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MAJOR AND MINOR
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SCALES + EXERCISES
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BY MICHAEL MUELLER
HOW TO GET THE AUDIO
3
INTRODUCTION
4
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
6
SECTION 1: THE MAJOR SCALE
7
SESSION 1: OPEN-POSITION E MAJOR SCALE
9
SESSION 2: OPEN-POSITION A MAJOR SCALE
12
SESSION 3: OPEN-POSITION G MAJOR SCALE
15
SESSION 4: OPEN-POSITION C MAJOR SCALE
19
SESSION 5: OPEN-POSITION F MAJOR SCALE
23
SESSION 6: MOVABLE MAJOR SCALE: PATTERN 1
26
SESSION 7: MOVABLE MAJOR SCALE: PATTERN 2
29
SESSION 8: MOVABLE MAJOR SCALE: PATTERN 3
32
SECTION 2: THE MINOR SCALE
35
SESSION 9: OPEN-POSITION E MINOR SCALE
36
SESSION 10: OPEN-POSITION A MINOR SCALE
39
SESSION 11: MOVABLE MINOR SCALE: PATTERN 1
42
SESSION 12: MOVABLE MINOR SCALE: PATTERN 2
45
SECTION 3: BONUS EXERCISES
48
SESSION 13: CHROMATIC OCTAVE EXERCISES
49
SESSION 14: CHROMATIC SCALE EXERCISES
50
SESSION 15: QUASI-CHROMATIC EXERCISES
52
SESSION 16: MAJOR & MINOR ARPEGGIO EXERCISES
54
MOVING
FORWARD 57
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INTRODUCTION
As a bassist—or any musician, really—a basic understanding of
musical scales is essential. Although there are scale dictionaries and
encyclopedias available, containing every conceivable scale pattern
on the bass fretboard, you really don’t need all of that.
Major and Minor Scales + Exercises presents just the most
commonly used scale patterns for each of those scale types,
presented in the most commonly used keys in popular music (rock,
pop, country, R&B, funk, folk, metal, etc.), along with various
exercises to help you become comfortable with those scale patterns
in all locations on the fretboard.
The music examples in this book are presented in rhythm tab, which
is a number system that indicates not only the fret and string location
for each note, but also its rhythmic value, or how long to play the
note.
In tab, the four horizontal lines represent the four strings of the bass.
The top line is the G string, second line is D, third is A, and fourth,
or bottom, is E. The numbers you see on each string indicate the fret
at which the note should be played, so the number “3” placed on the
bottom line means you place one of your fret-hand fingers on the 4th
string at the 3rd fret—just behind the metal fretwire, not right on top
of it—and play the note. When a “0” appears on a tab line, that
string should be played open (unfretted).
Immediately below the numbers, you’ll see vertical lines called
stems, which are commonly associated with standard music notation.
These stems, in all their variations, indicate the rhythm in which
each note is played. At the top of the next page, you’ll find the most
common rhythms, including quarter notes, half notes, whole notes,
eighth notes, and triplets, as well as rhythmic devices such as rests,
ties, and more.
One thing that rhythm tab does not do is tell you the names of the
notes that you’re playing. However, it’s important that you know the
note names when learning and practicing scales. So, as a reference,
below is a diagram of the bass fretboard with every note name
indicated. It begins on the left with the names of the open strings (E,
A, D, and G), followed by all the notes on the first 12 frets of the
bass.
The notes at the 12th fret match the open strings, because the 12th
fret marks the octave, and at that point, the order begins again. So,
for example, the note at the 13th fret of the E (4th) string is F, just as
it is at the 1st fret.
You can see that some frets have two note names, such as F♯ and
Gb. First, you should know that these symbols indicate sharp (♯) and
flat (b) notes. A sharp note is one that has been raised one half step,
or the distance of one fret, in pitch; a flat note is one that has been
lowered one half step, or one fret, in pitch.
Second, you might be wondering how one pitch can have two
different names. These are called en-harmonic equivalents, meaning
two notes that share the exact same pitch. The note name you use is
determined by the song’s key or the scale you’re playing.

