Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Scale · 4-string · Root on E string, 2nd fret

F♯ Natural Minor Scale

F♯G♯ABC♯DE
EADG0123456789101112131415161718192021222324♭7♭345♭6♭712♭345♭6♭7♭6♭712♭345♭6♭712♭32♭345♭6♭712♭345♭62♭345♭6♭712♭345♭6♭7112♭345♭6♭71
RootScale noteDefining note (♭3 ♭6 ♭7): what sets this scale apartThe same notes elsewhere on the neckNumbers are scale degrees (1 is the root)

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 14 notes in 8th notes · 2 bars of 4/4
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
F♯
1
2
2
G♯
2
4
4
A
♭3
0
o
B
4
2
2
C♯
5
4
4
D
♭6
0
o
E
♭7
2
2
F♯
1
4
4
E
♭7
2
2
D
♭6
0
o
C♯
5
4
4
B
4
2
2
A
♭3
0
o
G♯
2
4
4
·

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)
F♯1Root
W
G♯2Major 2nd
H
A♭3Minor 3rd
W
B4Perfect 4th
W
C♯5Perfect 5th
H
D♭6Minor 6th
W
E♭7Minor 7th
W
F♯8Octave

The major scale with a lowered 3rd, 6th and 7th. Darker and heavier; the backbone of rock and pop in minor keys.

Also called
Aeolian mode
Vs. major
♭3, ♭6, ♭7
Key signature
3 sharps: F♯ G♯ C♯
Relative major
A
Use it over
Minor and minor 7 chords, especially the vi chord of a major key.
Practice tip
The relative major starts on the ♭3. Both scales share every note, so their shapes interlock on the neck.
Your best
Complete a loop to log a tempo for this pattern.

Practice routine

Add BPM every loops, up to BPM
every loops
Cycling 4ths is how jazz players drill a shape in all twelve keys.

How to play the F♯ natural minor scale on bass

The F♯ natural minor scale has 7 notes: F♯, G♯, A, B, C♯, D and E. The major scale with a lowered 3rd, 6th and 7th. Darker and heavier; the backbone of rock and pop in minor keys.

Step pattern: W H W W H W W (W = whole step, two frets; H = half step, one fret). Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7. Key signature: 3 sharps: F♯ G♯ C♯. Relative major: A major scale.

The root, F♯, is on the 2nd fret of the E string and the 9th fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 7th fret of the low B string.

F♯ Natural Minor Scale tab: root on the E string

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

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

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

F♯ Natural Minor Scale tab: root on the A string

Start on the 9th fret of the A string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 9 to 12 without moving your hand.

G|-----------------9-11-|
D|---------9-11-12------|
A|-9-11-12--------------|
E|----------------------|

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

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 2nd fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 2 to 11 with 2 position shifts.

G|-----------------------6-7-9-11-|
D|-------------2-4-6-7-9----------|
A|-------2-4-5--------------------|
E|-2-4-5--------------------------|

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

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

Start on the 7th fret of the B string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 7 to 10 without moving your hand.

G|-------------------|
D|-------------------|
A|---------------7-9-|
E|--------7-9-10-----|
B|-7-9-10------------|

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

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteIntervalFrets above the root
1F♯Root0
2G♯Major 2nd2
♭3AMinor 3rd3
4BPerfect 4th5
5C♯Perfect 5th7
♭6DMinor 6th8
♭7EMinor 7th10

When to use it

Minor and minor 7 chords, especially the vi chord of a major key. The relative major starts on the ♭3. Both scales share every note, so their shapes interlock on the neck.

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 natural minor scale in every key

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

More patterns from F♯

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

Your progress