Bass Guitar Scales Beneath Chords

You can be one of two types of bassists. One type has learned to play a few chords and the root notes yet has not reached beyond that. The other type of bass player understands how to correctly use bass scales underneath chords and has an unlimited assortment of new things to play. Which kind are you?

If you play bass guitar you are acquainted with playing the root note of whatever chord the guitar player is performing. It’s probable you likewise know how to play the triads; or the 3 notes that comprise the chord the guitar player is playing. Absolutely nothing wrong with mastering and playing those but they just scratch the surface of what really skilled bassists do which is to play bass scales underneath guitar chords.

If you are playing three note chords,or triads, you are actually playing notes from either a major or a minor scale. These two scales are a good place to start. Bear in mind that even though a piece of music might be in the key of G, once the players shift to the C chord you’ll want to be playing a C scale, either major or minor, not continue playing a G scale. While almost all the notes match, the secret to this should be to at the very least start thinking in scales per chord.

It might be simpler to think only about five note scales at first. They’re referred to as pentatonic scales. There is a pentatonic major and a pentatonic minor scale. The pentatonic scales would be the three notes that comprise the chord plus two additional notes. If the middle note in the chord is a major note you’d be playing the major pentatonic scale, if your middle note is a minor note you are playing the minor pentatonic scale. You can also make use of the minor pentatonic scale underneath seventh chords, but we should go into that in a different article.

I will provide one example. The electric guitar player is playing a C major chord. Those notes are C, E, and G. The correct pentatonic scale to use underneath this chord is definitely the major which is C, D, E, G. A. Merely five notes. If your guitar player is playing a C minor chord which is C, E flat, and G; you are going to use the minor pentatonic scale that is C, E flat, F, G, and B flat.

Once you perfected the 2 main basic pentatonic scales, the next stage with your playing would be to learn both the complete major scale and the entire minor scale. Each of these scales will always sound correct underneath particular chords. Just remember that anytime you use pentatonic scales, it is not important what key the piece of music is in, only what chord is being used at that time, which decides which scale you’ll want to be using.

Try using these kind of basic scales underneath guitar chords next time you play and you should begin to see almost endless new options for your bass guitar playing.

For a more intense lesson check out this video: Bass Minor Scale

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