The goal of this column is to improve your knowledge of bass guitar scales and theory. We’ll also be working on improving technique, chops and practice habits. We’ll even dive into the history of the electric bass and have a look at players who have pushed the musical envelope, including their trick bag techniques.

Each month we’ll talk about trends that develop and old trends that cycle back into the mainstream.

We’ll start this month by talking about pushing your guitar player!

The good news is guitar solos are back in style!

Bands like Coheed and Cambria (Welcome Home), Avenged Sevenfold (Burn it Down) and Atreyu (Bleeding Mascara) are opening sections of tunes with more instrumental features. As bass players we must support these sections with knowledge and feel. A guitar solo is comprised of scales and arpeggios that are based on the progression of the tune. In order for us to support and even push our guitar players we should have a comprehensive and adept working knowledge of these scales and arpeggios.

Let’s get the definitions out of the way first.

Arpeggio means broken chord. If you play the notes of any chord individually from the root to the last note you get an arpeggio.

The other term we should discuss is my own term called “pushing your guitar player”.

As the group’s bass player, you can throw certain fills out and simple melodies during a guitar solo and inspire or push your guitar player to play better. This idea is commonly used in improvisational situations. The rhythm section finds certain elements of a solo and reacts off of it. We can do this in any form of music where there is a solo. Players like Billy Sheehan (Mr. Big, Talas), Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), and Geddy Lee (Rush) play like this all the time. These are players that are influencing the bassists of today. If you’re not familiar with them, get on-line and do some research and give them a listen.

In order to have free reign over our instrument we must develop neck knowledge. Over the next few lessons we will master the major and minor scale.

Figure 1 (below) shows the major scale in 2 different positions. The first one is in open position and the second one is closed in 2nd position.

Figure 2 (below) shows the minor scale in two different positions. The first one is open and the second fingering stretches over 2d and 6th position.

Finally, Figure 3 shows these scales played in intervals of 3rds (every other note).

As you play these exercises you’ll notice the scale sounds more melodic when played in intervals. We’ll get into this in future columns. G major and E minor were used for these examples because the bass is very friendly to these keys. However, you can use the closed position fingerings and play them in any key.

It’s very important that you practice these exercises slowly and correctly. Remember, practice does not make perfect. Practice makes permanent!

If you try to do this too fast you could wind up doing it wrong. At best you’ll be playing it sloppy. Practice with a metronome. Start at 40 bpm and slowly move it up to build up your ability, as well as your speed. I know it’s tedious but this is the smartest and most constructive way to practice anything. You’ll get speed and precision.

Another very important “trick” when playing the scales is to verbalize or say the notes that you’re playing as you play them. This will do two key things.

First, it will improve your neck knowledge. And second, it will help you to memorize the specific notes that are in the scales. If you don’t know when to use C# as opposed to a Db than you can buy a scale book that gives the name of the notes of each scale. If you have trouble with the notes on your neck then buy one of those posters from Alfred’s and Mel Bays that displays the guitar with the names of the notes on it or find one for free on the Internet.

The last thing I want you to do is to sing the scale as you’re playing it. This is a form of ear training that is priceless! Singing the scale is the first step to transcribing songs. You can even take it a step further and record yourself singing the notes. Listen back to the recording and see where your pitch is faulty. (Just make sure your friends don't find the recording or you’ll never live it down!) If by the end of the practice session your brain hurts, then you know that you did a good job!

Remember, the electric bass guitar is still a pretty new “invention”, so keep pushing the envelope and you may discover or invent techniques that none of us have figured out this early in its life!.

Happy practicing and thanks for reading!

Jon

P.S. You can contact me at jon@greyscale.tv.