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Take Another Look .at
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Linear Bass
I Patterns
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by Dr. William L. Fowler with Fingering Guide by Tom Fowler
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To my bass-playing sons, Tom and Ed . l
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© 1983 by William L. Fowler, Lakewood, Colorado. All rights reserved.

Printed in U .S.A. Address all correspondence to: William L. Fowler, 808 South Alkire St.,
Lakewood, Colorado 80228.

Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number 82-090956

ISBN 0-943894-01-8
1
l TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
FOREWORD ...... .. ........ . ..... .. ... ... .......... . ........ . ....... i
l DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS . ............ ............. .. .... . .... ii

l FINGERBOARD FACTS ...................... .. . ........ . ... ... ...... . . 1

INTERVALS ................ . ........................................ 5

1 FINGERING GUIDE .. . . . .. .. ... ................... . ... ..... .... .. .... 10

TETRACHORDS ...... .. ... .. ..... .... ...... . .... .. .... ... . ......... 18

J TRADITIONAL SCALES AND MODES .. ..... ... .. ... .. . ................ . 24

NON-TRADITIONAL SEVEN-NOTE SCALES .... . .. .. .... . ........ ... . ... . 48

1 PENTATONIC SCALES ... .... .... ..... .... ... .. .... ......... ... . . . ... 53

l SIX-NOTE SCALES ...... : .. .. .. .. . . ........ .. . . .... . . ....... . . .. ... . 59

EIGHT-NOTE SCALES ............. . ..... . . . .. ..... . . ..... . .. .. .... .. . 62

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FOREWORD
l This book focuses on linear materials for bass-how to see, how to play, and consequently
how to hear all kinds of intervals, all kinds of tetrachords, and all kinds of scales.

It illustrates its linear patterns on model bass fingerboards, a method which trains the eye to
see those patterns as complete fingerboard units rather than as notes written on a music
l staff and which allows non-readers as well as readers to use the book.

Tom Fowler's FINGERING GUIDE, a special section on position playing, finger extending,
l expanded fingering, and position shifting, explains and illustrates the most efficient ways to
manage the left hand . By applying the various fingering methods demonstrated in the

I guide, a bassist can choose among several different fingerings for each scale pattern.

The FINGERBOARD FACTS and INTERVALS sections which precede the FINGERING
GUIDE prepare the reader for its full understanding . And the guide in turn prepares the
J reader to utilize fully the scale patterns which follow .

I In some instances, illustrated patterns throughout the book will seem to be impractical for
ordinary playing. These very patterns, though, will prove to be the most practical for
improving flexibility, for building technique, and for achieving accuracy.

J This book is a companion for this author's FINGERBOARD FORMS FOR BASS, which
examines chords and arpeggios (Mel Bay Publications) .
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DEFINITIONS
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UP AND DOWN: On the bass fingerboard, these terms refer to pitch, rather than to

I distance from the ground. Their customary meanings therefore

reverse. The highest bass string is closest to the ground; the lowest
bass string is farthest from the ground . The highest frets are closest to
the body; the lowest frets are farthest from the body:
l UP DOWN
~ ~
]
1

I
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I POSITION: A short segment of the fingerboard identified by the number of the fret which
the first finger of the left hand occupies.
J SHIFT: A change in position up or down the neck.
MUSICAL ALPHABET: A B C D E F G A B C and so on as pitch ascends.
I TETRACHORD: Four consecutive letters along the musical alphabet.
SCALE: A series of notes along the musical alphabet beginning and ending on the same

I letter. Five-note scales omit two letters; six-note scales omit one letter; seven-note
scales include all seven letters; eight-note scales add one letter altered by an
accidental; and so on .
TONIC: The note upon which a scale is built.
J
SCALE DEGREE: Any note in a scale. Roman numerals indicate how many notes above
the Tonic each degree lies :
I Tonic Supertonic Mediant Subdominant
I II III IV
I Dominant
v
Submediant
VI
Leading tone
VII
Tonic
VIII
(I)

INTERVAL: The musical distance from one note to another.

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HALF-STEP: An interval whose notes lie a fret apart on the same string.
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WHOLE STEP: An interval whose notes lie two frets apart on the same string.
TRITONE: An interval whose notes lie three consecutive whole steps apart.
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UNISON: One note thought of as two.
OCTAVE: The first repetition of a letter along the musical alphabet. 1
FIFTEENTH: A double octave.
CONJUNCT: The top note of a scale or tetrachord coinciding (unison) with the bottom
note of another.
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ACCIDENTAL: A sign which changes the pitch of a letter by one fret.
SHARP: An accidental which raises pitch by one fret (#). J

FLAT: An accidental which lowers pitch by one fret (b).

NATURAL: An accidental which cancels a previous sharp or flat ( ~ ) .

ABBREVIATIONS

MAJOR: M
MINOR: mi
PERFECT: p
AUGMENTED: aug or a
DIMINISHED: dim or d
OCTAVE: 8ve
HARMONIC: Harm.
MELODIC: Mel.
HUNGARIAN: Hung.

iii
l
l FINGERBOARD FACTS
PRIMARY FEATURES OF THE BASS FINGERBOARD
l 1.) The open strings tune to E, A, D, and G.
2.) The intervals between adjacent open strings are all the same: each is a Perfect fourth:

l 1. E A D G

l 2. IP4 IP4 IP41

a
1 ~ ~- a
e I
l 3 .) String numbers proceed to the left across the fingerboard:

l 3.
4
~
3 2 1

I E A D_G

4.) Fret numbers proceed from the nut to the body .