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

This book is divided into three sections, each containing a number of
sessions. You can treat them however you’d like—perhaps as daily
sessions, or maybe you’ll play through two sessions a day, or maybe
you’ll only have time for half a session in a day. Do as much as your
allotted practice time allows, but try to spend at least 15 minutes per
session.
Each session is presented in a single key for demonstration purposes.
For the ones in open position (i.e., using open strings), that’s really
all you can do. But for the scales with movable patterns, the
exercises presented here are just the beginning, because once you’ve
finished all six exercises in the given key, you can—and should—go
back and try playing them in every other fretboard position, paying
special attention to popular major keys like C, G, D, A, E, F, and Bb,
and minor keys like A, E, B, F♯, C♯, and D.
If you’re a beginner, you might be wondering how you’ll be able to
find those keys mentioned above all on your own. Well, every scale
taught in this book is presented with a scale diagram that indicates
where the root note is located. Combine that info with the complete
fretboard diagram provided on the previous page, and you can find
any major or minor scale in any key.
Given that there are nearly 100 scales and exercises presented on
these pages, we recommend that you initially go through the book as
written. Once you’ve finished, go back and start again, but this time,
add one or two new keys to all the movable patterns and keep track
of which keys you’ve added. When you reach the end a second time,
begin again, adding two or three new keys.
Also, be sure to use a metronome throughout, both for the printed
exercises and when you go back and play them again in different
keys. All of the scales and exercises on the accompanying audio
were played at a relatively easy tempo of 60 beats per minute
(BPM). The only exceptions are the sample bass lines, which are
played both at 60 BPM and at the indicated tempos on the tab staff.
Feel free to start at even slower tempos if you have any difficulty
with the exercises as written.
TUNING NOTES
The best way to tune your bass is to use an electronic tuner, but if
you don’t have one, you can use the tuning notes that are included
with the audio to this book. The standard tuning for the 4-string
electric bass is E–A–D–G, from low (closest to the ceiling) to high
(closest to the floor). An alternative naming pattern that you’ll see in
this book and elsewhere is to use string numbers: E = 4th String
A = 3rd String
D = 2nd String
G = 1st String
On a properly strung bass, you’ll twist the tuning peg
counterclockwise to raise the string’s pitch while tuning, and
clockwise to lower it.
TUNING NOTES: E–A–D–G
SECTION 1: THE MAJOR SCALE
The major scale is the foundation for just about all of Western
music, be it rock, pop, country, folk, jazz, or even classical. We use
the major scale to define keys, build the chords within each key, and
even as the basis for all other scales—including minor ones.
The major scale is composed of a series of musical intervals, each
note having both a letter name (A through G) and a numeric value (1
through 7). The formula for the major scale is: W–W–H–W–W–W–
H, where W = whole step (two frets) and H = half step (one fret). To
most easily demonstrate this on the bass, let’s take a look at the E
major scale, playing it entirely along the E (4th) string.
E MAJOR SCALE ON 4TH STRING
If you don’t already know the notes on the bass fretboard, you can
refer back to the fretboard diagram in the Introduction to see that the
notes of the E major scale are: E–F♯–G♯–A–B–C♯–D♯. These notes
correspond numerically to the numbers 1–2–3–4–5–6–7, which are
called scale degrees. For example, the G♯ note is also called the “3rd
degree,” or just the 3rd, of the E major scale, and B would be the
5th.
Note that E, however, is typically called the root rather than the 1st.
Sometimes you’ll see scales written out to include the 8th degree,
which, in this case, would be another E note that sounds one octave
higher. Similar to the root, we don’t call it the “8th,” but instead
refer to it as the octave, or octave root.
Let’s discuss that major scale pattern again. In the example above,
we started the pattern on the open E (4th) string, but you can start
that pattern anywhere on the fretboard to figure out the notes in any
major scale. For example, if you choose as the root the Bb note at
the 1st fret of the 3rd string, and then follow the W–W–H–W–W–
W–H pattern, you’ll spell out the Bb major scale: Bb–C–D–Eb–F–
G–A.

