Day 10.

Chromatic Scales

'Chromatic' scales: I mention this in tandem with ideas about connecting notes because 'chromatic' scales can be used to fill in the empty spaces between scales, within scales or between chord-based sequences of bass notes by just helping you to get around easier, to be 'connecting' one sequence of notes with another. They're like connecting notes in a sense but, by definition, they are scales and therefore have a defined structure or sequence in contrast with connecting notes which do not.

Definition: a 'Chromatic' scale is all the twelve notes between octaves, usually played 1st, 3rd, 4th, #4th, 5th, 6th, b7th, 7th, 8th, leaving out the b2nd, 2nd, b3rd and b6th but not always. Actually you can start almost anywhere in the twelve half-steps, depending on where in the music you're placing the chromatic section and what notes are nearby.

Play two or three fully chromatic scales. Try some with the b2nd, 2nd, b3rd and b6th left out. You'll have to do a little sliding with one of your fretting fingers (most likely your index finger) here and there.

Try using a chromatic segment (two or three chromatic notes) to connect sequences of chord-based bass notes. C, E, G - F# - F - E, G, B. F# and F are the chromatic connecting notes between the C and Em chord-based bass note sequences. The C chord is comprised of the sequence of the notes C, E, G and the Em chord is comprised of the sequence of the notes E, G, B.

That last sentence was a tough one ! Reread it slowly and play around on your bass and concoct a few more of these chromatically connected chord-based bass note patterns. For example: play some other sequences of notes which are notes in chords and then connect them with two or three chromatic notes as you go from one chord structure to the other. Then from the second chord structure back to the first. Not all chord-based bass note sequences connect easily using chromatic connecting notes. Find some that do.

Try chord-based bass note sequences and some chromatic connecting notes between three chords and then four chords. For four chords you could use A natural minor to D natural minor to G major to C major back to the starting point of A natural minor with some chromatic connecting notes between each. Don't play all the notes in each of these scales, just the three notes in the chords. Choose some others on your own.

TAB Specification - the above four chords and connecting notes

The actual notes are the first row of letters.

Fretting fingers of fretting hand numbered 1, index finger; 2, middle finger; 3, ring finger; 4, pinky.

~~~ A nat min~~~~ D nat min ~~~~~ G major ~~~~~~ C major ~~~~~~ chords

~~ A~ C ~ E~ Eb~ D ~ F ~ A ~ G#~ G ~ B ~ D ~ C#~ C ~ E ~ G ~ G# ~~actual notes

~~ 1 ~4 ~ 3 ~ 2~~1 ~ 4~~1~~1 ~~2 ~ 1 ~ 4~~ 3 ~~2~ 1~~4~~4 ~~fretting fingers

G ________________________________________________________________________

D ________________________________________________________ 2___ 5___6_____

A _________7___6___5____8________________2___5____4___ 3___________________

E __5__8____________________5___4____3____________________________________

Try finding alternate fretting/fingerings for these chord-based bass note sequences and connecting notes using everything you know up to this time.

Chromatic scales are very cool sounding. Segments of chromatic scales are used a lot in Jazz and Funk.

Definitely stop here. Go over the previous material before proceeding.

Now, review the information on Counting which is on page nine or ten in the Introductory Pages.

End of day 10.