Single dots mark frets three, five, seven, and nine . A
11 I

double dot marks fret twelve, an octave above the

I open strings :
3;
•
l •
5'

7
•

9
'
•
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12
,E• ~ •
lo IG

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Along each string, E lies next to F, and B lies next to C, a musical distance termed either
minor second or half-step. These pairs of half-steps often form compact block patterns on
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adjacent strings:
l
EO -

.
F Cb

l
..
B~ (bE

c~ ( bF l

4 B

• 4 c

B
~- E(~·

c 4~ F<D
•4 ts <t E

4~c d: F

E
<D• •
F <D
B4 t ( )E

c4 t•( )F

2
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rl The remaining adjacent letters in the natural musical alphabet-F to G, G to A, A to B, C
to D, and D to E-lie two frets apart along the same string, a musical distance termed Major
second or whole step:

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E
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F (J)
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I G cp •
)
) A (J) •
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I
8 cJ) •
c 4~
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•
D 4.
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I E
•• •
l F :~

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As the above example demonstrates, consecutive whole steps form alternating three-note
and four-note groups, joined together by either the B-C or the E-F half-step. The empty
frets in these whole-step patterns provide places for chromatically altered notes, either a
sharped lower letter or a flatted upper letter. A chromatic scale results from filling all the
frets by sharps ascending and by flats descending. Here are both the ascending and the 1
descending chromatic scale versions from F to Fon the fourth string:

! F j)
F* C)G~

G (~ • l
G4f (~Al? J

A (D
• ;I
A~ )BP
II
B ~D
•
c ~~
C~'·4 •o" • I I
D
~-
o*~4. El?
I
. r
E 4~· •
F (j)~~ I
.A

iI

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rl On the fingerboard, patterns which look alike also sound alike: adjacent strings on the
same fret always sound a Perfect fourth; a slanting line down three consecutive frets always
sounds an augmented triad; and a bar straight across any fret always sounds a suspended-

l fourth seventh chord:

·1

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1

1
aug

The same mobility applies to melodic patterns as well: Any melodic pattern retains its tonal
l characteristics wherever it might be relocated, a fingerboard feature which allows this book
to minimize the number of its examples. Accordingly, each illustration is to be viewed as a
, ,
movable model for application to all possible positions.

To transpose keys, relocate patterns

INTERVALS
Any two notes make an interval. Except for the unison, which is a repetition of exactly the
same note, each interval requires both a number and a word to pinpoint its exact size. The
number indicates how many letters along the musical alphabet the interval spans:
I
3rd 5th
I I
J CD EFG
ABC
1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5
J

J When the number gets up to eight, it has reached the same letter it started with-it has
reached an octave:

0 c ta ve
ABCDEFGA
1 2345678

5
As intervals extend beyond an octave, their numbers continue past eight. The first letter
beyond an octave becomes a ninth, the next a tenth, and so on up to a fifteenth, which is a
double octave. These compound intervals match letters with their corresponding simple
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intervals. A ninth matches a second, a tenth matches a third, and so on:
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ABC ABC
1 2 3 8 9 10
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A number by itself, though, indicates only how many letters an interval spans. A fifth , for
example, might be Cup to G, Cup to G#, or Cup to Gb. To determine which of these
exact sizes the number represents requires additional description, which the word supplies.
Augmented, Perfect, and diminished apply to fourths, fifths, and octaves:

•• Fb ld4
I

c([) 4tF P4 <J)c c( ~

4tF~ a4
L.
d 54 tGP d 84~ ct> l
p 54 tG p 84 c

a 54 tG'° a 84 c11=

Augmented, Major, minor, and diminished apply to seconds, thirds, sixths, and sevenths:

4,E\;i I'mi3 A\74. mi6

4 'E M3 A 4t M6

c( D4~~1-a3 c~D A•4t a6 l

E\>~ ~d 3 ,f~4 .d 6
The augmented version of an interval is its largest form , and the diminished version is its
smallest form.
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Most intervals are easiest to see and play on two different strings. But the smaller
rl ones-unisons to Perfect fourths-are equally practical on one string or on adjacent
strings. These intervals appear in scales in various ways. Seconds, thirds, and fourths occur
between notes spaced one, two, or three degrees apart, such as I up to II, II up to IV, or II
up to VI. The following illustrations match single string intervals up to a Perfect fourth with
1 their corresponding adjacent string versions. In each matched pair, the number of frets up a
single string subtracted from five equals the number of frets down the next string (five up =
none down, four up = one down, three up = two down, and so on) :
l unison
0
~ mi2 M2
l rO

l rO

l
I :PJ ~P· <P·
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[ 0

·O
J
)

mi3 M3 P4
J ~

I
I r4
•
I rO

~)j ·$ ~)-4.
I

0
LO
J
0
7
f
The next illustration shows how intervals larger than a Perfect fourth usually appear within
scale patterns. These intervals occur between scale notes four or more degrees apart, such
as I up to V or II up to VII (A solid dot indicates the relative position of each interval above
the bottom circle):
l
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:a4
9

IPS
mi 10

16
M 10

lmi91 I I
-
p 11

I a 111

Recognition of all fingerboard intervals with a four-fret span will be reinforced by study of
the following condensed chart. In it, the interval numbers increase by three as the upper
notes move across the same fret, while quality names either remain the same or change
from augmented to Major, Major to Perfect, Perfect to minor, or minor to diminished:
M2 PS PS mi3 mi6mi9 M3 M6 M9 P4 mi7 milO

l
mi6
- --- --- dl2
mi9 ---

PS P8 Pll 1
:D
a4
I

4~ 4t 4
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l EXERCISE:
In the following extended Major and Hungarian minor scales, play and name the intervals
between each note and every other note within four frets above or below it. Start with the
intervals above the first note, then continue with those above the second note, and then
1 with those above the third note, and so on. When an interval has two possible names, such
as mi 3 or aug 2, aug 4 or dim 5, and mi 6 or aug 5, include both versions:

