Applying Scale and Chord Formulas
Once you know the positions of the root notes all over the neck, the next step is to learn how all the other notes of the chromatic scale relate to these root notes in each position.
This is a great exercise, because once you can find all the notes in each position, you can quickly work out a fingering for any type of scale or arpeggio anywhere on the neck. All you have to do is learn the scale or chord formula (a particular set of degrees) and you can instantly play it.
The following diagram shows Pattern 1 in the key of C containing all the degrees of the chromatic scale up as far as the 5th degree on the first string. Play through it and name the degrees as you play. The diagram shows the degrees and the notation shows the fingering.
Notice that degrees with two possible names (e.g., #2 or b3) are named as flats rather than sharps. This is because most scale and chord formulas tend to use flattened degrees rather than sharpened degrees. For example, a minor seventh chord contains the degrees 1, b3, 5 and b7 and a Blues scale contains the degrees 1, b3, 4, b5, @5, and b7.
Pattern 1
When you are confident you know the positions of all the notes as they relate to the framework of the root notes, you are ready to try working out some fingerings for specific scales based on their individual formula.
The following example uses the minor pentatonic scale. As the name suggests, this scale contains five notes which are 1, b3, 4, 5 and b7. Notice that this is simply the Blues scale with the flattened 5th degree left out. Because you already know the Blues scale, it should be easy to work out all five fingerings for the minor pentatonic scale. Experiment with it and make up some of your own bass lines from it.
