How to Play the Bass Guitar in Pentatonic Scale
The pentatonic scale works great on the bass guitar because it is emphasizes the fundamental notes of the chord. The pentatonic scale is a five-note scale. Actually, there are two types of pentatonic scales, the major and the minor. The C-major scale is C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C. It helps to think of the scale in terms of numbers: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. The major pentatonic scale is comprised of the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth notes of the major scale. Therefore, the C-major pentatonic scale is C-D-E-G-A. The minor pentatonic is made from the first, flatted-third, fourth, fifth and flatted-seventh. C-minor pentatonic, thus, is C-E flat-F-G-B flat.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Tune the bass guitar to standard pitch with a guitar tuner. This may seem like an overly obvious point, but one bad habit many new players have is playing the bass out of tune. If the bass is even slightly out of tune when you are learning new scales, your ear won't be able to accurately hear the relationship between the notes. Standard pitch for the bass guitar is E-A-D-G, going from the fourth string to the first string.
-
2
Learn the primary pattern for the major pentatonic scale. Both the major and minor pentatonic scales are moveable patterns. Once you learn the patterns, they are easy to move up and down the neck to play in different keys. Begin with the G-major pentatonic scale, G-A-B-D-E. Play G (fourth string/ third fret/ middle finger), A (fourth string/ fifth fret/ pinky finger), B (third string/ second fret/ index finger), D (third string/ fifth fret/ pinky finger), E (second string/ second fret/ index finger) and G (second string/ fifth fret/ pinky finger). The same pattern works on the third, second and first strings, as well as up and down the fretboard.
-
-
3
Learn the primary pattern for the minor pentatonic scale. The G-minor pentatonic scale is G-B flat-C-D-F. Play G (fourth string/third fret/index finger), B-flat (fourth string/ sixth fret/ pinky finger), C (third string/ third fret/ index finger), D (third string/ fifth fret/ ring finger), F (second string/ third fret/ index finger) and G (second string/ fifth fret/ ring finger). Like the major pentatonic scale, the pattern for the minor pentatonic scale works on the third, second and first strings, and up and down the fretboard. The index finger establishes the chord. If you start on the third fret of the fifth string you are playing a C-minor pentatonic.
-
4
Memorize the bass guitar fretboard. This is not as difficult as it seems, since the notes are arranged alphabetically on each string; however, it is essential to know the fretboard so that you can easily play the major or minor pentatonic scale in any key. The first thing to remember is that the fourth string is E, the third string is A, the second string is D, and the first string is G. The notes on the E string are E (open), F (first fret), F#/G flat (second fret), G (third fret), G#/A flat (fourth fret), A (fifth fret), A#/B flat (sixth fret), B (seventh fret), C (eighth fret), C #/D flat (ninth fret), D (10th fret), D #/E flat (11th fret) and E (12th fret). Use this formula to learn the notes on the other three strings. For example the third string is A (open), A #/B flat (first fret), B (second fret), C (third fret) and so forth.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Practice the scales with a metronome using half notes, quarter notes, and eighth notes.
Practice the scales in both ascending and descending patterns.
Study bass guitar riffs on recordings and try to pick up the pattern using either the major or minor pentatonic scale.
References
- Photo Credit Thomas Northcut/Digital Vision/Getty Images
