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Say the note names out loud as you play them. Also play them in your head without the bass in your hands.
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One approach that works for a lot of people is to relate everything to the major scale 1-2-3-4-5-6-7. So for example Mixolydian is 1-2-3-4-5-6-b7.
Another approach is, for every scale you learn, learn some famous songs that use that scale. This really helps to get the sound of each scale in your "mind's ear."
A third, perhaps counterintuitive, approach is to limit your scale study. Many players become obsessed with learning dozens of exotic scales, when in fact, most of the music we know and love on the radio can be easily understood by studying two basic concepts: major key tonal harmony and minor key tonal harmony.
Last but not least, don't be afraid to use learning methods for young people, for example the song "Do Re Mi" from Sound of Music.
Another approach is, for every scale you learn, learn some famous songs that use that scale. This really helps to get the sound of each scale in your "mind's ear."
A third, perhaps counterintuitive, approach is to limit your scale study. Many players become obsessed with learning dozens of exotic scales, when in fact, most of the music we know and love on the radio can be easily understood by studying two basic concepts: major key tonal harmony and minor key tonal harmony.
Last but not least, don't be afraid to use learning methods for young people, for example the song "Do Re Mi" from Sound of Music.
I'd actually recommend to put the bass away and learn the notes of the scale first. However you learn best: write it out in standard notation, sing it, work out the mathematical patterns of intervals, etc., whatever is best for your learning style.
It is important to realize that scales are patterns of sound, not shapes for wiggling your fingers on the fretboard. Therefore I recommend that you have memorized each scale and can recognize it by ear, before you pick up the bass and begin the physical task of committing it to muscle memory.
For example, some people think "C Major scale" means "put your 2nd fingers at the 8th fret of the E string and play 2-4, 1-2-4, 1-3-4." But there is so much more to it than that! The C Major scale is every C, D, E, F, G, A, and B on every string, across the entire range of the instrument.
A good place to start is to learn each of the 12 major scales, on every string, from top to bottom.
And then you asked this:
I checked your profile - you joined in 2012 - I would think scales would already be in your gig bag. Sounds like we should start at the beginning. And to do that we need to know what you already know about scales.
As there are a zillion scales, do you want to know what notes are in specific scales, and if so which ones?
Do you want to know how to play scale patterns up and down your fretboard?
Do you want to know why we use scales and what you can do with scales?
What are you having problems with? Be a little more specific and I'll be glad to point you in the right direction. Scales cover a lot of things, you need to get specific about what you want to know about scales. From that we can help, just knowing you have problems remember them does not get to the root of the matter.
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maybe be more specific with the challenge:
Is it remembering the fingering for different keys/tonics
"I know C major but can't remember Eb major"
or is it more about remembering different qualities of scale
"I know the C major scale but can't remember C minor"
?
Is it remembering the fingering for different keys/tonics
"I know C major but can't remember Eb major"
or is it more about remembering different qualities of scale
"I know the C major scale but can't remember C minor"
?
5 Modes Of The Pentatonic Scale Bass Tabs - Bass Lessons @ BigBassTabs.com
I started with those and found them good to get scale shapes down.
Also you only need to add other notes to fill out the full scale from those.
I started with those and found them good to get scale shapes down.
Also you only need to add other notes to fill out the full scale from those.
I agree with all of the above. I assume you're having trouble with modes, and not the sharps or flats for each major scale for example. If it's modes, I like the idea of thinking of each mode as a variation on either the major or minor mode. In other words, C major and A minor if there are no sharps or flats. Also, some are more frequent than others. Mixolydian is Major with minor 7th. Dorian is Minor with a major 6th. are very common. Phrygian, Lydian, and Locrian less so. Learn the more common ones first.
Another useful approach is thinking about each mode in the key of C. Start on C and it's major. Start on D and it's Dorian. E Phrygian. F Lydian. G Mixolydian. A Minor. B Locrian. And so forth. If you ever forget what Locrian is, just think of B to B using no sharps or flats. Listening to the sound is important. Know where the half steps are in each mode. Learn which scales are potentially compatible with which chords.
Once you really know the modes in the key of C, try it in G or F. Then maybe D or Bb. You may never need to get to E# Phrygian. ;-)
Another useful approach is thinking about each mode in the key of C. Start on C and it's major. Start on D and it's Dorian. E Phrygian. F Lydian. G Mixolydian. A Minor. B Locrian. And so forth. If you ever forget what Locrian is, just think of B to B using no sharps or flats. Listening to the sound is important. Know where the half steps are in each mode. Learn which scales are potentially compatible with which chords.
