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A quick lick recorded acoustic with my laptop crappy mic:-)
Im playing my old cheap Maison electro acoustic bass

A lick/run with a lot of slides only using notes from the E minor dorian scale.
A minor version of yesterday’s Major lick
I also show a E minor 7 voicing with harmonics -  from bottom up it is
E (root) – open E string
D  (minor seventh) – 5 fret D string
G  (minor third) – 5 fret G string

Download original quicktime movie here

Tetrachord priciples as introduced in my lesson “Practicing the Major scale – tips and tetrachords”
A series of scale/mode  exercises – continueing with the minor tetrachord scale.

The minor tetrachord is a four note scale that can be played with 4 different patterns/fingerings, you should practice them all.

Pattern formula is whole step, half step, whole step.
Here is Pattern 1,  4 notes on 1 string,

A method/series to learn the modes and common scales by dividing an eight note scale into 2 four note scales (the brain has an easier time remembering 1234 1234 than 12345678) You only need to learn 4 different tetrachords to be able to play all 7 modes : Ionian Major, Dorian minor, Phrygian minor, Lydian, Mixolydian Major, Aolian minor, Locrian half diminished.

Playlist with Four different fingerings for a minor tetrachord:

First all patterns played in sequence, then one by one:

Playlist with Four different fingerings for playing a One octave Dorian Minor  scale (a C Dorian minor scale is contructed of two minor tetrachords, the C minor and the D minor tetrachord)

Go to previous lesson on Major tetrachords HERE

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Noodling with my MXR bass octave deluxe pedal with a little talk about what I usually play when improvising over a minor tonality. I’m playing a Fender Precision 70′s bass with flatwound strings I’m “babysitting” for a friend.
Regarding “fret noise”:
Its the acoustic sound of the bass strings you hear getting picked up by the microphone, im playing with a very low volume on the amp, hence the string noise

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Nice fingerstyle 16th notes groove with dead notes, slides, legato and rake. FOR TABS mail me at mcrtchan@mail.ru

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A continuation of the theme from previous video (Minor 7 chord improvisation with scale substitution ) , how to improvise over a D minor 7chord, this time using the pentatonic scales contained in the C major scale or any of the modes derived from it – look below

C major ionian and/or C major pentatonic
Dm dorian and/or D minor pentatonic (of course)
Em phrygian and/or E minor pentatonic
F major lydian and/or F major pentatonic
G mixolydian and/or G major pentatonic
Am aolian and/or A minor pentatonic
Bm locrian

These all contain the same notes, but you target the notes differently by cheating the brain to see new patterns

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A practical theory lesson on how i approach improvising over a static m7 chord groove. In jazz, funk and rock, if a solo section consists of a static m7 chord, most often the Dorian minor scale is used (1, 2, b3, 4 , 5, 6, b7). The dorian minor scale is built on the 2nd step of the Major scale.
In this example the D dorian minor scale is 2nd step (or mode) of the C Major scale – or in other words it IS a C major scale just starting on the 2nd step/degree.
So on any given minor7 chord we can improvise a Major scale a whole step below.
ie if we play over a Em7 chord , we can play a D Major scale

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Fingerstyle Dead Note Groove with A-Minor Pentatonic Scale and Major Sixth.

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Dorian Slaplick with doublethumb and Miller style tab….

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The slow version is WRONG (sometimes its hard to dissect yourself) – so  ive include a transcription / tab:-)

Mostly blues scale with added major third (its more a chromatic passing note here) – the last part of the four bar pattern is mostly notes from the dorian minor scale.
A good stamina exercise too.

Quicktime original

iPod mp4 version

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I now give online “One on one” lessons: http://www.ashburymusichall.com/offerings/funk-rock-bass-marlowedk

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Im playing over a A7 to D9 chord sequence – We can call the tune “The Green Count”;-)
Even though the A7 chord has a major third, you can play minor thirds as well – its Blues!
Scales you can use:
A minor pentatonic / blues scale
A minor dorian scale
D mixolydian
A dimished – actually the A dim chord in arpeggio form
G Major scale – G Maj 7 arpeggio
E minor pentatonic scale

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Dm7 dorian scale: D-E-F-G-A-B-C

Try to transpose this lick to all different keys….

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When constructing a bass line to a Suspended chord (the 4th “suspended” interval replaces the 3rd ), its a good idea to use another scale than the obvious choice C mixolydian, to avoid emphasizing the major third because when Im playing the mixolydian scale the positions and scale patterns I use are so  – root, major third, fifth, seventh based – because im a bassplayer.  So to avoid that very “root position thinking” and at the same time getting fresh ideas i use a  “scale sibling” * -  another diatonic scale based on the same notes.

The Csus13, Csus9, Csus7.. is  normally a substitution for the dominant  C7, C9, C13… chord.