1
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D~W,--P-e¥,~ ~~
'-f-)S,,i11l
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~,~~r , ~~~
J 1. 1 s)~ 1 7 1 't\o

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FINGERING GUIDE I
by Tom Fowler
1
Since our purpose in this text is to develop fingerboard visualization techniques, many
unusual configurations will be shown. Therefore, in order to utilize fully the examples, l
some difficult fingering maneuvers must be made manageable. This section will present
basic rules of fingering and shifting which will facilitate the playing of these examples.
1
I. SHIFTLESSNESS

Minimized shifting within a particular scale or passage minimizes the risk of mistakes . If a
passage is contained within a twelfth, shifting may prove unnecessary. Here, for example,
are easily played fingerings in one position for all the modes:

l{<(
Lydian
l l; ~ Dorian
<)... 0
Ionian Mixol¥dian
2 2

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 (ll1

2 2(112 2CI )2 2 2

3 3 3

4 4 4•4 4 4•4 4 4(1)4 4

.· CJ" ~ (1 ?~
Ae~ian Phr Locrian

1( ll 1 1 Hll 1 1 1 1

3•3 3 I I 3 3 I I I Cll3

4•4 4•4 4•4

10
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l Extending either the first or the fourth finger one fret beyond its normal position while the
thumb remains in place allows some scales to be played without shifting position. First-
finger extensions usually occur in ascending scales, fourth-finger extensions in descending

l scales. In the examples, the ascending version of each scale is shown first, then the
descending version :

l WHOLE TONE SCALES

l
1 I I 1

I 1 2ll > I •2

1 2 2 I I 3

3 4. I (114

l 4 4 4

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DIMINISHED SCALES
II. EXPANDED FINGERING
As the above examples show, standard left hand finger-fret alignment covers four
consecutive frets, one for each finger. From this basic position, the first and fourth fingers
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extend and return . At times, however, a Major second occurs between consecutive fingers.
The finger spread now covers five consecutive frets and can be considered expanded. The
Major second may appear between any two fingers, facilitating: a.) diminished tetrachords,
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b.) consecutive whole steps, c.) a minor third above or below a minor second, or d.) two
consecutive minor seconds above or below a Major second:

d., olr I I
a' b.
,. c .I I
or J ..J 1
1 1• 1 1 4~1

2 ,. ·~ I
-
2 ,r3
2
I
~

- 2

3
·~
-
• ~3
2 3

4 4. 4 4 ~
-
4,4
3

4
••
I I -
Here are expanded fingering applications for: e .) the Mixolydian mode , f.) the whole tone
I

scale, and g .) the diminished scale :

f .I I I I 9.1 I l I
1m I I I
. . . . I
1

e.1 I
HD 1• •1
I I
I lUJ 2lttl - ~ -
\
2• m1 I I
I2! ~1 I
' J

. 2. I .1 3. I .2 .1 ' ,I
2• 2! p21
4• 2 4fA I A2
4 2
4•4t I I 4• • 3

H-H:
4 I

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~-1 III. SHIFTING
Shifting occurs when the entire hand, including the thumb, travels up or down the neck.
Simple shifts move the same finger along the same string. Upward shifts are most easily

l made by the first or second finger, downward shifts by the fourth or third finger:

up down up down
l
1 1• 10 1 1• 14t
l
1 '
20

1
1
10 34 30
~
2
•• 44 2
·~
+
34

I 4 4t 44 4 4. 44

I Compound shifts occur when the fingers change as the hand moves up or down the neck.
Moving from the third finger to the second while ascending and from the second finger to
I the third while descending are the easiest such shifts, as shown first in the following
examples:

up or down up or down

I 1 2 1 u 44.
'~
I 'llf
3 30 10
t I I I I I

2 4 20
••
I
.J

'j
4 3 14• 44
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As these examples show, higher-numbered fingers usually shift to lower-numbered fingers
on the ascent, and lower-numbered to higher-numbered on the descent. It will be seen in
the following examples that two-octave scales usually, but not always, require both simple
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and compound shifts:
l
Lydian Lydian diminished diminished
ascending descending ascending descending

14. 14. 1ll J , . I I 1

~D
2llJ I I I I 2
CD 2

""14 • 4.1 34
• 3~ f iH1
.
3 2 1

D2 44 ~
i
~- 24
4. 2• (ff)? I 4 4~ 3 1 4 2

"'
4

44 • 4~4 14 • 4t1 3

4 I I I •4

4.r4~ 1 34• •t34

I 3 3•1• 4
~

4( D
4tJ 4~ 3 I I 4~3
• 3e. .3

4.4("'... 4 I I 4•4<1'l'\4
•4f

14
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l
l
Harmonic Harmonic
minor minor
ascending descending
l
l 1
:D 14 • HI> 1

4.2

3 • 34 ~ (DJ

4 • 44.
).
4'•14 1

I 4~2 4 2

4 .4 I

l 4 '2 3

J c. 3 4

J
15
1
Since scale patterns can occur in many different places on the fingerboard, their choice
should be based on timbre requirements. For instance, a solo line might sound clearer if the
majority of its notes are played on the upper strings, while a unison or octave line with
other instruments might sound fuller if most of the notes are played on lower strings:

ascending descending
Phrygian for Phrygian for
unison lines solo lines

1 [) 1C I) 1 1

2 t

l2 • 24
14
•
• 4•4
3 1

4 ~ 44
• 4

--.-
1( D 4•1 4t 1
I I I ii
1

24.

