Behringer Bass Guitar PACK BT108BPK-PB503-BK User Manual

ULTRABASS

BASS GUITAR PACK

The minor scale

This illustration shows you the A minor scale. It also consists of a series of seven consecutive notes. Here, too, the scale begins

again one octave higher on the eighth note (A): A - B - C - D - E - F - G - (A). The difference to the major scale is that the half-tones

are different steps: from the 2

to the 3

notes (from B to C) and from the 5

to the 6

notes (E to F). This scale begins at the 5

fret

(V).

You have probably noticed that the A minor scale basically consists of the same notes as the C major scale. Therefore, the half-tone

steps are also between the same notes (from B to C and from E to F). The scales actually only begin on different notes, which shifts

the half-tone step to different positions in the scale. It is also said that A minor is the parallel key to C major.

The major pentatonic scale

Penta is a Greek word meaning five and tonic stands for tone or note. Pentatonic scales comprise five notes per octave. The

major pentatonic scale is a major scale without the fourth and seventh notes, which means that it does not contain any half-tone

steps. The illustration below shows the C major pentatonic scale with the following notes: C - D - E - G - A - (C). If you compare

these notes with those of the C major scale you will see that F and B are missing. Here it is the sixth note (C) on which the scale starts

again one octave higher.

The minor pentatonic scale

The A minor pentatonic scale also comprises five notes derived from the A minor scale, whereby the second and sixth notes

(B and F) have been removed. A - C - D - E - G - (A). The scale begins again one octave higher on the sixth note (A).

Use the notes in the major and minor pentatonic scales for playing simple bass lines, for example.

The chromatic scale

The chromatic scale consists solely of half tone steps and thus comprises all the twelve notes: C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G#

- A - A# - B - (C). This scale also begins again one octave higher on the thirteenth note (C).

As this scale only contains half-tone steps, it cannot be classified according to mode (major or minor) and sounds less harmonious.

Positioning the left hand

With the exception of the chromatic scale, the individual notes of the scales are always within a range of four frets. Make sure that

each of the fingers of your left hand is responsible for one of these frets.
In the case of the C major scale/C major pentatonic scale (7

position), that means:

fret (VII): 1

finger (index finger)

fret (VIII): 2

finger (middle finger)

fret (IX):

finger (ring finger)

fret (X): 4

finger (little finger)

...and for the A minor scale/A minor pentatonic scale (5

position):

fret (V):

finger (index finger)

fret (VI):

finger (middle finger)

fret (VII): 3

finger (ring finger)

fret (VIII): 4

finger (little finger)