And that chord – the dominant 7th chord / mixolydian scale is derived from the 5th step of the F major scale (ionian)
So if we look at the diatonic scale/chord steps of the F major scale we get:
FMaj7 chord and the F ionian scale (steps 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5, 6, 7)

Gm7 chord and the G dorian scale (steps 1, 2, b3 ,4, 5, 6, b7) The scale I choose in the creation of this bassline

Am7 chord and the A phrygrian scale (steps 1, b2, b3 , 4, 5, b6, b7)

BbMaj7 chord and the Bb lydian scale (steps 1, 2, 3 ,#4, 5, 6, 7)

C7 chord and the C mixolydian scale (steps 1, 2, 3 , 4, 5, 6, b7)

Dm7 chord and the D aolian/natural minor scale (steps 1, 2, b3 , 4, 5, b6, b7)

Em7b5 chord and the E locrianscale (steps 1, b2, b3 , 4, b5, b6, b7)

The thing to notice that all 7 scales contain the same 7 notes (F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E) – its just the F major scale starting on the 7 different steps and they have these funny “greek” names Ionian, dorian etc

But you should actually just think of it as just a Major scale starting on different steps and since most of us have practiced the Major scale a lot ( i personally never got around to the locrian scale;-)), the thing is to recognize the different Major scale steps.

So here we have it

Csus13 substituting C13, see as 5 step of F major, so then when you improvise you can use all the before mentioned scales derived frm th F major scale

Here im playing ogf the Gm7 dorian scale, the 2nd step of the F major scale – im still emphasizing the root note C but otherwise looking at as a G minor dorian scale

That forces me to invent new fresh patterns since i see the same notes in a new fashion.

Heres soem of the scale choices i frequently use could use when playing over dominant sus 7:

The root scale of course – C mixolydian
G dorian minor, G minor pentatonic, D aolian minor , D minor pentatonic, Bb Major lydian,  Bb major pentatonic,,,,

The pentatonic scale are interesting because you allready know that scale so well – try and take one of your blues pentatonic licks and play over this backing track – look above for hints of which you could try

AND REMEMBER ITS THE SAME 7 SCALE NOTES (F, G, A, Bb, C, D, E ), you just view it from different “angles of the fretboard” and trick your brain into playing new awesome licks;-)

* “Scale sibling” is my own expression for a scale derived from the “Mother” of all scales on the western hemisphere – the Major scale)

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Ive done the backing track in Mac Garageband using a standard drumloop and playing a Squier Stratocaster;-)

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First part is mainly dorian scale with added major thirds, secon part is minor pentatonic / blues scale

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This second lick inspired by Gary Willis, in E minor, combines dead notes, palm mute and chords.

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Pack slap 1 – #01

You can find the transcription of this lick here

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Trying something new, using lots of slides and hammerons. This fill is inspired by a great gospel bass player Thaddeus Tribbet i saw on youtube

Mp4 version
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Moving up the neck playing all the different positions of the E minor dorian scale, this starts on the 5th (B) and ends on the 9th (F#) .
Notice the use of chromatic notes between the scale notes

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Continueing the Em dorian scale in all positions

This position starts on A (the 4th), 5th fret on the G string and ends on the A, 9th fret on the G string.
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3rd part of this series of the Em dorian scale study in all positions

In this position you can reach from the G (the b3) on the Estring to the D (the b7) on the G string.

The lick is somewhat inspired by Miles Davis solo on his famous tune “So what”, THE study of the dorian minor mode.
Want the transcription + TAB for this bass lick?

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Part 2 of this Eminor dorian scale in all positions series

Still in first position but this time not using open strings, making it easier to transpose to other keys – You should be able to use both since open strings gives other melodic ideas because of the fingering, and its sounds really cool when the open string note overlaps a fretted note, see L255.

I also incorporate some chromatic leading notes in this lick, here the notes fall between the octave E and 9th F#, you can view it as walking from E to F# using the note in between:

E –> F –> F#

Same applies in the next similar pattern, where we have the chromatic run from B to C# spelling B –> C –> C# .

Its one of the keys to make scale patterns sound musical and interesting – adding chromatic notes inbetween the scale notes

TIP when ever you have a scale with whole step intervals (2 frets distance), you can add the chromatic note between – the key is to put it rhythmically right.

As a general rule the chord/scale notes should fall on the down beats and the chromatic on the off beats ie when playing the first pattern slow:

Here with 8 notes:

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 1
E F F#

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E Dorian minor exercise using open E string root with hammerons on the A string using the dorian minor scale degrees. Very usable for funk playing.
I give an example in A dorian minor too

The Dorian minor scale (second of the 7 mode scales)
The minor scale often used in jazz/funk/rock/pop when playing over a single minor 7 chord
Many funktunes are built on 1 chord (ie Em7) or 2 chords (ie Em7 A7) progressions
The jazz tune “So what” by Miles Davis is composed using only the dorian minor scale (16 bars Dm7, 8 8 bars Ebm7, 8 bars Dm7)
I almost always use this for improvising on minor chords and for slapbass lines in minor, and i even use it over dominant 7 chords (ie E7) for a bluesy sound (the minor third instead of the major third)

Scale degrees/intervals, example in Cm:
C, tonic (1)
D, major second (2)
Eb, minor third (b3)
F, perfect fourth (4)
G, perfect fifth (5)
A, major sixth (6)
Bb, minor seventh (b7)

Scale formula:
Whole step – C to D
Half step – D to Eb
Whole step – Eb to F
Whole step – F to G
Whole step – G to A
Half step – A to Bb
Whole step – Bb to C

For the FEED subscribers out there, this post contains more more videos than the one available in the feed

The CMaj7 chord played in the 2 most common and practical positions
1st example:
root note – 1 (C) on E string – 8 fret
major seventh – 7 (B) on D string – 9 fret
major third – 3 (E) on G string – 9 fret

2nd example:
root note – 1 (C) on Astring – 15 fret
major third – 3 (E) on D string – 14 fret
major seventh – 7 (B) on G string – 16 fret