'3(b
4 3 3

4~ • 4t4

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 ll r
L

1111111111111111 :
r

1111111111111111 :
r

1111111111111111 :
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1111111111111111 :
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 TRADITIONAL SCALES

All the common scales-Major, minor, or modal-share two common characteristics:

1. They move along all seven notes of the musical alphabet, then repeat the note they
started on :

ABCDEFGA BCDEFGAB CDEFGABC

2. The resulting eight notes divide into two consecutive four-note segments, two
tetrachords, separated by either a whole step or a half-step:

I I I I I t

DEFG ABCD EFGA BCDE FGAB CDEF

(WHOLE) (WHOLE) (HALF)

The types of intervals within tetrachords and between tetrachords determine the type of I
scale they produce. Consequently, pre-knowledge of the various tetrachord patterns eases
the visualization of scales.
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TETRACHORD PATTERNS

The natural musical alphabet illustrates four tetrachord types:

1. Lydian: Only whole steps occur between adjacent notes, and the outer notes span an
augmented fourth.
2. Major: A half-step occurs between the two upper notes, and the outer notes span a
Perfect fourth.

3. Minor: A half-step occurs between the two middle notes, and the outer notes span a
Perfect fourth .
4. Phrygian: A half-step occurs between the two lower notes, and the outer notes span
a Perfect fourth .

18
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~J When viewed along the same string, these four tetrachord types appear as follows:

I LYDIAN MAJOR MINOR PHRYGIAN

<D t u
·~
F
l
G(
D • G \,
~

• 4. • u •
1.

A.(
D • 2.
A j) • A CD • u •
B(
D • B cb • 3.
B <P • B :D •
4. c CD c <D c -p
) • • • 4.
•
4.
I ~· D
<D D :D

4•• • •• • 4•• • E :p • •

EXERCISE:
Play each tetrachord pattern on each string in various positions up the fingerboard .

19
In addition to its single-string form, each tetrachord produces three more patterns across
adjacent strings. Each can put three notes on the lower string and one on the upper, two on
the lower and two on the upper, or one on the lower and three on the upper. In Lydian
patterns, all notes occur on different frets, but in Major, minor, and Phrygian patterns, the
beginning and ending notes always lie on the same fret.

LYDIAN PATTERNS

~~

~p

1>
( p

MAJOR PATTERNS

p ~~

l>

1'

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l MINOR PATTERNS

I ~D

l
.D ~D
l
:D

I PHRYGIAN PATTERNS

] ~~

I
~~

I
j) ~ ~
J

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EXERCISE:
Play each tetrachord pattern on each pair of adjacent strings in various positions up the
J fingerboard.

21
J
For later reference, single-string (S) will mean all four notes on the same string; three-plus-
one (3 + 1) will mean three notes on a string and one on the string above it; two-plus-two
(2 + 2) will mean two notes on a string and two on the string above it; and one-plus-three
(1+3) will mean one note on a string and three on the string above it:

s 3 +1 2+2 1+3
J) Dc~
~D
:D 1' ( ~ ~D

:D :D ~D

:D

The four tetrachord types shown thus far-Major, minor, Phrygian and Lydian-can
combine with themselves or one another in various ways to form twenty-four different scale
types, some known by common names like Harmonic minor, Melodic minor, Dorian }
mode, Major, and so on, and others as yet unnamed. Furthermore, any scale type can
appear on the fingerboard as various mixtures of S, 3 + 1, 2 + 2, or 1 + 3 tetrachord
patterns .
To demonstrate the variety of fingerboard patterns any given scale type can assume, the
first scale to be illustrated, the Major, will show twenty different tetrachord configurations
for one octave, including not only the most practical versions, which will be marked by
asterisks ( •), but also those more difficult to see and to play. Then, to avoid redundancy,
the illustrations for subsequent scale types need only include their more practical versions.
After each scale-type heading, two brackets separated by an interval symbol will designate
the tetrachord types and the interval between them. In the Lydian mode, for example, the
bottom tetrachord is Lydian, the top tetrachord is Phrygian, and a minor second interval
separates them. The brackets therefore would show:

Lydian Phrygian
mi2

22
 l PREPARATORY VISUAL AIDS FOR ONE-OCTAVE SCALES

l In the fingerboard illustrations, four hollow circles will designate the bottom tetrachord, and
four solid dots the top tetrachord.

l Consequently, two circles will show the outside notes of the bottom tetrachord, two dots
the outside notes ·of the top tetrachord.

In all 3 + 1, 2 + 2, and 1+3 tetrachord patterns, the outside notes occupy adjacent strings
on either the same fret (Perfect fourth) or successive frets (augmented fourth).

When the top circle and the bottom dot lie on the same string, their parent one-octave scale
always occupies three adjacent strings.
Every such scale contains one or the other of the four following nucleus patterns.
Memorizing them now, then recognizing them as they appear throughout the illustrations
l will benefit both learning and retaining of scale patterns. In Major, melodic and harmonic
minor, Dorian, Phrygian, Mixolydian, and Aeolian patterns, a Major second separates two
Perfect fourth tetrachords:
I 1

l
1

I In the diminished scale and other eight-note scales, a minor second separates two Perfect
fourth tetrachords:
I

In the Lydian and Hungarian minor scales, a minor second separates a bottom augmented
fourth and a top Perfect fourth tetrachord:

23
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In the Locrian scale , a minor second separates a bottom Perfect fourth and a top
augmented fourth tetrachord:

MAJOR MAJOR
MAJOR SCALE PATTERNS I IM 2
In example one , two similar tetrachord patterns occur up the same string. Each is a Major
tetrachord , and they are separated by a Major second interval. The top note is an octave
(12 frets) above the bottom note . Roman numerals name the scale degrees from I (tonic
note) to its octave repetition :
1.
:p

II :J)

I
II :p
J
IV :J)

v ,.
~-
v

v ,,
VI 1•(I)

24
~l

In examples two, three , four, and five, the upper tetrachord pattern duplicates the lower
pattern two frets higher and on different strings:

2.1 I I i 3.1 I I I

l
l
l
l
I
4.1 I I I 5.1 I I I
• •

25
In examples six, seven, and eight, the lower tetrachord pattern occupies one string, and the
differing upper pattern occupies two:

6 7 8
(~ :~ ~p

~ :~ ~~

:p :~ :p 4t

:~ :~
:p

,. 4t
4t

• 4.
•
4

It 4~

,. It

26
~1 In examples nine, ten, eleven, and twelve, the upper tetrachord pattern occupies one
string, and the differing lower pattern occupies two:

l
1

9.1 I I I 10 11. 12.1 I I I

( ~~
:~ <~
~~

l :~ 4
• :p ~~

I
4.
•
4

4. 4
•
4.
J
4•

•
4

1
27
l
In examples thirteen through eighteen, the tetrachord patterns differ, and each occupies
two strings:

13.1 I I I 14.1 I I I 15.1 I I I

•

18
(D

16.1 I I j 17.
(D (~

D~ ~
(D

D <D 4~ 4t

••
4• 4~ 4t

•• 4t

28
In examples nineteen and twenty, the tetrachord patterns differ, and each occupies a
separate pair of strings, thus using all four strings to form a one-octave Major scale:

One-octave Major scales, then, can be played on one string, on two adjacent strings, on
three adjacent strings, or on all four strings.

SCALE EXTENSIONS BEYOND ONE OCTAVE

When a o ne-octave scale pattern continues upward, its top tonic note becomes the bottom
tonic note of the extension, thus conjoining two tetrachords. The unison tonic notes at the
point of conjunction will be shown by the symbol (i). Any of the one-octave patterns,
of course , can be extended. But extending examples nineteen or twenty would prove
increasingly awkward up to the second full octave, since all such extensions would be
restricted to the top string :
19 20
~) 4~ ~- 0
(~ 4•0

¢ 4• ~D
0¢ q> •• <D
0 (~ ct> ~)
<t <P
(~

••
0
0

•
•
·~ 4

4
29
repetitions are both easy to see and easy to remember, as the following step-by-step
formula and its examples will demonstrate:
1. Play a single-string tetrachord pattern up the bottom string:
2. Move up two frets and play any two-string pattern. It will now occupy the two bottom
strings :
3. Starting on the top note, again play the same pattern . It will now occupy the two
middle strings:
4. Slide the top note up two frets and repeat the pattern. It will now occupy the two top
strings and will complete the scale:

1. CD 1. 1.

~D

:p
:p

12 ,.3.~ ~ ~D 2.

~
u ~D4.4.~

. (D ~ t

•
4

32
l
'1 If the top tetrachord is single-string and both tetrachords are the same type, the formula
reverses :
1. Play any two-string pattern on the bottom strings:
2 . Slide the top note up two frets and play the same pattern . It will now occupy the two
1 middle strings:
3 . Starting on the top note, again play the same pattern. It will now occupy the two top
strings :
4 . Move up two frets and play a single-string pattern . It will now occupy the top string
and will complete the scale :

I
1.

I
1.

14.

14.

1
f

33
When tetrachord patterns repeat, as they do in each of the above six scales, their fingerings
can also repeat. Here are repeated fingerings for repeated Major tetrachords. The blank
second note in the three-plus-one tetrachord could be played by either the second or the
third finger:

All 3+1 All 2+2 All 1+3

1 1
1

I
11 11

4 13

41 '4 4

14

MODAL SCALES

As has been seen, the natural musical alphabet contains seven unaltered letters, which
repeat as the alphabet extends to and beyond an octave. Within this alphabet, half-steps

- - - -
occur between E-F and B-C:

A BC D EF G A BC D EF G A

The seven possible one-octave segments of the extended alphabet show the structure of
the seven modes, including the Ionian, which is identical to the Major scale . These modes
differ in the relative positions of the E-F and B-C half-steps above and below whichever
note is the modal tonic, as illustrated in the following chart:
c c v "/
MAJOR SCALE

C DEFGABcDEFGAB
D DORIAN MODE D J
/
\......,,......
E PHRYGIAN MODE E

F LYDIAN MODE F v

G MIXOLYD I AN MOD E G /
A .<EOLIAN MODE A 1'

8 LOCR I AN MODE 8

34
] As the chart also demonstrates, modal scales are one-octave segments of some extended
Major scale, in this case the scale of C Major. In any extended Major scale fingerboard
pattern, therefore, from II to II will be a one-octave Dorian pattern, from III to III a
Phrygian, from IV to IV a Lydian, from V to Va Mixolydian, from VI to VI an Aeolian, and
l from VII to VII a Locrian. Here, for example, are the modal patterns lying within one of the
two-octave Major scales:

l Major Dorian Phrygian Lydian

1
Ill

IV

v
l
I
Mixolydian Aeolian locrian
l
Vll
1 ~D¢
) q~ 4

I
(~ 4
l
l 4

4
J
The Mixolydian pattern derived from this particular Major pattern is especially compact,
occupying only four frets on three strings. But the Locrian pattern stretches out twice that
far along two strings. Within other Major scale patterns, though, the fret span of derived
modal patterns reverses-the Mixolydian pattern lengthens, while the Locrian shortens.
Finding the most practical versions of one-octave modal scales is only a matter of applying
J the process demonstrated above to other two-octave Major patterns.

35
1
EXERCISE:

Examine each of the two-octave Major scale patterns previously illustrated . On blank
fingerboards, record those modal scales found to be compact.

