Mode Mapping On Bass [2 Part Formula For Bass Lines/Fills/Solos]
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►► FREE: Get my Ultimate Guide To The Modes On Bass and finally stop struggling with the modes → becomeabassist.com/ug-modes
Today, we’re answering a question that I got on an older video of mine all about how to ‘map’ the modes and scales to different chords on bass, and it’s a great question! It came from a student named Andy who wrote:
→ New to your site and enjoying it very much. I’m still trying to grasp how to match the mode to the chord. I’m playing along with a computer jam covering Em7, Am7, C7 and B7. Figured out mixolydian for the C7 and B7 (I think) but not sure how to line up with the first two. Thanks for all you do. Cheers, Andy
This is a great question, and deeper than it might seem on the surface. It’s so tempting to see a particular type of chord and automatically assign a scale or mode to it. In fact, that’s exactly what Andy did. He saw the C7 and B7 chords and assigned the Mixolydian sound to them.
But is that the ‘correct’ sound for each chord?
Is it the ‘best’ sound for each chord?
Or are there other options?
That’s exactly what this lesson is all about. In this lesson, I want to share with you a 2-part formula that you can use to make very good choices when it comes to playing over more complicated chords and you only need to know 2 things to make it work.
The notes of each chord you’re playing
The notes of the key you’re in
With just these 2 pieces of information, you can make more inventive bass lines, create your own fills, or even improvise using some really cool sounds.
If you find that this is a little bit over you head at the moment though, make sure to download the Ultimate Guide To The Modes On Bass using the form on this page:
becomeabassist.com/ug-modes
It’s completely free and if you find yourself a little confused in this lesson, the guide will help you make sense of everything in this lesson. It’s completely jargon-free too, so even if you don’t know the first thing about music theory, you can still get a ton out of it.
In fact, Andy - the student who asked the question that prompted this lesson - was going through the guide when he asked me about mapping these modes to different chords. It’s just that he had stumbled upon a chord progression that used chords from outside the key.
►► FOR THE THEORY NERDS (Like me…)
If you wanted to know exactly where the 2 ‘new’ scales (they’re not really new btw) came from in this lesson, here’s the in-depth version. And by the way, you don’t necessarily need to know the intricate details of this stuff to make music with it, although for some people, it helps.
The scale we played over the C7 chord is what’s known as a Lydian Dominant scale. You can almost think of it like a Lydian scale with a flat 7 or a Mixolydian scale with a sharp 4. It’ll give you the same result.
If you want to get really technical, the Lydian Dominant is the 4th mode of the ascending melodic minor scale. That means that C Lydian Dominant is actually from G melodic minor, and if you wanted to get really technical again, that chord we played it over would be a C7#11.
The scale we played over the B7 chord is the 5th mode of E Harmonic Minor. It works because it outlines the B7 and includes the leading tone of the key (the D#) which makes the resolution to the E minor chord nice and strong. As far as I know, the modes of the Harmonic Minor don’t have fancy names, although if they do, let me know.
Like I said - knowing this stuff isn’t essential for you to be able to use it. The most important thing is that you try things out, make some music and have a good time doing it.
Cheers,
Luke
P.S. If you wanted the track I'm using in this lesson so you can practice all this stuff for yourself, you can get it right here:
becomeabassist.com/wp-content...
Enjoy!
0:00 Intro
0:37 Andy’s Scales/Chords Question
6:07 2 Part Formula For ‘Mapping’ Scales To Chords
11:14 Get My Free Guide To The Modes On Bass
#becomeabassist #basslesson #modes
Пікірлер: 33
Luke, you've just open a new door for me about modes!!! Wonderful information. Thanks again!
Oh man, that's the video i was looking for!, I showed my bandmate this video and we thought, how could we apply that concept to a progression like: Dmaj7, Dbmaj7, Cmaj7? There is no key or scale that has 3 successive chromatic notes. So We only think that we can improvise, using modes.
This is the first time that anyone has talked about why modes are important and made any sense to me. I'd always thought "why not just use the scale tones from the key you are in? But here we have two chords in the sequence that are not really in the key. NOW the modes make sense, even if you then go ahead and do something different ;)
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
Absolutely @Keith Collyer - they're super helpful when things pop up from outside the key. The tricky part then is figuring out where they came from so you can make good choices about what's going to work over them. Glad it made sense to you though (the first part at least - lol)
@KeithCollyer
2 жыл бұрын
@@BecomeABassist I keep this page as an open tab in my browser and go back to it every so often. I think I get more out of it each time (or maybe I just forget between each viewing ;) )
Great video, and that last example solo was super melodic!