Bb MAJOR SCALE ON 3RD STRING

You should now have a handle on using the major scale pattern in a
linear sense (along a single string).
But bassists rarely play solely along a single string, so it’s critical
that you not only learn the pattern linearly, but also be able to find
the notes of any given major scale and play them in a single
fretboard position (a span of 4–5 frets) and across three or four
strings. And that’s exactly what you’re going to do in your first
session, starting … now!
SESSION 1: OPEN-POSITION E MAJOR SCALE
Open position on the bass typically refers to your frethand’s position
when playing open strings along with notes within the first four
frets. In the rock, pop, country, blues, R&B, soul/funk, and folk
styles, there are five commonly used open-position major scales: E,
A, G, C, and F.
This first session focuses on the E major scale:
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
Let’s begin by playing a single-octave open-position E major scale
(E–F♯–G♯–A–B–C♯–D♯–E) in both ascending and descending
order, using a quarter-note rhythm (count: “1–2–3–4” in each
measure). Be sure to use a metronome and set it to a tempo that will
allow you to play quarter notes without making mistakes. Also, as
you play through the exercise—and all exercises is this book—
continuously alternate the index and middle fingers of your picking
hand as you pluck the strings (frethand fingerings are included
below the staff: 1 = index, 2 = middle, 3 = ring, and 4 = pinky).
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Now let’s play the extended open-position E major scale. The
“extended” version includes all of the notes of the E major scale that
are found in open position, so some will be repeated.
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
When you play a scale “in 3rds,” it means that you begin on the root
note, skip the 2nd degree, and then play the 3rd degree. Next, you’ll
go back to the 2nd, then skip the 3rd, and play the 4th. Then, you’ll
go back to the 3rd, skip the 4th, and play the 5th, and so on. Play this
exercise several times. If you need to lower the tempo to play it
without mistakes, feel free to do so.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
A scale sequence is another terrific way to practice scales while
breaking the monotony of simply playing them in scale-wise
fashion. In a sequence of 3, you’ll play the first three notes of the
scale, then drop back one note and play three more: 1–2 –3, 2–3–4,
3–4–5, etc.
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Like the sequence of 3 you just played, the sequence of 4 works the
same way, except you play the first four notes, drop back two, then
play notes 2–5, and repeat the pattern: 1–2–3–4, 2–3–4–5, 3–4–5–6,
etc.
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
The bass line below is something you might here in an alternative
rock, or even a punk song, set in the key of E. It’s meant to be
played at a tempo of 132 beats per minute (BPM), which is likely
quite fast for you at this point. Start with the 60 BPM version on the
accompanying audio for now. Since this bass line is arranged in
eighth notes, it will be twice as fast as the quarter-note exercises you
just played, so you can set your metronome even slower (e.g., 40
BPM) if necessary, and then work your way up over time.

SESSION 2: OPEN-POSITION A MAJOR SCALE

In this practice session, you’re going to play the same exercises as in
Session 1, only using the open-position A major scale (A–B–C♯–D–
E–F♯–G♯).
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
This session kicks off with the single-octave open-position A major
scale. You’ll notice that the fingering pattern of the one-octave
version is the same as that of E major, just moved up one string. Play
the scale in ascending and descending order, using a quarter-note
rhythm. Like Session 1, be sure to use a metronome and set it to a
tempo that will allow you to play the scale without making mistakes.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Now let’s try the extended open-position A major scale, which
includes three notes on the 4th string, plus an extra one on the 1st
string. As you practice the exercise, focus on staying in rhythm with
the metronome.

EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Here’s the open-position A major scale in 3rds. Play it several times,
lowering the tempo if needed to play it without mistakes.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Now let’s try the scale sequence in 3s.
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here’s A major in a sequence of 4:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This bass line uses the open-position A major scale and is in an
“island pop” style over an A–D chord progression. Your target
tempo for this bass line is 114 BPM.
SESSION 3: OPEN-POSITION G MAJOR SCALE
For today’s session, you’re going to learn the open-position G major
scale (G–A–B–C–D–E–F♯).
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
Rather than starting with an open string, the open-position G major
scale begins on the 3rd fret of the 4th string. Start with your
frethand’s middle finger on the root, G, and follow the fingering
suggestions below the staff.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Now let’s try the extended open-position G major scale. Play it
several times and focus on staying in rhythm with the metronome.
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Here’s the open-position G major scale in 3rds. Play it multiple
times, lowering the tempo if needed to play it without mistakes.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Now let’s play the scale in a sequence of 3s.
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here’s G major in a sequence of 4s:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This bass line uses the open-position G major scale over the timeless
I–vi–IV–V progression (in the key of G: G–Em–C–D), felt here as
an ode to ’50s and ’60s doo-wop. The first time through the
progression, the bass line stays in the lower octave of the G major
scale. The second time through the progression, you see how it can
be reinterpreted in the upper register of the same scale. Note, too,
that the two-beat dotted-quarter-and-eighth-note rhythm used
prominently in this line is a must-know rhythm for bassists.

