Scales

Lesson 2/41 | Study Time: 5 Min
Course: Beginner Rock Bass
Scales

Scales

A major scale is a group of eight notes that produces the familiar sound:

Here are the notes of the C major scale. The number underneath each note indicates its position in the scale. These numbers are called scale degrees. If you are not familiar with the major scale, see Progressive Beginner Bass.

The Blues Scale

There are many other types of scales which can be derived from the major scale by altering (flattening or sharpening) some of its notes and also by leaving out some of the notes. One of the most common scales used in Rock is the Blues scale. Its degrees are 1, b3, 4, b5, @5 and b7 as shown in the following diagram. Notice how these degrees compare to the C major scale.

This example demonstrates the sound of the Blues scale. You will probably recognize it right away, as it has been used as the basis of thousands of Rock bass lines as well as lead guitar solos, vocal melodies and keyboard parts.

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Class Sessions

1- The Triplet 2- The Eighth Note 3- Scales 4- Understanding Chords 5- Understanding The Fretboard 6- Quarter Note Rhythms 7- Articulation and Feel 8- Sixteenth Note Rhythms 9- Slapping and Popping 10- More About Scales and Chords 11- INTRODUCTION 12- The Hammer-on (H) 13- 12 Bar Blues 14- Approach to Practice 15- Five Patterns For Arpeggios 16- Minor Chords 17- Playing in all Keys 18- Alternate Picking 19- Movable Fingering Patterns 20- Chord Symbols 21- The Slide 22- Learning the Notes 23- Syncopation 24- Bass Guitars 25- Seventh Chords 26- Root Notes 27- Applying Scale and Chord Formulas 28- Minor Scales and Keys 29- Notes on the Bass Fretboard 30- Amplifiers 31- Chords I, IV and V in all Keys 32- Passing Notes 33- How to Read Sheet Music 34- The Chromatic Scale 35- Strings 36- Left Hand Fingering 37- How to Read Music 38- Music Notation 39- Playing Position 40- The Right Hand 41- The Left Hand

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