Really good lesson Luke. I was impressed with how easily you showed how to fill in notes to play when chords are from “outside“ the key. An important concept for Bass Players.
Together with the content I’ve learn from you from your simple to understand modes, this has been really easy to comprehend. Thanks for all your you tube lessons. Much appreciated
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
That's so awesome to hear @Richard Atlas - I'm glad you're getting something out of it all!
Perfect explanation and sweet solo!
Thanks bro! I really appreciate all these videos, they really help me. I hope you have a great rest of your day!
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks so much @pickbassguitar! Have a great day yourself!
Interesting lesson and I definitely see the value of learning the modes. However, all I know are 1 & 6. I've been at the bass for about a year. I guess I need to rote learn the other modes and then play this 4 chord track (scales) at speed. Then perhaps I can start to deviate from the scale and begin to create.
Many many thanks! So clear
This was great. Thanks.
Great post Luke really helpful thanks
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
No worries at all John. Glad to hear it helped.
i think the world could do with more videos on how the minor key is devised. there are tons of videos out there showing I,IV,V as major chords and ii,iii, and vi as minor when in a Major key, but very little clear information on how minor keys work. It seems like the Majors change to III,VI,VII and ii becomes diminished but i dont know how constant that rule is. would this be something you could do a video about if you haven't already. I know it is more theory based than purely bass lesson, but could help some of us get our head around some situations
🤔 wow! Amazing! Excellent video!
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
Cheers @Steve Kucinskas. Hope it helped.
very interesting
Most of this is over my head, yet. I hope that in the near you might be thinking about doing one of your classes in theory, where this stuff will be worked out in detail, and I can get my hand held as I work through it. LUYT?
@DCSIDPA
3 жыл бұрын
Agree.
Great job, Luke! That is an interesting progression, isn't it? By knowing the E natural minor scale(aka Aeolian mode), you can plug in scale degrees to create scales that fit perfectly! That is brilliant! Is there a theoretical description of the C7 chord/ Lydian dominant scale use? As you mentioned, the V of Harmonic minor is the Phrygian dominant, which fits perfectly in the progression. I had occasion to play around with the Fifth Dimension's recording of Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine (kzread.info/dash/bejne/oYR_mbx_Zs3Meqg.html) and it is a good example of a Bmi going to the F# Phrygian Dominant. Lots of fun to play with that!
Love to know what your set up is on your bass Luke what bass is that , what’s the action like and amp you using Thanks
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
Hey @David Eaton. In this video, I'm using a Spector Euro LX with medium-low action and no amp. I'm just plugging directly into my Yamaha interface. When I do use an amp though, my gigging rig at the moment is an AER amp.
Luke, what's wrong with this (simpler) way of thinking? Over Em7, play the chord notes of Em7 (EGBD) and fill in with scale notes of Em Over Am7, play the chord notes of Am7 (ACEG) and fill in with scale notes of Em Over C7, play the chord notes of C7 (CEGBb) and fill in with scale notes of Em Over B7, play the chord notes of B7 (BD#F#A) and fill in with scale notes of Em That sure seems to match the summary captions around 10:00. **And I don't need to know a single thing about modes!**
@BecomeABassist
3 жыл бұрын
There's nothing 'wrong' with thinking of things this way @Anthony Bladon, and if if works for you, then absolutely do that. One potential trap you may fall into with doing this though is that all your ideas may end up being centered around Em. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but if you want to be very specific and outline those changes really well, then thinking in terms of the modes can be very helpful too.
Ive just downloaded for copy of MODES Guide. Lost the one I had 3 yrs ago.
I thought I was beginning to understand Modes until 2:10 - If Em7 is the 1, why are the Modes "out of order" from 1=Ionian, 2= Dorian, 3=Phrygian, 4=Lydian, 5=Mixolydian, 6=Aeolian, 7=Locrian. What am I missing here?
@BecomeABassist
2 жыл бұрын
Because we're in a minor key, not a major key. If you want to think in terms of the relative major key, then we're in G major, but just basing everything from the 6 (E minor). It's the same exact thing, but just starting from the E Aeolian. Hope this helps @Cliff Dickson.
@cliffdickson
2 жыл бұрын
@@BecomeABassist Yes! It all makes perfect sense now. Thank you so much for your quick response!
@BecomeABassist
2 жыл бұрын
Awesome to hear Cliff - happy I could help!