SESSION 4: OPEN-POSITION C MAJOR SCALE

Today, we’ll focus on the fourth open-position scale you should
know: C major (C–D–E–F–G–A–B).
Note that this one doesn’t contain any sharp or flat notes.
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
If you shift the one-octave G major scale pattern you learned in
Session 3 up one string, you get the one-octave C major scale. If you
stay in true open position, the highest note you can play is the B at
the 4th fret of 1st string. Here, we took the liberty of extending it
one fret to include the octave C root at the 5th fret.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Here’s the extended open-position C major scale. As with the one-
octave version above, be sure to heed the fingering instructions
below the tab staff.
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Here’s the open-position C major scale in 3rds. Play it several times,
lowering the tempo if needed to play it without mistakes.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Now let’s practice the scale in a sequence of 3s.

EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here’s C major in a sequence of 4s:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This bass line in C major offers a different take on the I–vi–IV–V
progression (in the key of C: C–
Am–F–G) than what you played in G major. Here, the two key
features are the use of 5ths intervals and octaves, plus the rhythm.
Even though you’re playing only notes from the C major scale,
they’re arranged so that the bass note you play on each chord change
matches the root of that chord (i.e., C
note on the C chord, A note on the Am chord, etc.). Then, the note
that follows the chord root is either the 5th scale degree above the
chord root (G follows C, E follows A, etc.) or the octave of the
chord root (octave F follows low F, etc.). Using 5ths and octaves is
very common in composing bass lines in pop, rock, country,
R&B/soul, and blues styles. The rhythm used here is also another
must-know rhythm for bassists of all styles.
SESSION 5: OPEN-POSITION F MAJOR SCALE
Your final open-position major scale—but by no means your final
open-position scale in general—is F
major (F–G–A–Bb –C–D–E).
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
The open-position F major scale sits entirely within the first three
frets of the bass guitar, making its fingering rather comfortable.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Even the extended version of the F major scale stays within the first
three frets. Play it several times and focus on staying in rhythm with
the metronome.
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Now let’s try it in 3rds. As usual, lower the tempo if you start to
make too many mistakes.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Here’s the scale sequenced in 3s:

EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here’s F major in a sequence of 4s:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This F major bass line covers the popular I–V–vi–IV progression (in
the key of F: F–C–Dm–Bb) and revisits the dotted-quarter-and-an-
eighth-note rhythm introduced earlier.
SESSION 6: MOVABLE MAJOR SCALE: PATTERN 1
It’s time to move on from the open position and learn some movable
major scale patterns. Whereas the open-position major scale patterns
you learned were specific to the roots, a movable scale pattern can
be played anywhere the pattern fits on the fretboard. Although this is
a movable scale pattern, it’s presented here in the key of G for
demonstration purposes.
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
As you can see in the diagram above, the root for this scale pattern is
on the 4th string, played with your frethand’s middle finger. Below
is the single-octave pattern. After playing it in G, try moving it up
two frets and playing it in A. Do the same with the rest of today’s
exercises, as well.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Now let’s try the extended movable major scale pattern, which
includes three notes on every string. Use the recommended fingering
below the tab staff. Note, too, that this exercise is set in eighth notes
(as are the remaining exercises in this session), so at 60 bpm, it will
be twice as fast as the open-position scales and exercises you played
up until now. Play it a few times and focus on staying in rhythm with
the metronome.

EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Here’s the scale pattern in 3rds. As usual, lower the tempo if needed
to play it without mistakes.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Let’s try the movable major scale in a sequence of 3s.
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here’s the movable major scale in a sequence of 4s:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This bass line supports a pop-style I–IV–I–V progression (in the key
of G: G–C–G–D). Notice how many of the notes are played on the
upbeats, or the “and” when counting beats as eighth notes: “1-and,
2-and, 3-and, 4-and.” This is called syncopation. You’ve
encountered syncopation in previous bass lines, as well, but not as
pronounced as it is here. Being able to stay in the pocket and groove
on syncopated rhythms is essential to being a good bassist.
SESSION 7: MOVABLE MAJOR SCALE: PATTERN 2
Today’s pattern also has its root on the 4th string, but this one begins
on a note fretted with your frethand’s pinky finger. For the exercises
in this session, we’ve chosen the C note at fret 8 of the 4th string as
the root.
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
The following exercise employs the pattern above, which is the most
commonly used version, as well as an alternative pattern that
requires a greater stretch on the 2nd string but no position shift. You
should learn and practice both versions, as each has advantages,
depending on the context of the chord changes or riff patterns of the
song you’re playing.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Now let’s try the extended movable major scale pattern, based on the
first version above.
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Here’s the scale pattern in 3rds:
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Now let’s try this movable major scale pattern in a sequence of 3s.
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here it is in a sequence of 4s:

EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE

This bass line takes inspiration from the open-position A major bass
line you played in Session 2, only this one uses a movable scale
pattern and is in the key of C. This bass line is also a little more
syncopated and has a ’70s pop-rock vibe. A recommended fingering
is provided beneath the staff.

SESSION 8: MOVABLE MAJOR SCALE: PATTERN 3

This movable major scale pattern is very similar to Pattern 1, only
the root is on string 3 instead of on string 4.
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
The single octave shape of this pattern is exactly the same as Pattern
1, except everything is shifted up a string.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Here’s the extended version of this major scale pattern. Note that, on
the 4th string, you’ll need to stretch your index finger back an extra
fret to get the lowest note of the pattern. Keep all other fingers in
position.
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Now let’s play Pattern 3 in 3rds.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Here it is in a sequence of 3s:
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here it is in a sequence of 4s:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This bass line is a rock-style example using a steady eighth-note
rhythm over a I–IV–vi–V progression (in the key of C: C–F–Am–
G). The first time through (bars 1–4) focuses on the upper register of
the scale pattern, whereas bars 5–8 shift the line down an octave.
Technically, the open 4th string in bar 5 is not part of this scale
pattern, but it’s an E note, which does belong to the C major scale,
and it not only makes more sense to use it here as an approach tone
to the F note (fret 1), but also represents a much easier change,
physically, than using the octave E (fret 2, string 2).

SECTION 2: THE MINOR SCALE

Like the major scale, the minor scale is also built from a series of
musical intervals, with the formula being W–H–W–W–H–W–W,
where W = whole step (two frets) and H = half step (one fret). To
demonstrate, let’s take a look at the E minor scale arranged along the
E (4th) string.
E MINOR SCALE ON 4TH STRING
The notes of the E minor scale are: E–F♯–G–A–B–C–D. However,
it’s important to note that, although we use the numerals 1–7 for the
minor scale, just like we do for the major scale, they’re labeled with
flats to reflect how they differ from the major-scale formula. If
you’ll recall, the major scale numerical formula was simply 1–2–3–
4–5–6–7. For the minor scale, however, those numbers are altered as
follows: 1–2–b3–4–5–b6–b7.
For example, here’s the E major scale:
E–F♯–G♯–A–B–C♯–D♯
Now, if you apply a flat (b) to the 3rd, 6th, and 7th scale degrees, it
cancels out the sharps seen in the major-scale spelling, resulting in
the E minor scale: E–F♯–G–A–B–C–D
To make it even clearer, let’s look at the C major scale, which
contains no sharps or flats: C–D–E–F–G–A–B
Now, apply a flat to the 3rd, 6th, and 7th degrees, and you get C
minor: C–D–Eb–F–G–Ab–Bb
Over the remaining pages in Section 2, you’re going to learn the two
most commonly used open-position minor scales and the two most
common movable minor scale patterns.

