Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Scale · 4-string · Root on E string, 7th fret

B Melodic Minor

BC♯DEF♯G♯A♯

Whole neck Left-handed

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 14 notes in 8th notes · 2 bars of 4/4 Bass clef

Note

Deg

Fing

C♯

♭3

F♯

G♯

A♯

G♯

F♯

♭3

C♯

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)

B1Root

C♯2Major 2nd

D♭3Minor 3rd

E4Perfect 4th

F♯5Perfect 5th

G♯6Major 6th

A♯7Major 7th

B8Octave

A major scale with a lowered 3rd. Jazz players use it in both directions; classical players lower the 6th and 7th on the way down.

Also called: Jazz minor
Vs. major: ♭3
Relative major: D
Use it over: Minor-major 7 chords and minor tonic chords in jazz.
Practice tip: Compare it with the major scale on the same root. Only one note moves: the 3rd, down one fret.
Your best: Complete a loop to log a tempo for this pattern.

Practice routine

One-bar count-in

Speed builder

Add BPM every loops, up to BPM

Move through keys

every loops

Cycling 4ths is how jazz players drill a shape in all twelve keys.

Memory mode: hide the tab and fingering after the first loop Small speakers: play the bass an octave higher

Bass Click Drone Chords Drums

How to play the B melodic minor on bass

The B melodic minor has 7 notes: B, C♯, D, E, F♯, G♯ and A♯. A major scale with a lowered 3rd. Jazz players use it in both directions; classical players lower the 6th and 7th on the way down.

Step pattern: W H W W W W H (W = whole step, two frets; H = half step, one fret). Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7. Relative major: D major scale.

The root, B, is on the 7th fret of the E string and the 2nd fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the open string of the low B string.

B Melodic Minor tab: root on the E string

Start on the 7th fret of the E string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 5 to 9 without moving your hand and 1 one-fret stretch.

G|-----------------|
D|-----------6-8-9-|
A|-----5-7-9-------|
E|-7-9-------------|

Notes: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
Fingers: 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4

B Melodic Minor tab: root on the A string

Start on the 2nd fret of the A string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 1 to 4 without moving your hand.

G|-----------1-3-4-|
D|-----0-2-4-------|
A|-2-4-------------|
E|-----------------|

Notes: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
Fingers: 2 4 open 2 4 1 3 4

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 7th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 7 to 16 with 1 position shift and 2 one-fret stretches.

G|---------------------------------13-15-16-|
D|------------------------12-14-16----------|
A|--------7-9-11-13-14-16-------------------|
E|-7-9-10-----------------------------------|

Notes: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
Fingers: 1 3 4 1 3 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4

On a 5-string bass: root on the B string

Start on the open string of the B string. The shape covers frets 1 to 4 without moving your hand.

G|-----------------|
D|-----------------|
A|-------------1-2-|
E|-------0-2-4-----|
B|-0-2-3-----------|

Notes: B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ A♯ B
Fingers: open 2 3 open 2 4 1 2

Notes and intervals

Degree	Note	Interval	Frets above the root
1	B	Root	0
2	C♯	Major 2nd	2
♭3	D	Minor 3rd	3
4	E	Perfect 4th	5
5	F♯	Perfect 5th	7
6	G♯	Major 6th	9
7	A♯	Major 7th	11

When to use it

Minor-major 7 chords and minor tonic chords in jazz. Compare it with the major scale on the same root. Only one note moves: the 3rd, down one fret.

How to practise it

Start with the metronome at 60 BPM in 8th notes, ascending and descending, until you can play it without looking. Raise the tempo 5 BPM at a time with the speed builder, then switch on memory mode so the tab hides after the first loop. Earn bronze for playing it through, silver at 4 notes a second, and gold at that speed from memory.

The melodic minor in every key

Printable chart of all 12 keys: PDF · print page · every pattern in one PDF