beginner neeed scales Help!

[funkametallicrock]

hey guys.. i need some help here. i don't understand the scales listed on the website.

Example for blues and pentatonic scales, there are so many modes, whats the difference. http://www.angelfire.com/id/bass/minorpentatonic.html

and for the major scales, what is with the ionian and lydian thing, what are the difference and which am i suppose to learn. http://www.angelfire.com/id/bass/major.html

and lastly, can i play the scales on any postion on the neck?

i'm unsure what scales i'm suppose to learn when i'm starting out and how do i improvise. i'll appreciate if anyone could help me.

 

[Cloudsky]

I started out learning the pentatonic scales first(which I'm still doing), there's only 5 notes but can played in many patterns.

 

[MadWerewolfBoy]

learn the pentatonic minor in A 1st.. then transpose to E G and C... after that if u do a lil theory, u'd notice the penatonic major of a key is the same scale patterns just at different positions ( 3 frets lower )

 

[exin]

dude ...

go to www.cyberfretbass.com and start from there ... there's where i learnt all my scales and stuff ... super comprehensive ...

 

[3notesAbar]

How come bass got weighing scale one?

 

[funkametallicrock]

huh? what weighing scales? I just want to know what scales should i learn first and the difference between modes and how to improvise

 

[funkametallicrock]

madwerewolf boy, how to transpose ah?

 

[exin]

How come bass got weighing scale one?

man kelvin .. that was so random lah .. ahhahaah

 

[Evangion]

How come bass got weighing scale one?

So you can use it to weigh the seabass scales.

 

[soft]

How come bass got weighing scale one?

3notesAbar, you should help as an educator lah. dont confuse begineers.

 

[exin]

haha .. soft . .i think that's within limit of humour ... at least i presume that kind of statement won't confuse beginners ..

 

[Ken]

May I offer a suggestion?

You know scales on their own are really cool...you could memorize the whole universe of scales but not understand how to use a thing.

Depending on the level you are at, why don't you first dissect the basslines for a song you really like.

Then you see what scales were really used for it. From there, you would have a better idea of how to apply.

Take small steps first with simple songs..e.g. most rock songs run on simple pentatonics..see how that is applies before upping the ante and learning all the modes and stuff... they will then be on your fingers and not just in your head..... that's when "feel" comes in...and knowing how a scale sounds and works goes a very long way.

Hope that helps.

Me I still can't rattle off every single not of every mode and scale... but at least I know what i need to play for every phrasing because of this training years ago...could work for you as well.

 

[hub37]

hi funkametallicrock, I guess Ken offers a pretty good advise.

A scale is just a sequence of notes. Different scales are characterized by
the different intervals among the notes. So u can generate tons
of scales by playing with different permutations. If u want u can even
create a "funkametallicrock" scale if u want to!

But as Ken says, the underlying thing is to know how to use them.
Some pop rock players may just stick to a pentatonic and major scale
for all their playing but still create beautiful music.

Pick a song/solo u like, transcribe it, and find out the scale it is in. Learn to play it. As u go along, u will start to know how to apply the scales into ur own playing.

If u are a pop rock player, probably u will want to know major scale (or Ionian mode), the 3 minor scales (harmonic, melodic and natural), blues, pentatonic, and perhaps Dorian mode.

As u progress, u can also play with ur mind thinking what u want to play. For all u may know, a solo that u had in mind is actually in a Dorian mode without u knowing!!

For understanding of the theory, maybe u can try
http://www.guitarlessonworld.com/lessons/lessons.php

 

[funkametallicrock]

oh man.. i' lousy shit tt i'm forced to play greenday, blink shit and nirvana.. most of their songs don't use scales.. instead they use the simple chord arpeggios.. like the
-------------5-
-----------5---
---------3-----
---------------

any songs reccomend with applications of the scales?

 

[exin]

oh man.. i' lousy shit tt i'm forced to play greenday, blink shit and nirvana.. most of their songs don't use scales.. instead they use the simple chord arpeggios.. like the
-------------5-
-----------5---
---------3-----
---------------

any songs reccomend with applications of the scales?

dude .. those are considered scales .. but they termed arpeggios instead .. orginates from scales ..

 

[bassics]

knowing scales is not enough u need to know how to apply it. to do that at a very basic lvl, knowing chord scale harmony is very important cause ur chords come from scales. first learn ur major scale. dont go into minor mel, minor har scales and u dont need to go into exotic scales as well cause they will confuse u.

For pop and rock music without key changes u can sum up everything modally

ill work with c major for now.

c d e f g a b c

take every 1 3 5 7 deg starting from any note for example c e g b this ur maj 7 chord. For most pop /rock songs knowing ur maj scale is enough to get u by. this is how working modaly for pop songs goes

1 maj7 2 min7 3 min7 4maj7 5 dom7 6 min7 7 min7b5<almost nvr played as this but played as min7>

in accordance to ur C maj scale it would look like

c maj7 d min7 e min7 f maj7 g 7 amin7 and bmin7b5 or most commonly b min 7.

most likely by asking this u intend to start soloing or improvising. a simple guide for pop music is to establish wat key ur in first than work along which maj key ur in.

knowing individual modes will take u to another lvl and its usually used over jazz soloing or soloing over chord changes

*on a final note when i say pop music i refer to popular contemporary music and when u start soloing just wack only lol. cause the more u wack the more u learn. this is a very very very very basic guide and i highly recommend that if u would like to know more about improvising indept u should find a teacher to guide u along.

another one of my early morning cannot sleep 2 cents worth ramblings. hope it helped.

 

[exin]

dude ... most of the time you don't sub the diminished chord for a min7 .... there's a flat 5 there for a reason and i'm sure if you analyse it you'll realise that by making the 7th a minor there'll be a note out of the diatonic range of the major scale itself ...

 

[bassics]

yup, ur correct u cannot subsitute the m7b5 for a min7 but i honestly seldom come across m7b5 chords in pop songs and when i play bass chords on bass i dont play the 5 unless i really have to, doin that makes the m7b5 into a normal min7 chord, it makes my chords sound more open and gives my keys player more soloing options.

another thing if u analyze it the F#, which happens to be outta the diatonic range of C maj7 can be played over that scale.

 

[exin]

yup, ur correct u cannot subsitute the m7b5 for a min7 but i honestly seldom come across m7b5 chords in pop songs and when i play bass chords on bass i dont play the 5 unless i really have to, doin that makes the m7b5 into a normal min7 chord, it makes my chords sound more open and gives my keys player more soloing options.

another thing if u analyze it the F#, which happens to be outta the diatonic range of C maj7 can be played over that scale.

the F# of the min7b5 converted to a min7?

 

[bassics]

ah ya, every scale or chord is interchangeable just depends on your taste in music. one mans meat is another mans poison and music theory is always changin anyway. what sounds good to me might sound bad to u. I nvr believed that music theory is as is. i always like to interchange and experiment with playin and reharmonizing different scales and chords to see wat i get. the older muso's might shoot me on this one but yeah thats just what i prefer cause if this generation of musicians dont explore the next generation wont have anything new to learn.