Things every bassist should know?

[EADG mx]

Scales and modes are not restricted to jazz at all. They apply to all music that makes use of diatonic chords (eg. most of Western harmony).

Sure you could get by just by learning the chord tones, but you're going to need to connect the dots. If you want to make more interesting lines, scales can be very beneficial.

Think of it this way:

focusing only on chord tones is going to help you play chord tones

focusing on chords and scales is going to help you play chord tones and everything in between.


IMO the choice is obvious

 

[MtManiac]

Scales and modes are not restricted to jazz at all. They apply to all music that makes use of diatonic chords (eg. most of Western harmony).

Well, duh!

Sure you could get by just by learning the chord tones, but you're going to need to connect the dots. If you want to make more interesting lines, scales can be very beneficial.

Think of it this way:

focusing only on chord tones is going to help you play chord tones

focusing on chords and scales is going to help you play chord tones and everything in between.

Right, like *occasionally* playing the major 13 instead of the minor 7th, or playing the flat 5th between the 4th and the 5th. In rock, country, or pop, those are about the only non-chord tones I play except when passing between chord tones on weak beats, I don't play minor 6ths or minor 9ths unless they're written in the chord, or I screw up when I'm improvising a line. Everything else is determined by the chord - even the Major 7th is implied, but can often be substituted with a minor 7th, depending on the song, and the chord. If a bass player spends too much of his time playing non-diatonic tones or even diatonic 11ths, 9ths and 13ths on strong beats, it's gonna sound weak - in most arrangements anyway, depends on the song.

Most of your time will be spent on chord tones, with passing tones in between on the weak beats, and so long as those passing tones are not off key, you're good to go.

 

[EADG mx]

I'm not disagreeing, I know that chord tones are central to playing many kinds of music. I'm just disagreeing with ihassiphilus' sentiment that scales are a waste of time. To me they're an excellent way to get a better handle on certain tonalities, and they open up a lot more options for what to play.

As for non-diatonic tones or extensions on strong beats, as bass players we should know better than that.