SESSION 9: OPEN-POSITION E MINOR SCALE

This open-position minor scale pattern has its root on the open 4th
string: Notice anything familiar about this pattern? It’s exactly the
same as the open-position G major scale pattern, only starting on an
E note. For every major scale, there is a minor scale that contains the
exact same notes; this is called the relative minor scale. To find the
relative minor of any major scale, simply count up to the 6th degree
of the major scale, and that’s the root of the relative minor. For
example, the note E is the 6th degree of G major, so if you play the
G major scale but start on the note E, you’re playing an E minor
scale.
G Major: G –A–B–C–D–E–F♯
E Minor: E–F♯–G–A–B–C–D
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
Here’s the single-octave shape of the open-position E minor scale.
The fingerings are the same as the open-position G major scale
(we’re just starting from a different note), so the scale should feel
familiar to you.
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Here’s the extended pattern, which incorporates the notes on string
1: EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Let’s try it in 3rds:
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Now we’ll play E minor in a sequence of 3s.

EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here it is in a sequence of 4s:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This bass line forms the groove for an Em–C–G–D mainstream rock
progression.
SESSION 10: OPEN-POSITION A MINOR SCALE
This minor scale pattern has its root on the open 3rd string, making
it an A minor scale.
Like the 4th-string-rooted open E minor scale from Session 9, the
open-position A minor scale is the relative minor of a major key—in
this case, C major.
C Major: C–D–E–F–G –A–B
A Minor: A–B–C–D–E–F–G
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
Here’s the single-octave pattern of the open-position A minor scale:
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
Here’s the extended pattern of the open-position A minor scale:
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
OK, now let’s play the A minor scale in 3rds.
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Now, we’ll play A minor in a sequence of 3s.
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
Here’s open-position A minor in a sequence of 4s:
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
In this bass line, the rhythm stays consistent across the four-bar Am–
C–F–G chord progression. Even though the entire line contains all
seven notes of the A minor scale, each bar contains only notes from
the underlying chord.

SESSION 11: MOVABLE MINOR SCALE: PATTERN 1

This movable minor scale pattern has its root on the 4th string.
Hopefully, you noticed that you’ve played this pattern before. It’s the
relative minor version of movable major scale pattern 2, only the
root here is under your index finger, rather than your pinky.
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
Here’s the one-octave version of the scale:
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
There are two ways you can play the extended version of this
movable minor scale pattern. The eas-iest—and most common—
way is to shift your frethand back to 4th position when you reach the
1st string. Alternatively, you can remain in 5th position and employ
a pretty big pinky stretch to play that B
note at the 9th fret of string 2 (shown in parentheses in the tab
below).

EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Here’s the scale pattern in 3rds:
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Here’s the A minor scale in a sequence of 3s; however, it’s set in
eighth-note triplets to freshen up the rhythm a bit. Eighth-note
triplets are the result of dividing a quarter-note beat into three even
subdivisions. Count the triplets as follows: “one-and-uh, two-and-
uh, three-and-uh, four-and-uh.”

EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
For the sequence of 4s, we switch back to an eighth-note rhythm.
Because of the position shift between the 2nd and 1st strings in this
pattern, this sequence can be a bit tricky in a couple of spots. Check
the fingering instructions beneath the tab staff in bars 3 and 6.
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
Here’s an alternative-rock-style progression in the key of A minor.
The bass line uses six of the seven notes of the A minor scale,
omitting only the B note on string 4. If you look at the chord
progression, you’ll see that the bass plays the root on each chord
change, with the exception of the F chord in bar 3, where the one-
measure walk-down begins on the 3rd (A) of the chord. Though it’s
generally preferable to play the root on a chord change, the 3rd or
5th is often an acceptable substitute.

