September 23, 2008

Major scale for Bass Guitar

Ok. Everybody knows what is a scale, right? There's nothing to know really... It's just a bunch of tones in some kind of pattern, and depending on that pattern, we've got a scale with a certain name. Heh. But, they are very important for developing technique, ear, and especially for creating great bass guitar lines.

Let's say something about MAJOR SCALE.
The major scale is always the starting point for music theory. Why? Don't know, but it works.
Major scale has 7 different notes. For example, G major scale G - A - B - C - D - E - F#.
After this, it starts all over again. So after F# you are back to G. Ok.
The root note of G Major scale is, you guess - G. But, it's not a rule that your scale has to start with G, or even end with one. Important thing, when you play in G, is that you hitting the notes that are in G Major pattern (G - A - B - C - D - E - F#).

Here are 5 different positions on the neck:

How to apply thi to other tones? A or B or C major?

Here's the pattern. We know the alphabet. C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G# - A - Bb - B - C
Sometimes there are some differences in writing the letters, but you get it.
There's a whole tone (w) and half tone (h). From C - D is whole tone, from C - C# is half. Ok.
The pattern

Major: w w h w w w h
Minor: w h w w h w w

If we apply that to our G major, we get
G - A - B - C - D - E - F#- G(startin from G, ofcourse).
If we do the same with C major, we get C - D - E - F - G - A - B - C

That's about it....enjoy!

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for the 5 different position diagrams. They will really come in handy!

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