Once you really know the modes in the key of C, try it in G or F. Then maybe D or Bb. You may never need to get to E# Phrygian. ;-)
[QUOTE="Mushroo,
It is important to realize that scales are patterns of sound, not shapes for wiggling your fingers on the fretboard.
I have a hard time remembering them![/QUOTE]
Not really, just practice them, sing the note name as you play them, understand the relationship of all the modes. Play a major scale, sing the scale as you play it...use solfege, or sing out the names of the notes as you play them.. doing octave adjustments when the scale is too high or too low for your voice range....have a clear understanding by going to the piano and playing C major, from C to C all white keys...then start on D and play all the white keys, and have a solid understanding that the D dorian is simply a C major scale starting on the 2nd degree... do the same on all the modes... then start on E and realize that E Phrygian is a C major scale starting on the 3rd degree... do that for all the scale degrees... Major, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixo, natural minor, locrian... always be singing them as well...then after a while you can go to your bass and do the same thing, it will be obvious where to put your fingers to play all the modes...most scales can be started with two different fingerings... and some even more when you use different fingering like 3 notes per string... don't get hung up in the fingerings... get hung up in the sounds and and musical shapes all the different modes...also... relate each mode to either the Major on Natural Minor scale, for instance: Dorian is a minor scale with a natural 6, phrygian is a minor with a b2, lydian is a major with a #4, mixo is a major with a b7... not sure what to call locrian...hahahahaha, a minor with a b2 and a b5, or a phrygian with a b5.. hahaha??? Play them from all over your bass.... ascending, descending, 2 octaves 3 octaves (6string players)... play them starting on the B string, E string, etc... play them on only one string... play them on one string using one finger...just play them... singing them when you can... play different patterns... NOT FINGER PATTERNS!... musical shape patterns: broken thirds...sixths, fourths, etc... play them in groups of 2, 3, 4, 5, etc...still singing the note name as you play... take a diatonic tune like "There will never be another you", and play all the scales starting on the root up to the 7th, then descend them from the 7 to the 1 then play them from the 3 to the 9, ascending and descending... play them as eighth notes so the chord tones (1,3,5,7) land on the down beat and the tensions and avoid notes are on the upbeats... then you realize playing a scale is really playing a chord with it's extensions...thats why their called "chord scales" Take Lydian for example: if you arpeggiate an F maj chord in thirds, you have 1,3,5,7,9,#11, and 13 (F,A,C,E,G,B,D)... now play the lydian mode, and realize you're playing 1, 9, 3, #4, 5, 13, 7...you've just brought the tensions down an octave so they fit into one octave...you'll realize after you nail the Gregorian Modes it is much easier to learn all the modes off the Melodic minor(jazz minor), because most of them are one note different than one of the Gregorian modes... have an solid understanding that C jazz minor is a minor scale with a natural 6 and a natural 7... sing them while playing them, using solfege or just the name notes... then you can go on to the modes of the melodic minor... dorian b2, lydian #5, Lydian b7, mixo b13, locrian natural 9... im not sure what the alt' scale can be related to..hahahahahaha. root, b9, #9, 3, b5, b13, b7.... play them all over your instrument... still singing!... do the same with the pentatonics... understand the different shapes of those as well.. NOT FINGER SHAPES/patterns, but musical shapes... (it will be very obvious where to put your fingers to play these scales... you never have to do any weird shifting... most of the scales fit within 4 frets/4 fingers with a few easy shifts... of course there are alternatives to all this... keep singing them. And always try to play all your scales as musical as you can, don't get hung up in running these patterns up and down like some kind of gym routine... the scales are simply a way to build up your vocabulary... matter of fact the musical phrase comes first, ... the music comes first... the scales just give us something to relate it to.... ok that's probably more than enough.... but you got to practice them, hear them, sing them... play a melody like "Beautiful Love" , and relate all the melodic phrases to a scale or chord, .thats when you realize the scales are part of what makes up western music... but its the melodies/phrases/ root motion/ diatonic and non diatonic chord progressions, etc... that come first... good luck, however, IMO, there is no short cut to nailing all your scales and understanding and hearing their function in any piece of music... you do have to practice them... a lot.
www.basslessonslosangeles.com
It is important to realize that scales are patterns of sound, not shapes for wiggling your fingers on the fretboard.