One-octave modal patterns may also be derived by altering one-octave Major scales . In this
method the modal tonics will be the same note as the Major tonic-C Major, C Dorian, C
Phrygian, and so on. The Major scale will alter one or more of its notes by half-step to
become each mode . Only one mode, the Lydian, raises a note from the Major scale
model. This note is degree IV in the Major scale :

F jM ajor F~LYdia n F Majo r F Lydian

Since raising degree IV of any Major pattern produces a Lydian pattern, lowering degree
IV of any Lydian pattern produces a Major . From that point on, the other modal patterns
occur by lowering one note at a time in the following order :
1.) Lowering degree IV of any Lydian pattern produces an Ionian (Major scale) pattern .
2.) Lowering degree VII of any Ionian pattern produces a Mixolydian pattern.
3 .) Lowering degree III of any Mixolydian pattern produces a Dorian pattern .
4 .) Lowering degree VI of any Dorian pattern produces an Aeolian (descending melodic
minor scale) pattern.
5 .) Lowering degree II of any Aeolian pattern produces a Phrygian pattern.
6 .) Lowering degree V of any Phrygian pattern produces a Locrian pattern.

Lydian Major Mixolydian Dorian

1). 2). 3).

VI

'

36
l
 Aeolian Phrygian Locrian
4). 5). 6).

I
I
I II

l
In the above consecutive patterns, a Roman numeral identifies the next note to be lowered;
then an arrow marks its new position in the next mode. Before being lowered, each of
these notes is the bottom member of a half-step, and after being lowered, it is the top
member of another half-step one degree down the pattern .

EXERCISE:

Apply the above six steps to the following Lydian patterns, paying particular attention to
half-step locations.

:D
~~

:D 4~ ~
•
:t> 4.

~~

37
In addition to comparing the Lydian and Mixolydian structures directly to the Major scale,
the six steps show how many and which Major scale degrees must be lowered to produce
the remaining modes.

Given that lowering VII of the Major scale (Step 2) produces the Mixolydian mode, it
follows that:
Lowering VII plus III (Step 3) produces the Dorian;
Lowering VII and III plus VI (Step 4) produces the Aeolian;
Lowering VII, III and VI plus II (Step 5) produces the Phrygian; and
Lowering VII, III, VI , and II plus V (Step 6) produces the Locrian .

EXERCISE:
].
Apply each of the above modal formulas to various Major scale patterns .

The one remaining method of visualizing the modes is to construct them according to their
lower and upper tetrachord types and to the interval between tetrachords. These modal
structures are:

LYDIAN MAJOR
Lydian: 1mi 21

MAJOR MINOR
Mixolydian: M 21 ,

MINOR MINOR
Dorian: I I M2

MI NOR PHRYGIAN
Aeolian: I 1M 2

PHRYGIAN PHRYGIAN
Phrygian: M 21 t

PHRYGIAN • LYDIAN
Locrian: m1 2

38
1
In any one of these structures, each tetrachord can assume any of its four possible patterns
(S, 3 + 1, 2 + 2, or 1+3). These tetrachord patterns then can combine into different one-
octave scale patterns. Here is a step-by-step process for finding these one-octave patterns,
a process now applied to the Aeolian structure : minor Phrygian
M2
STEP ONE: Visualize the four patterns for the bottom tetrachord :
1
j)
I mi
s
m1
3 +1
~D mi
1+ 3
~D

~D
.
:t> m1, :D cD
2+2

:t> :D cD
:D
:t>

STEP TWO: Visualize the four patterns for the top tetrachord:

Phr CD
s
3+1 ( D
CD
2+2
cD
cD
1+3 :J) ~

cD
J

39
J
STEP THREE: Put each top pattern in turn over the bottom single-string pattern, always
separating the two patterns by the designated interval, in this case a Major second:

2t I I ~ 31 I I 4
1J I I I
I

:D

<D • :D
<D • :D •
4

cb • :D •
4

• 0 4
•
STEP FOUR: Put each top pattern over the bottom 3 + 1 pattern:

5 I
61 I I I 71 I I I 81 I I I
:D cD

:D 4~

:D ~~

4.

0
40
~l

STEP FIVE: Put each top pattern over the bottom 2 + 2 pattern:
l 9 '
10 111 I I I 121 I I I
l <D <D

:D <D D<D

l :D • • D4~ 0
0 0
l
0 0
)
0
I
STEP SIX: Put each top pattern over the 1 + 3 bottom pattern:

131 I I I 141 I I I 15 16
<P ~~

<P ~Do

I
J
Dcp 0 D~Do

J 0 4. 4. 0
4.
EXERCISE:

Apply the above six steps to the Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, and Locrian
modes.
41
EXTENDED SCALES

Any one-octave pattern on three strings can be extended to two octaves by conjoining its
top note to any two-string pattern:

D~ c~ 4•
(
•
( D4
•
DcD ~ ct
•
]) dD 4~ <1
) 4~ ~ ~

~ ~c
( D4
(D 4 4

( Do
0

0
0

EXERCISE:

Extend several more three-string Aeolian patterns up an additional octave. Then apply this
same process to three-string Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, and Locrian patterns .

42
~1

l Any one-octave pattern on two strings can be extended to two octaves by conjoining its top
note to any three-string pattern:

l
1 ~D
l (D

1
:D ~D

4
•
4
•
~D
4.D ~ 4

l ~~ ~ D4
I
I 4~ ~

1
EXERCISE:

Conjoin several other three-string patterns to the lower octaves in the above examples.
Then apply the same process to the Dorian, Phrygian , Lydian, Mixolydian, and Locrian
1 modes.

