Faithless Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Hello, guys.. So, lately I've been mainly into pop music (projects and stuff..), and I realised that i must dig into pentatonics more seriously. I mean, it's not the soloing or something, that's important to me. No. I just want get a few advices how to construct pentatonic formulas, so that i could add a few tasty licks,when playing with a band n stuff.. I've been playing 'two-octave' pentatonic 'scales', starting from each pentatonic's degree, and a few other exercises, but I can't work it out, how to adapt 'em, so that they would fit in all 12 keys... Don't get me wrong - it's not the notes, that are the issue, I know them - I just want, that it'd become for me [i]easy [/i]to use pentatonics when accompanying. So, do you know any good books/advices, that'd give a bit knowledge about all this to me? All the best, Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GonzoBass Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Please let me know if these are any use in helping to answer your question- [url="http://wheatsbassbook.org/chapter_select.php?chapter=009"]http://wheatsbassbook.org/chapter_select.php?chapter=009[/url] [url="http://rockbass-beginnertoproinfourweeks.com/LESSONS/7.HTM"]http://rockbass-beginnertoproinfourweeks.com/LESSONS/7.HTM[/url] ...or are you looking for licks, riffs and ideas? If that's the case, John Paul Jones of Led Zep was a master both at fills and constructing lines with the pentatonic scales. His catalog of work is a great text book. Also, I can recommend a YouTube search for: "The Real Me" (either the original done by The Who or the later WASP version) "Mr. Big" (either the original done by Free or the later Mr. Big version) *Check out where the bass goes at about 3:50 here- [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhCilozomo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhCilozomo[/url] Both of these bass lines are classics but contain amazing examples of the pentatonic scale being put to good use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 I never really got on with the pentatonic scales. I just find them very angular, but in an uninteresting way, as well as artificial. I do use them, but very sparingly. Interesting anecdote though, Frank Gambale has talked before about how a great soloist uses a blend of arpeggios, full scales and pentatonics together, drawing from each in a cohesive way. I believe he's of the opinion that most moving music incorporates a reasonable balance of all three. Sorry, not much help here! Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foal30 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I quite like using the minor pentatonic on a major chord. starting from the 6th...it's hardly groundbreaking or original but it sort of can open my ears sometimes. also try it from the b3 on a DOMINANT chord...you might like this sound, altered like I guess. I do think pentatonic sound good as is... I don't normally break them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High score Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 [quote]If that's the case, John Paul Jones of Led Zep was a master both at fills and constructing lines with the pentatonic scales. His catalog of work is a great text book.[/quote] Sorry if it is a daft question, but is there a volume of John Paul Jones work available off the shelf? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XB26354 Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Pentatonics are just an available group of 5 notes. If you want to practise them musically try your exercises round the cycle of 4ths, use odd groupings (e.g. play up 5 notes of the scale at a time), use different rhythmic figures, like starting on the + of beat 1, then on beat 2, + of beat 2 etc. Melodically pentatonics have a simplistic and quite appealing sound, at least to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beneath It All Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 A book I found quite useful was Ron Middlebrooks 'Scales & Modes In the beginning'..Lots of ideas and lots of great sounding scales from around the globe; My version was Treble Clef.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beneath It All Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 [quote name='GonzoBass' post='433350' date='Mar 13 2009, 10:34 AM']Please let me know if these are any use in helping to answer your question- [url="http://wheatsbassbook.org/chapter_select.php?chapter=009"]http://wheatsbassbook.org/chapter_select.php?chapter=009[/url] [url="http://rockbass-beginnertoproinfourweeks.com/LESSONS/7.HTM"]http://rockbass-beginnertoproinfourweeks.com/LESSONS/7.HTM[/url] "Mr. Big" (either the original done by Free or the later Mr. Big version) *Check out where the bass goes at about 3:50 here- [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhCilozomo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FhCilozomo[/url] Both of these bass lines are classics but contain amazing examples of the pentatonic scale being put to good use.[/quote].....................Is he not playing a straight A major scale, [Mixolydian & Lydian modes]?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemuel Beam Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 [quote name='Beneath It All' post='438862' date='Mar 19 2009, 03:35 AM'].....................Is he not playing a straight A major scale, [Mixolydian & Lydian modes]??[/quote] Almost.. sounds to me like he's using E mixolydian with added major 7, like a dominant bebop scale, and D lydian.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beneath It All Posted March 19, 2009 Share Posted March 19, 2009 [quote name='Lemuel Beam' post='439830' date='Mar 19 2009, 10:31 PM']Almost.. sounds to me like he's using E mixolydian with added major 7, like a dominant bebop scale, and D lydian..[/quote].....But to me, the D# is a non-essential tone linking D to E, as is the A# that occurs on the same chord[e7], and linking A to B....Played in isolation, they're way 'out', and they only work[for me] when ascending........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemuel Beam Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 [quote name='Beneath It All' post='439909' date='Mar 19 2009, 11:51 PM'] .....But to me, the D# is a non-essential tone linking D to E, as is the A# that occurs on the same chord[e7], and linking A to B....Played in isolation, they're way 'out', and they only work[for me] when ascending........[/quote] I see what you mean. Although he had formal music education, I bet Andy Fraser wasn't thinking about scales technically when he came up with those riffs, he just played what he thought sounded good - and it does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beneath It All Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 [quote name='Lemuel Beam' post='440177' date='Mar 20 2009, 12:03 PM']I see what you mean. Although he had formal music education, I bet Andy Fraser wasn't thinking about scales technically when he came up with those riffs, he just played what he thought sounded good - and it does![/quote] ....Yes,I'd forgotten how good the band was;...Didn't know he'd[Fraser] had formal music training though...Cheers.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lemuel Beam Posted March 20, 2009 Share Posted March 20, 2009 [quote name='Beneath It All' post='440297' date='Mar 20 2009, 02:01 PM']....Yes,I'd forgotten how good the band was;...Didn't know he'd[Fraser] had formal music training though...Cheers..[/quote] Neither did I until this thread made me curious, so I checked out his biog: "...until I was 12 or so, I learned the scales, and played Beethoven and Mozart like a parrot, with all the passion of a typist. It all seemed like extra homework at the time, but I have since come to appreciate all the theory that was drilled into me, and the understanding of how all music, all chords, all keys are related, and once I reached the stage where I found music a means for expression, having all that experience behind me, made things a lot easier.." (snipped from andyfraser.com) Isn't it wonderful what you can learn through basschat.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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