Learning Scales

You need to do a little studying of music theory.
It's basically all about the intervals, or distance between the notes.


One place to start might be :
www.musictheory.net
go to lessons then major scales

a brief explanation is at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_scale

 

http://www.amazon.com/Music-Theory-Dummies-Michael-Pilhofer/dp/0764578383
Music Theory For Dummies - seriously a well written book.

Don't take offense; that's just what they call that series of books; I have a copy and refer to it regularly.

 

Learn the major and natural minor scale till you know them inside out. The pattern of whole-steps and half-steps, degree names, harmonized and etc. Because the major and natural minor will become your points of reference making learning other scales and modes later easy. Even on your bass learn to play a major scale on one string up and down that really makes the scale "visible". Then learn it on 2 strings. That really ties scale knowledge to the fingerboard..

 

that isn't how the "b scale" goes...if you are referring to the b major scale it is b c# d# e f# g# a# (b)

think of this c major is - c d e f g a b c

now look at the distances between each note
c-d whole step (2 frets)
d-e whole step (2 frets)
e-f half step (1 fret)
f-g whole step (2 frets)
g-a whole step (2 frets)
a-b whole step (2 frets)
b-c half step (1 fret)

so the major scale goes - whole whole half whole whole whole half

now apply this to the b major scale

b-c# whole step (2 frets)
c#-d# whole step (2 frets)
d#-e half step (1 fret)
e-f# whole step (2 frets)
f#-g# whole step (2 frets)
g#-a# whole step (2 frets)
a#-b half step (1 fret)

 

StudyBass has been my Bass Bible from Day 1.
http://www.studybass.com/

Dave's 5-String Bass Resource Page:
http://www.guitar-and-bass.com/fivestringbass/index.html

Between the two, there are more scales than you shake a stringed stick at.

 

+1 on the study bass site.

 

+1 to in depth learning of the major scale. I generally think of all scales in terms of how the match up with the major scale.

In addition to practicing it on 1 and 2 strings, it is also valuable to isolate the root- interval relationships of the scale and know their various shapes on the neck. For example, figuring out all the ways to play a root- 5th or root-major 3rd ect...

 

This only applies to major scales, when formulating the scale, the formula is

Whole Step, Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Whole Step, Half step
or easier:

W W H W W W H

For a C scale,

A whole step from C is a D then a whole step from D is an E a half step from E is an F a whole step from F is a G a Whole step from G is an A a whole step from A is a B and the Half step from B gets back to your C.

I don't know how much you know but based on the "12 tone system" there is no sharped note between a B to C or between an E to F, although you may stumble across one in times of sheet music, its customary to refer to it as a Cb and not a B# or an Fb and not an E#, so that would make your notes in ascending order:

A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G#

(Www.musictheory.net) !

Hope I helped,
Mike

 

Search on the "Circle of Fifths" to help you understand the order of sharps and flats through the minor and major scales.