43
J
 l
When a two-octave scale occupies only three strings, further extensions can be made . In
the example, the lower octave occupies the two bottom strings, and the upper octave
occupies the two middle strings, leaving the top string available for several additional notes:
l
l

:D

:p •
•
:p •
•
~D

~D .
• ~D

~~ qD

4•

•• I
(~
1
4. (~

~ ~ (~

44
~1

l The process for finding one-octave and two-octave scales by varying their tetrachord
patterns has now been amply illustrated. It should no longer be necessary to include as
many examples for each scale as have heretofore been shown . From now on, the
introduction of each new scale will therefore include only its bottom and top tetrachord
1 types together with some sample fingerboard patterns. The reader can then visualize as
many additional patterns as desired.

l
l MELODIC MINOR SCALE PATTERNS

Since the melodic minor scale in its descending form coincides with the Aeolian mode, it
has already been illustrated.
The melodic minor in its ascending form, though , coincides with no mode and thus
contains its own particular tetrachord structure-
minor Major
IM21

I
D
I

~D 4•
I
:D
l 4.
I :D
4.
4.
J

45
HARMONIC MINOR SCALE PATIERNS: minor Harmonic minor
IM21 I
This scale uses a new tetrachord type, the harmonic minor, as its upper tetrachord:

s 3+1 2+2 1+3

~D D cD ~D
:D 1'

~D
:D p D ~D
:D

Of the four harmonic minor tetrachord patterns, the 2 + 2 is the most practical, since it
avoids the left hand finger extensions the others require.

46
l
1 :J)
l
:p 4~

~~ 4.

] :p
4•
l
4•
J

I HUNGARIAN MINOR SCALE PATTERNS: Hungarian minor

I lmi2I
Harmonic minor
I
This scale uses another new tetrachord type, the Hungarian minor, as its bottom
I tetrachord:
5 3+1 2+2 1+3
I cJ) (D ~D
l ~D
I :D
(D :p
:D (D

J
<D
47
Of the four Hungarian minor tetrachord patterns, only the 3 + 1 avoids left hand finger
extensions.

It may be advantageous to view the Hungarian minor scale as a harmonic minor scale with
its fourth degree raised one fret, thus narrowing the interval between tetrachords from a
whole step to a half-step:
l
1
cD :D
~) 1
:J) 0

.D :p 0
( Do
•• 0

0 ~~ 0

NON-TRADITIONAL SEVEN-NOTE SCALES

As has been shown, each traditional scale-type contains a particular arrangement of

tetrachord-types and the interval which separates them. The traditional scales, though,
represent comparatively few of the possible tetrachord combinations. No traditional scale,
for example, combines a bottom Phrygian tetrachord with a top Major tetrachord, a bottom
Major with a top Lydian, a bottom Lydian with a top Phrygian, and so on. Such non- )
traditional tetrachord combinations provide for the bassist many additional scales, some
bland, some exotic, but each with its own flavor.

Here are one-octave samples of the non-traditional seven-note scales. Those found to be
appealing can be explored and extended by the methods already shown for Major scales.
In four of these scales, the bottom tetrachord is Major:
I
J
Major Phrygian
IM21

48
 6-V

...___ ___,,..._ ___,,IZ!W L..I-----...J ....____ _ _ ___,IZ!W . _ I_ _ _ _ _ _ _ , ,

!W ·5unH Ut!!pt\1 10U!W

:1ou!w S! p10tpE1Jal wonoq 04l '01ow OMJ u1

l
l
l
l
OS
·1
In three more scales, the bottom tetrachord is Lydian:
1
1 Lydian minor Lydian Phrygian Lydian Harm . mi
lmi2I lmi2I I lmi2I I
l
1

l
I
I
In six more, the bottom tetrachord is harmonic minor:

I Hmm . mi
I IM21
Majm
I
Harm. mi
IM21
minor Harm. mi
M21
Phrygian
I

I
I
I
J

51
Harm . mi Harm . mi Harm. mi Lydian Harm. mi Hung. mi
IM21 I I lmi2I lmi2I I

And in the last three , the bottom tetrachord is Hungarian minor:

Hung. mi Major Hung. mi minor Hung. mi Phrygian

I lmi2I I lmi2I lmi2I I

52
 PENTATONIC SCALE PATTERNS
1
Removing two notes from any seven-note scale leaves a group of five notes, one of the
many Pentatonic scales. The most commonly used of these Pentatonic scales removes the
1 fourth and seventh notes from the Major scale, leaving a mixture of Major second and
minor third intervals:

1 M2
------, M2 mi3
,-------.,
M2 mi3
,-------.,
c D E-G A- C

l D
M2 mi3
,-------.,
E-G
M2 mi3 M2
r-----i . - -
A- C D
mi3
r-----i
M2 mi3
.------, M2 M2
r---·-,
E-G A- C D E
M2 mi3
,----, M2 M2 mi3
r----1
G A- C D E- G
mi3 M2
,-------.,
M2 mi3 M2
..------, ....--
A-C D E- G A
1

On the fingerboard, Major secon:ds invariably appear as:

or as:
•
l
4
•
I •
I
I
•
•
j
And minor thirds appear as:
•
4 or as:

j
• •
53
Here is a one-octave Major scale followed by the Pentatonic derived by removing scale
notes four and seven:

Each note in a given Pentatonic scale can lie at the bottom of a fingerboard pattern , as
illustrated by the following five extended versions of the above I, II, III, V, VI note-group.
Circles will show the tonic notes of the parent Major scales, while solid dots will show the
remaining notes:

54
 Obviously, note-pairs other than the fourth and seventh can be removed from the Major
scale to leave Pentatonic scales. And each such group of five notes can form patterns over
any note within it. Here, for example, are the fingerboard patterns for an oriental-sounding
Pentatonic scale which deletes the second and fifth notes of the same Major scale as was
shown on the preceding page:

I
j
I
I
J

1
55
There are twenty-one different Pentatonic note-groups in any seven-note scale. These can
be found by:

1.) Removing adjacent scale notes: Major Notes 4 & 5

Scale Removed
Scale notes: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Omitted notes --EFGAB
in C Major: C--FGAB 6
CD--GAB
CDE--AB
CDEF--B 1
CD EFG--

2• 5 1

EXERCISE :

Find fingerboard patterns for the other five omitted note-pairs.