SESSION 12: MOVABLE MINOR SCALE: PATTERN 2

This movable minor scale pattern has its root on the 3rd string.
As you can see, the one-octave pattern here is identical to that of
pattern 1, only it begins on the 3rd string instead of the 4th. For
today’s exercises, we’re going to play this pattern in 2nd position,
making it the key of B minor.
EXERCISE 1: SINGLE OCTAVE
Here’s the one-octave version of movable minor scale pattern 2:
EXERCISE 2: EXTENDED PATTERN
The extended version adds three notes on the 4th string.
EXERCISE 3: 3RDS
Here’s the scale pattern in 3rds:
EXERCISE 4: SEQUENCE OF 3
Like Session 11, you’re going to play the extended version of
movable minor scale pattern 2 in a sequence of 3s set in an eighth-
note triplet rhythm.
EXERCISE 5: SEQUENCE OF 4
For today’s sequence of 4s, we’re going to use a 16th-note rhythm,
in which each beat is divided into four equal subdivisions. Count
16th notes as follows: “one-ee-and-uh, two-ee-and-uh,” etc.
Since 16th notes are twice as fast as eighth notes, you may need to
lower the tempo on your metronome, but give 60 BPM a shot and
see how you do. Then make adjustments if needed.
EXERCISE 6: BASS LINE
This syncopated bass line in B minor calls to mind a late-’60s
classic-rock vibe. Watch your time, espe-cially on the last two eighth
notes in bars 2 and 4, which lead back to the root (B) in the next
measure.
In those two instances, you’re descending three strings, one note at a
time, and it’s easy to rush.

SECTION 3: BONUS EXERCISES

In this next section, you’ll get a selection of bonus exercises that will
help you improve both your frethand and pickhand techniques.
Several of the following exercises are based on the chromatic scale,
which is a 12-note scale that includes every note found within a one-
octave range. So, if you were to play the E chromatic scale along the
4th string, you’d begin with the open E note, and then play a note at
every fret, all the way up to the 12th fret, where you reach the octave
E note.
Here’s what that looks like on a fretboard diagram:
The chromatic scale, in and of itself, isn’t a scale that you’ll likely
ever use verbatim. Instead, you’ll more likely be playing a bass line
from, say, a major scale and decide to add a few notes between the
scale tones to form a chromatic line for a desired musical or
emotional effect.
Therefore, the next eight exercises, all based on the chromatic scale,
are often used as warm-ups. For all of the movable chromatic-based
exercises that follow, try to play them all the way up to the 15th fret
and then move back down the fretboard.
And to close out the book, we’ve included four exercises built on
major and minor arpeggios, which are just chords played one note at
a time.

SESSION 13: CHROMATIC OCTAVE EXERCISES

The following two exercises employ the chromatic scale up and
down all four strings, using octave intervals.
CHROMATIC OCTAVE EXERCISE 1
Here’s the chromatic scale as it appears in octaves along the length
of the 4th and 2nd strings. Use your index finger to fret the 4th-
string notes and your pinky finger to fret the 2nd-string notes,
allowing each to lightly touch the 3rd and 1st strings, respectively, to
ensure proper muting. This is a great warm-up for your picking
hand, too. Use your index finger to pluck the lower note and your
middle finger to pluck the octave.
CHROMATIC OCTAVE EXERCISE 2
Now let’s try the same thing, only this time playing the octaves on
the 3rd and 1st strings.

SESSION 14: CHROMATIC SCALE EXERCISES

In this session, you’ll play the chromatic exercise “in position”
across all four strings rather than up and down a single string.
CHROMATIC EXERCISE 1
In open position, you can play the extended chromatic scale by using
the one-fret-per-finger approach like the example below, which is a
great warm-up exercise.
CHROMATIC EXERCISE 2
To make the scale pattern in Exercise 1 movable, you’ll need to play
five notes per string, all in the same position. This requires you to
play either the first two notes with your index finger or the last two
notes with your pinky finger. Use whichever approach feels more
comfortable to you, or for an even better warm-up, alternate the two
techniques, as shown in the fingering below the tab.
CHROMATIC EXERCISE 3
If you’ll recall, you were encouraged to play all the movable scale
exercises in this book in every key up and down the fretboard, and
the same goes for the chromatic scale. Set your metronome to a
tempo at which you’re comfortable playing constant eighth notes,
and then try the exercise below, extrapolating it all the way to the
12th fret and back.
SESSION 15: QUASI-CHROMATIC EXERCISES
Since you’re not playing all of the notes of the chromatic scale in the
following pattern, we like to call it the quasi-chromatic scale.
QUASI-CHROMATIC EXERCISE 1
A common variation on the chromatic scale warm-up exercise is to
use just four notes per string, per position, with one finger per fret,
like this:
QUASI-CHROMATIC EXERCISE 2
Similar to the idea of playing a major or minor scale in 3rds, you can
play the quasi-chromatic scale in a 1–3–2–4 finger sequence on each
string while ascending the scale, and a 4 –2–3–1 sequence while
descending, moving up the fretboard along the way.

