Scale Degrees: Bass Chord Arpeggios

Video Transcript

"Previously we learned the C major scale. We learned lots of major scales but we based everything off the C major scale because that has all the natural notes. Let's look again at C major. All we know so far is the whole step and half step pattern. We got C, D whole step. D to E, whole step. E to F, half step. F to G, whole step. G to A, whole step. A to B, whole step. B to C again, half step. Well that's useful in some ways, but a good way of comparing all major scales is by assigning degrees to each of the parts of the scale. So the first note we play, which is the key that the scale's in. For example, C in this case, is the first scale degree. D is two, second scale degree. E is three. F is four. G is five. A is six. B is seven. And we don't have to, C is one again. So, one, two, tree, four, five, six, seven. If we use that in a movable form. Say we want to play E major, OKay? This is one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. If someone played those, played the third scale degree of E major. Was this note, which if we use our octave. Rule, remember, two frets down, two frets up. Or two strings up is a G sharp. Our third scale degree in the key of E major is a G sharp. Try applying this to different places on the neck. For D. First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eight. The sixth scale degree of the D major scale is B."