2.) Removing scale notes a third apart : Notes 4 & 6

Removed
-D-FGAB
C-E-GAB
CD-F-AB
CDE-G-B
CDEF-A-

EXERCISE :

Find fingerboard patterns for the other four omitted note -pairs.

56
~ l
3.) Removing scale notes a fourth apart:
Notes 2 & 5
Removed
-DE-GAB
C-EF-AB
CD-FG-B
COE-GA-

1
EXERCISE:
] Find fingerboard patterns for the other three omitted note-pairs.

4.) Removing scale notes a fifth apart:

Notes 2 & 6
J Removed
-DEF-AB
C-EFG-B
I CD-FGA-

I EXERCISE:

l Find fingerboard patterns for the other two omitted note-pairs.

5.) Removing scale notes a sixth apart:

Notes 1 & 6 Notes 2 & 7
J Removed Removed
-DEFG-B
C-EFGA-

J
57
 6.) Removing scale notes a seventh apart:
Notes 1 & 7 1
Removed
-DEF GA-
1

Because the Modes are seven-note segments of the extended Major scale, their inherent
Pentatonic scales will duplicate those already derived from the Major scale. The remaining
seven-note scales, though, contain many additional Pentatonic patterns . These will be
found by applying the entire above process in turn to the ascending melodic minor, the
harmonic minor, the Hungarian minor, then to the series of non-traditional seven-note
scales in the order of their appearance in the previous chapter.

For convenience, here are sample one-octave patterns of the first four scale-types to be
processed:

Ascending Harmonic Hungarian Major Phrygian

melodic mi minor minor M21 I

1Cll4 1(1l 4 1 2 5 ,1

2•5 1 2 ,1
1

1 7

58
·1 SIX-NOTE SCALES

1
WHOLE TONE SCALE PATTERNS: Lydian Lydian

unison

In this scale, the top note of the lower tetrachord is also the bottom note of the upper
1 tetrachord . Since the Lydian tetrachord contains three consecutive whole steps, two
conjoined Lydian tetrachords contain six consecutive whole steps, thus dividing the octave
into six equal parts. The individual notes of this scale combine into slanting

lines across the fingerboard ( ~ and / ) , making it the easiest of all scales to

visualize. In the examples, (t shows where the tetrachords conjoin, while ~

continues to show where the octave repetitions conjoin:

ONE OCTAVE

I
I

59
 09

CD

<D
4t

<D
4t

f ~~ <D
4D
~~

(D 4D

4.
~D
4.
<D

<D

SNOISN3J.X3
·1 As in the whole tone scale, any two tetrachords which each span an augmented fourth can
conjoin to produce a six-note scale:

Lydian Hung . mi Hung. mi Lydian Hung. mi Hung. mi

l I
unison
I
unison
I I
unison
I

I EXERCISE:

Extend each of the above six-note scales another octave.

I
I

61
 EIGHT-NOTE SCALES

DIMINISHED SCALE PATTERNS: minor minor

lmi2I

Since the minor tetrachord contains a whole step, a half-step, then again a whole step, two
minor tetrachords a half-step apart set up a succession of alternating whole and half-steps,
which continue to and beyond the octave repetition of the tonic note. As the examples will
show, tetrachords never conjoin in the diminished scale, nor do they ever lie a whole step
apart. Instead, they always lie a half-step apart:

ONE OCTAVE

62
 £9

CD
4.
l
4. I
4.
(D

-~ 4~

<D (D (D
4t 4t

CD ( D cD
l
4t
[
(D

l
t
SNOISN3l.X3
L
I
Traditional scales contain seven notes, one for each different letter of the musical alphabet,
before they reach the octave repetition of their tonic note. But the diminished contains
eight notes before it reaches that octave repetition. One letter must therefore be repeated as
I
a chromatic alteration of itself, F and F# or A and Ab, for example:

mi mi
1
Ir- mi mi
l
C DEbF F*G ABC ~DE~~ ~~A~A ~C

Including the diminished, there are sixteen such eight-note scales. Like the diminished
scale, the remaining fifteen consist of two tetrachords separated by half-step and each
spanning a Perfect fourth between its bottom and top notes:

P4 P4
1 mi2 I

All the examples of these scales will encompass two full octaves. In them, each circle a half-
step above a dot will show an octave repetition of the tonic note, as the above extensions of
the diminished scale illustrate .

Some internal patterns occur often enough throughout all sixteen eight-note scale-types to
make them valuable as visual aids.

Starting on the bottom note of a pattern, 1) shows the successive bottom notes of
consecutive tetrachords, and 2) shows both the bottom and the top notes of consecutive
tetrachords. A dot directly above a circle, 3), shows the half-step connection between
upper and lower tetruchords within each octave, and a circle directly above a dot, 4),
shows the half-step connection between upper and lower octaves.

1) :D 2) 3) 4)
•
4. <D
(D

64
·1

In four of these eight-note structures, the bottom tetrachord is Major:

Major Major (Next octave)

lmi2[ lmi2I~
I
I (D

4
•
( D (~

cD 4
jD
•
I ~ • 4 • ct
~ <t
I
0
)

I 0
l
I 0

4~

65
 99

I
{

I
I
I
I
I
l
I
l
1

l
l9 I
r

I
[
l
I
l
I

l
l
l
l
l
l
( 89

!
!
r

l
I
!-

. 1z1w1 1z1w.__1~-
+--' JW . Wlt?H lOft:!W
69

l.
l
~z!w 1 - I_ _ _ _ --------J
___.IZ!WI1-
.mf'ew mu!w
l.
l.
 minor minor
lmi2f lmi2I~

(This structure is the diminished scale , already illustrated.)

minor Phrygian
lmi2I lmi2I~

70
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r
r

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l
I

l
l
l
l
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l.
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l <D <D <D <D

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