QUASI-CHROMATIC EXERCISE 3
We call this a “chromatic spider” exercise. This is a particularly
good workout for bassists who play fin-gerstyle. Follow the
pickhand instructions beneath the staff if using your fingers. If you
play with a pick, try using alternate (down-up) picking throughout.
SESSION 16: MAJOR & MINOR ARPEGGIO EXERCISES
The following four exercises employ various major and minor
arpeggio shapes to create challenging yet more musical workouts.
MAJOR ARPEGGIO EXERCISE
This exercise consists of three-note major arpeggios—chords played
one note at a time—played with roots on the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd
strings. Move this pattern up the fretboard in chromatic fashion (one
fret at a time) and then back down again.
MINOR ARPEGGIO EXERCISE
This exercise is the same as the previous one, only using minor
arpeggios and a different fingering pattern.
ADVANCED MAJOR ARPEGGIO EXERCISE
This exercise consists of playing major arpeggios in all 12 musical
keys, beginning in open position and then gradually shifting up the
fretboard as the exercise progresses. The first difference between
this and the previous major arpeggio exercise is that each arpeggio
doesn’t necessarily begin on the root note. Here, the arpeggio might
begin on the root (1), 3rd (3), or 5th (5), and may either ascend or
descend in pitch. These chord degrees are indicated beneath the tab
staff.
The order in which you’ll play the arpeggios is called the cycle of
4ths, meaning the root of each arpeggio is an interval of a 4th above
the previous root. For example, if your first arpeggio is C major, the
next one begins on the root that is a 4th higher, which, in this case, is
F. Then you move another 4th, to Bb, and so forth. If you’re really
up for a challenge, play it backwards when you reach the end,
reading from right to left, last measure to first.
ADVANCED MINOR ARPEGGIO EXERCISE
Similar to the previous exercise, this one features three-note minor
arpeggios (1–b3–5) sequenced ac-cording to the cycle of 4ths and
that gradually climbing the fretboard. Try this one backwards, as
well.
MOVING FORWARD
Great work getting to this point; however, your work here isn’t done.
Remember to go back and practice all of the movable scales and
exercises in other keys and positions, increasing the metronome
tempo as you grow comfortable with each. For major keys, focus on
C, G, D, A, E, and F—but don’t ignore the flat and sharp keys. For
minor keys, be sure to work on E, F♯, G, A, B, C, C♯, and D.
Also, watch for my next book, Bass for Beginners: Pentatonic
Scales + Exercises, which focuses on the major and minor
pentatonic scales, as well as blues scales and a few other fun things.
The format is very similar, in that, for every scale, we present a
visual diagram, a one-octave version, an extended version, an
intervallic exercise or two, scale sequences, and a sample bass line
—all with online audio examples!
Until next time, keep practicing and keep grooving!
Document Outline
How to Get the Audio
Introduction
How to Use this Book
Section 1: The Major Scale
Session 1: Open- Position E Major Scale
Session 2: Open-Position A Major Scale
Session 3: Open-Position G Major Scale
Session 5: Open-Position F Major Scale
Session 6: Movable Major Scale: Pattern 1
Session 7: Movable Major Scale: Pattern 2
Session 8: Movable Major Scale: Pattern 3
Section 2: The Minor Scale
Session 9: Open-Position E Minor Scale
Session 10: Open-Position A Minor Scale
Session 11: Movable Minor Scale: Pattern 1
Session 12: Movable Minor Scale: Pattern 2
Section 3: Bonus Exercises
Session 13: Chromatic Octave Exercises
Session 14: Chromatic Scale Exercises
Session 15: Quasi-Chromatic Exercises
Session 16: Major & Minor Arpeggio Exercises
Moving Forward