort of jumping the gun. I can't do rhythm changes or even cycle of fifths real fluently. I just have a vague theoretical idea. So you can imagine that I feel like I plunged into the deep end. I can do the root movement to the tune, and some arpeggios, but what is really enticing me is that I found a transcription of Paul Chambers bass line on the original recording and I'm starting in on it measure by measure. Three keys and lots of changes. It doesn't matter because I'm not trying to play it at speed. Fortunately there is a ton of supporting material out there since it's such a classic...including slow backing tracks and piano accompaniment.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I played the song today with your transcription. The song seems harmonically odd to me. Ron Carter does some sort of funky rhythm, but it's mostly 1 3 5, so the bass side seems ambiguous. James Jamerson would have killed on that song if he was alive/available.

Here is another version of that song from the album, "It's your world."
Danny Bowens – Electric Bass.
(It's a very active and intriguing bass-line.)

This time, we have Dmin7 and Eb7 (not Ebmaj7) chords.
Would you change your mode?

 

[Whousedtoplay]

Ron Carter does some sort of funky rhythm, but it's mostly 1 3 5, so the bass side seems ambiguous

I've found an isolated bass track (probably, Ron Carter's) of that song from Rocksmith.



Just follow Chris' transcription and play along.

Gil Scott-Heron - Home is where the hatred is | Bass Transcription | Ron Carter

 

[ics1974]

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.

This video just blew my mind. Amazing!!!
My weekend is going to be exploring this

 

[Mark Ambler]

When I watch his videos, I get the sense that Keith Jarrett is probably "stimming." His strong reaction to certain sounds (such as audience coughing) is consistent with audio/neurological conditions such as misophonia or hyperacusis.

Ok, going to consult google, now. Thanks, BTW

 

[consectaneus]

This video just blew my mind. Amazing!!!
My weekend is going to be exploring this

It only gets better when you start working it out on your bass and making those connections. I think you are going to have fun with many more amazing moments as you make it your own.

 

[Polish Thunder]

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.

I watched Anthony's video and it made sense to me...for a 7 string bass. Can anyone explain briefly how you would apply to a 4 string bass?

Thanks!

 

[IamGroot]

I don't understand MILLPAD but I understand the modes very solidly, so I guess I don't need it.

 

[MVE]

I watched Anthony's video and it made sense to me...for a 7 string bass. Can anyone explain briefly how you would apply to a 4 string bass?

Thanks!

Yes, briefly, each line of the pattern is the start of a different mode.

It doesn’t matter if you play it on a 7 string bass, 100 string bass or 3 string bass, as long as its tuned in fourths.

 

[SteveCS]

I watched Anthony's video and it made sense to me...for a 7 string bass. Can anyone explain briefly how you would apply to a 4 string bass?

Thanks!

To my mind a method that only really works on a tiny percentage of instruments doesn't really qualify for a place in the general method books. But here's what to do.

1: Take the universal pattern:
| | x | | x | | x |
| | x | | x | | x |
| | x | | x | | x |
D | | x | | x | x |
A | | x | | x | x |
P | | x | x | | x |
L | | x | x | | x |
L | x | | x | | x |
I | x | | x | | x |
M | x | | x | | x |

2: Select row with the initial of the scale you want (Mix, Ion, Lyd, Loc, Phr, Aeo, Dor), plus the three rows above.
3: Overlay the bottom row on the E string.

Notwithstanding, I would still advocate learning the notes in the keys, the scales and the harmonisations of the scales. These things are universal and instrument-agnostic. Learn where the notes are on your fingerboard and let the patterns present themselves to you in the context of these other things, otherwise they are just castles built on sand, IME.

 

[MVE]

I don't understand MILLPAD but I understand the modes very solidly, so I guess I don't need it.

MILLPAD is not about understanding modes at all; its just a crutch to help play them on a bass tuned in fourths.

Yes, as Steve said, its much better to learn the notes, keys, scales and harmonizations.

I only brought it up as the OP asked if he should bother learning all the patterns for each mode. I suggested he check out MILLPAD, as its only one pattern.

 

[IamGroot]

MILLPAD is not about understanding modes at all; its just a crutch to help play them on a bass tuned in fourths.

Yes, as Steve said, its much better to learn the notes, keys, scales and harmonizations.

I only brought it up as the OP asked if he should bother learning all the patterns for each mode. I suggested he check out MILLPAD, as its only one pattern.

Ok, thanks. I didn't have the patience to sit thru that video.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Ok, thanks. I didn't have the patience to sit thru that video.

It's for beginners. So if you're been playing for 20 or 30 years, there's no need to.

 

[thabassmon]

I think it's good to run scales and arpeggios. But once you are comfortable with them throughout your instrument, I think it's important to move past them and make music.
I spent a lot of time learning major, melodic minor, harmonic minor scales and their modes and others like diminished, whole tone etc.
The real trick is learning to use the knowledge, relate them to chords, create bass lines, melodies, harmonies and chord voicings.
It like learning the alphabet, once you got that work on the words and saying something.
So I think learn them then learn to use them.