Bass guitar scales are easier to learn than you think. If you know that a scale is simply a collection of notes with a specific pattern then you can map that pattern out on the fretboard and memorise it easily. This video lesson explains how to do that with the major, natural minor, diminished, whole tone and super locrian scale. Even the scary-named scales become easy to learn with this method!
Here are some formulas and shapes for four scales. This is all explained and demonstrated in the video.
Bass guitar Scales
Major Scale
The Natural Minor Scale
The Diminished Scale
The Whole Tone Scale
Download the PDF with the Scale Formulas
OK, explain what happened here. The whole tone scale instead of the augmented scale, or is it the same thing. The tone-semitone thing os off too. Whats going on with all this?
Don’t shoot the messenger! They’re just different scales you can use in a variety of situations and over a range of chords. Some are similar (like the whole tone and augmented) and some are not used much (like the augmented scale). Every scale has a different formula made up of tone/semitones (half step/whole steps).