learning the electric bass: major scales

Lesson One: Major Scales

Learning the Bass Guitar

It is a series of

seven notes,

ascending and

descending in a

stepwise motion.

The distance

between each note

follows a certain

pattern: whole

step, whole step,

half step, whole

step, whole step,

whole step, and

half step.

What Is A Major Scale?

Playing the Bass Guitar Each of your four fingers goes

with a corresponding number: 1 for your index finger, 2 for your middle finger, 3 for your ring finger, and 4 for your pinky. Your fingers play the fret that follows the one before.

Finger Pattern of the Major Scale

*The shape of the images relates to the shape your fingers make with the strings.

*For this pattern to work, you will not shift after playing with your pinky finger.

Playing the Scale

Next, place your fourth finger on the fifth fret, onto D.

To play a major scale, C major for example, place your second finger on the third fret of the A string, or on C.

Playing the Scale (cont.)

Place your first finger on the second fret of the D string, on E.

Place your second finger on the third fret on the D string, on F.

Playing the Scale (cont.)

Place your fourth finger on the fifth fret of the D string, on G.

Place your first finger on the second fret of the G string, on A.

Playing the Scale (cont.)

Place your third finger on the fourth fret of the G string, on B.

Place your fourth finger on the fifth fret of the G string, on C.

In Time…

For almost every

fret you choose

to start on, if you

play the same

finger shape of 2,

4, 1, 2, 4, 1, 3, 4,

you will play a

major scale.

Transposing to Other Keys

Exceptions1) Starting

on an open string.2) Starting on the D

or G string (two highest strings).

Starting on an Open StringTo play the major

scale on an open string, on the open E string for example, the finger pattern does not apply.

You will need to know the pattern of a major scale for this exception. Start the scale by playing the open string, E.

Starting on an Open String (cont.)Next, play the

second fret of the E string, F#, with your second finger.

Next, play the fourth fret of the E string, G#, with your fourth finger.

Starting on an Open String (cont.)Next, play the open

A string.Next, play the

second fret of the A string, B, with your second finger.

Starting on an Open String (cont.)Next, play the fourth

fret of the A string, C#, with your fourth finger.

Next, play the first fret of the D string, D#, with your first finger.

Starting on an Open String (cont.)Finish the scale by

playing the second fret of the D string, E, with your second finger.

In time…

Exceptions

Starting on the D or G StringIf you remember

back to our first pattern, we used three strings to play the major scale. Now we have only two or even one string, though playing a major scale on one string is not recommended.

If we start the major scale of the D string, let’s say the third fret, or on F, we can follow the first finger pattern for the first five notes (2, 4, 1, 2, 4).

Starting on the D or G String (cont.)

Starting on the D or G String (cont.)From this point, we

would normally go to the next highest string and finish the scale but in this case, we have no more strings to use. To finish the scale now, we will have to break one of our rules and shift.

How far do we shift? Well, our first finger should play the next note so we only need to shift once. It also helps us use the same pattern of 1, 3, and 4 for the last three notes of the scale.

Starting on the D or G String (cont.)

Starting on the D or G String (cont.)In time… Because we shift to

finish the scale starting on the D string, we would have to shift many times to play a scale on the G string and that runs the risk of missing the correct fret to shift to or not playing the major scale pattern of whole steps and half steps. Exception

s

http://www.play-acoustic-guitar.com/images/Guitar_Finger_Numbers.jpgGuitar Finger Image

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs31/f/2008/197/2/c/Bass_Guitar_Hero_by_Karate_Chop.jpgBass Logo Image

http://wheatsbassbook.com/images2/staff.jpgC Major Scale Image

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ejKEsaIVkIVideo Link

http://www.freewebs.com/guitarlincs/Chords%20and%20diagrams%202/OpenEbassscale.jpgE Major Scale Image

http://www.curtsheller.com/lessons/images/scale-F-circle.pngF Major Scale Image