Solo Scales

[Torch7]

I am reading through my Bass for Dummies book, and the Author is suggesting that the "Blues Scale" is one of the most commonly used soloing scales, because it is comfortable to play, easy to move around in, and it sounds good.  I agree with all of his reasoning.

Is there any particular scale that you all use commonly besides the "blues scale"?

[Willie L. Terry Jr]

All the minor scales sound nice with the blues along with the pentatonic.  I normally use a the pentatonic (minor) to get up the scale really fast and the others to get down.


T.J.

[Torch7]

Would the Pentatonic minor be the blues scale minus one note?

[4hisglory]

Yeah..

[trymone]

i'm starting to solo a little with the dorian scale, when playing in a minor key

[djgroovin]

Just a side note about scales that may or may not help.  If you use a scale such as the dorian and play it through past the first octave, you will notice that every scale is a part of another scale.  I really didn't see this until I started playing six strings.  It is alot easier to see patterns on a six because you are able to play more across the strings then up and down the neck.  So going back to 4 for me is a great restrictive exercise.  Knowing this will allow you to play outside of just the 7 notes within the dorian scale.

[p-love]

Please post the patterns of the scales and there names that you use. Feel free to informme of what scales you mix and match for runs. I greatly appreciate all the help.take care and God Bless

[Torch7]

The Blues Scale

|----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|----|-----|--x--|-----|--x-|-----|-----|
|----|-----|--x--|--x-|--x--|-----|-----|
|----|-----|--x--|-----|-----|-x---|-----|

The Pentatonic Scale is the same except removing the 4th Note.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
------7--5------------------------------------------------------
--------------7-5-7-5-6-5------------------------------------
-------------------------------8-5-8---------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------

[p-love]

thanks for the tab and scale pattern these two I am familiar with and I use blues often. But I never thought to mix them and play like this thanks. Again thanks take care and God Bless

[Willie L. Terry Jr]

A good example was a run I showed DJ while we were at bass boot camp.  If you run the aeolian up to to octive and run the blues scale going back down, it will sound good.  This will work with any minor scale. 

One thing they taught us at the bass bootcamp was you learn scales and modes to forget them.  Forget the modes Yeah, I think Norm Stockton put it best in his videos, you don't want to be thinking dorian, aeolian, Phrygian, mixolian and aeolian (oh by the way, these are all the modes that go with the minor pentatonic and minor arpeggios).  You want to let you fingers go.  Most gospel artist never get to the letting you fingers go because we want to do runs.  That's what impresses people.  I want to play what sounds good. 

I believe it was Adam Nitti that said that there are no wrong notes, just passing notes.

T.J.

[Dtuned]

If you run the aeolian up to to octive and run the blues scale going back down, it will sound good.   

what octave are we talking about? can you post a tab to show what you're talking about?

im focusing on extending my scales, modes right now ...very interesting..

thx,
rob

[Willie L. Terry Jr]

I meant the eighth note...might not necessarilly be the octive but whatever the eighth note is should put you in shape to run the blues scale off of it.

Don't have time for tabs right now but try it.


T

[Torch7]

I meant the eighth note...might not necessarilly be the octive but whatever the eighth note is should put you in shape to run the blues scale off of it.

Don't have time for tabs right now but try it.


T

Is this what your are saying:

Run an Aeolian (Natural Minor) up to the octave

C    D     Eb    F     G     Ab     Bb     c
I     II     III    IV    V     VI      VII     (octave)
1    2     b3    4     5     b6      b7     8

Then run back on the Blues
c    Bb    G    Gb    F     Eb      C
      VI    V    IV     III    II        I


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--------------------------8-10-8----------------------
--------------8-10-11-----------10-9-8------------
--8-10-11---------------------------------11-8-----
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