Introduction

My purpose for writing this book is to include

everything I have learned about music in the last 30
years.I was a guitar player originally and switched to
bass after a spinal chord nerve injury that left
permanent nerve damage in my entire right arm.I was
fortunate enough to still be able to use my index and
middle fingers to pluck with.My bass influences are
Billy Sheehan,Geezer Butler,Randy Coven,Dave
Larue,Beaver Felton,Stuart Hamm,Jaco
Pastorious,Bob Daisley,Alex Webster,Cliff
Burton,Adam Nitti,Steve Harris,Geddy Lee,Les
Claypool,David Ellefson,Duff McKagan and Rex
Brown.A lot of my bass lines and patterns are adapted
from guitar licks as well as other instruments.I do not
believe in putting limitations on playing and believe
that as long as we enjoy what we are playing,that is all
that matters.I hope this book will be useful to others
and that people learn from it.I also believe that we
should listen to and learn the music we like. If you
hate jazz and country,don't waste time listening to or
learning it. I have seen a lot of beginning musicians
get discouraged and quit from being forced to learn
stuff they did not like.I have always loved all genres of
Hard Rock and Heavy Metal as well as film scores and
Classical.To this day that is all I listen to and
learn!Another thing to remember also is that a note is
a note. If you hear a 'G' note on a violin you can pick
up your bass and find a 'G' note.I am saying this
because one should not be limited to what he or she
learns based on there chosen instrument.I still study
Paganini Caprices and transfer certain parts to my
bass just for fun.I pick out different instruments in
symphonies and learn there parts.Yes,sometimes
some of the stuff is near impossible to transfer to
bass,but there is also a lot of music that fits very well
on bass. It is up to us to find new and inventive
techniques to make it happen.Remember,playing any
instrument is supposed to be fun and enjoyable.If you
get discouraged,put it down and walk away.I
promise,it will still be there when you get back.Have
fun and enjoy.

The first section of this book will focus on learning

scales all over the neck.I have included;
  Major
 Melodic Minor
 Harmonic Minor
 Harmonic Major
 Hungarian Minor
 Hungarian Major
 Neapolitan Minor
 Neapolitan Major
 Enigmatic Minor
 Enigmatic
 Persian
 Major Pentatonic
 Minor Pentatonic
 Kumoi
 Hirajoshi
 Whole Tone
 Augmented
 Pelog
  Diminished
 8 Tone Spanish
Now,scales are scales no matter which way you slice
it.There are hundreds of scale books out there and
they all contain the same thing.I learned all of my
scales from the famous Guitar Grimoire Series and
developed my own patterns to practice from that.
Lets start off by jumping right in and learning some
scales!
I want to point out that I am a "2" finger player and
play almost everything alternating my middle and
index finger or index and middle.Whatever works best
for you!
The first 7 examples are the C Major scale and the
modes that are derived.

The notes in the C major scale are

C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
Now,if we were to play the exact same notes but
starting and finishing on a note rather than C, we
would then have what is called a "mode" for example
if we played D-E-F-G-A-B-C-D we would have a D
 Dorian scale.
Let's look at a C major scale first.

Now,if we start on the secondnote of the C Major scale

we have the D Dorian scale.

Now,to get familiar with the entire fretboard I have

written out all possible positions on the C Major scale.

C Ionian

D Dorian
E Phrygian

F Lydian

G Mixolydian

A Aeolian
 B Locrian

After the 12th fret we would start over just one octave
higher.

After that last example,we run out of room! That

 should give you a good start on learning your way
around the neck.
Now there is no use in learning scales and arpeggios
unless we start to create something musical with
them.I found over the years that developing exercises
with different intervals and positions will start to bring
out new musical ideas.
How about practicing the already mentioned scales
but combining different positions!
I have ascended in the 1st position then descended in
the 2nd position.Practicing these type of exercises
will definitely get you around the fretboard from the
beginning.

How about ascending with 2nd position and

descending with the 3rd?

Ascending 3rd then descending 4th.

Take it up 1 octave!
 Groups of '4'

This is a fun exercise that I saw may years ago and

was usually played on the guitar.I figured why not try
and adapt it for the bass?It is a '6' note pattern
ascending with the C major scale.

The next examples are going to be the Major scales

written out in every key.Since I have already covered
the key of C, I am going to move on to the key of G
and go from there.I have always liked to work any
scale or exercise using the circle of fifths.

Working with the circle of fiths helps to break up the

monotony a bit and pushes us to play in keys we
normally would not.Working clockwise the order
would be;C-G-D-A-E-B-Gb-Db-Ab-Eb-Bb-F.If we work
counter-clockwise it would be
reverse;F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-B-E-A-D-G-C.
Either way is fine and it is up to you!
With that being said,I am going to work through the
major scales clockwise.Our first after the key of C will
be G.
G Ionian
 A Dorian

B Phrygian

C Lydian

D Mixolydian
 E Aeolian

F# Locrian

Notice for the last scale I had to use the 1st octave for
the pattern!
Did you also notice that in the key of G there is an F#
now included?

The next key will be D.

D Ionian
 E Dorian

F# Phrygian

G Lydian
 A Mixolydian

B Aeolian

C# Locrian

That covers the D Major scale and its modes.In the

key of D Major we now have the F# note as well as the
C# note.

Before me move on to the next key,lets take some of

the patterns we have learned and develope some
 exercises and licks.
Repeating lick in D Major
Remember to start slowly and alternate your index
and middle fingers throughout.Repeating exercises
are designed to build stamina and accuracy!
 G Major run

Here is a lick from one of my tunes 'Dinosaur Island'it

is all 16th notes and in the key of G major.

G Major arpeggio lick