I have a hard time remembering them![/QUOTE]
Not really, just practice them, sing the note name as you play them, understand the relationship of all the modes. Play a major scale, sing the scale as you play it...use solfege, or sing out the names of the notes as you play them.. doing octave adjustments when the scale is too high or too low for your voice range....have a clear understanding by going to the piano and playing C major, from C to C all white keys...then start on D and play all the white keys, and have a solid understanding that the D dorian is simply a C major scale starting on the 2nd degree... do the same on all the modes... then start on E and realize that E Phrygian is a C major scale starting on the 3rd degree... do that for all the scale degrees... Major, dorian, phrygian, lydian, mixo, natural minor, locrian... always be singing them as well...then after a while you can go to your bass and do the same thing, it will be obvious where to put your fingers to play all the modes...most scales can be started with two different fingerings... and some even more when you use different fingering like 3 notes per string... don't get hung up in the fingerings... get hung up in the sounds and and musical shapes all the different modes...also... relate each mode to either the Major on Natural Minor scale, for instance: Dorian is a minor scale with a natural 6, phrygian is a minor with a b2, lydian is a major with a #4, mixo is a major with a b7... not sure what to call locrian...hahahahaha, a minor with a b2 and a b5, or a phrygian with a b5.. hahaha??? Play them from all over your bass.... ascending, descending, 2 octaves 3 octaves (6string players)... play them starting on the B string, E string, etc... play them on only one string... play them on one string using one finger...just play them... singing them when you can... play different patterns... NOT FINGER PATTERNS!... musical shape patterns: broken thirds...sixths, fourths, etc... play them in groups of 2, 3, 4, 5, etc...still singing the note name as you play... take a diatonic tune like "There will never be another you", and play all the scales starting on the root up to the 7th, then descend them from the 7 to the 1 then play them from the 3 to the 9, ascending and descending... play them as eighth notes so the chord tones (1,3,5,7) land on the down beat and the tensions and avoid notes are on the upbeats... then you realize playing a scale is really playing a chord with it's extensions...thats why their called "chord scales" Take Lydian for example: if you arpeggiate an F maj chord in thirds, you have 1,3,5,7,9,#11, and 13 (F,A,C,E,G,B,D)... now play the lydian mode, and realize you're playing 1, 9, 3, #4, 5, 13, 7...you've just brought the tensions down an octave so they fit into one octave...you'll realize after you nail the Gregorian Modes it is much easier to learn all the modes off the Melodic minor(jazz minor), because most of them are one note different than one of the Gregorian modes... have an solid understanding that C jazz minor is a minor scale with a natural 6 and a natural 7... sing them while playing them, using solfege or just the name notes... then you can go on to the modes of the melodic minor... dorian b2, lydian #5, Lydian b7, mixo b13, locrian natural 9... im not sure what the alt' scale can be related to..hahahahahaha. root, b9, #9, 3, b5, b13, b7.... play them all over your instrument... still singing!... do the same with the pentatonics... understand the different shapes of those as well.. NOT FINGER SHAPES/patterns, but musical shapes... (it will be very obvious where to put your fingers to play these scales... you never have to do any weird shifting... most of the scales fit within 4 frets/4 fingers with a few easy shifts... of course there are alternatives to all this... keep singing them. And always try to play all your scales as musical as you can, don't get hung up in running these patterns up and down like some kind of gym routine... the scales are simply a way to build up your vocabulary... matter of fact the musical phrase comes first, ... the music comes first... the scales just give us something to relate it to.... ok that's probably more than enough.... but you got to practice them, hear them, sing them... play a melody like "Beautiful Love" , and relate all the melodic phrases to a scale or chord, .thats when you realize the scales are part of what makes up western music... but its the melodies/phrases/ root motion/ diatonic and non diatonic chord progressions, etc... that come first... good luck, however, IMO, there is no short cut to nailing all your scales and understanding and hearing their function in any piece of music... you do have to practice them... a lot.
www.basslessonslosangeles.com
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Step 1: learn the key signatures for all 7 major sharp and flat keys, and the relative minors.
Step 2: learn your fretboard.
Step 3: play the scales in letter order, using the sharps or flats from the key signature.
If that seems daunting, it is because there is no shortcut to knowing scales. By "knowing" I mean in your mind, not just in your fingers.
The title of this thread looks like the heading of a eulogy.
Groove Master
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What exactly you cannot remember???
Also, what are the scales you practice and more important how?
That would help to focus on your problem here.
