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Ben Wright plays bass for the New York City rock band Wu Li, and has toured and recorded with Jupiter One.

Broadening your Horizons with Pentatonics
By Ben Wright
Posted: January 22, 2007
Skill Level: Novice / Intermediate

Building creative, melodic bass lines that serve the song as well as tickle the fancy can be a difficult undertaking. Familiarity with the neck of your bass is essential in creating memorable lines that preserve functionality as well as originality.

Let's take a look at two basic, one octave pentatonic shapes on the neck.


FIG. 1. D Major Pentatonic-1 octave

FIG. 2. D Minor Pentatonic-1 octave

Both of these scales are very common in many styles of music. I think you'll find that the sound of each is familiar to your ear. Check out some simple lines that utilize these scales within one octave.


FIG. 3. D Maj pent bass line 1

FIG. 4. D Maj pent bass line 2

FIG. 5. D Min pent bass line 1

FIG. 6. D Min pent bass line 2

Now let's expand the range of notes on the neck that we have to choose from. Consider the notes in the D major pentatonic scale. D-E-F#-A-B. Start in the same position as in FIG 1 but this time, play the descending major pentatonic scale. Beginning with the root, D, you can play down the scale in sequence, D-B-A-F# and open E. (see FIG. 7)

FIG. 7. D maj pent descending

By adding the scale tones below as well as above the root on the 5th fret, you've added almost an entire octave to the range of the scale. (see FIG 8)

FIG. 8. D maj pent (low E to D 7 th fret)

The same idea can be applied to the minor pentatonic scale. Consider the notes in the D minor pentatonic scale. D-F-G-A-C. Once again, beginning with the root, D, you can play down the scale in sequence, D-C-A-G and F on the 1 st fret of the E string.
(see FIG. 9)

FIG 9. D min pent descending

And, once again, by playing the notes below as well as above the root on the 5th fret, you've added almost an entire octave to the range of the scale. (see FIG 10)

FIG. 10. D min pent (low F to D 7 th fret)

Play these two scales up and down a few times. Let your fingers get used to moving over a slightly broader portion of the neck. Let your ears adjust to the sound of the same scale tones placed above or below the root. Check out a few examples of how to effectively apply this idea to the lines you played in FIG's 3-6.


FIG. 11. D maj pent bass line (same line as FIG. 3 but with octave displacement)

FIG. 12. D maj pent bass line (same line as FIG. 4 but with octave displacement)

FIG. 13. D min pent bass line (same line as FIG. 5 but with octave displacement)

FIG. 14. D min pent bass line (same line as FIG. 6 but with octave displacement)

The same concept can be applied to build a scale over the entire range of the bass. Let's see how far we can get. Start with a very low note, say, F on the 1st fret, and play your major pentatonic shape. (see FIG. 15)


FIG. 15. F maj pent 1st pos., 1 octave.

Consider the notes in the F major pentatonic scale. F-G-A-C-D. Reset your hand to begin the scale with the F on the 3rd fret of the D string. Play the same major pentatonic shape from F to D. You'll have to shift positions to get up to the third octave F on the 10 th fret of the G string. (see FIG. 16)


FIG. 16. F maj pent 2nd octave

You can then play your familiar old major pentatonic shape, still from F, but now way up the neck in this new position.
(see FIG. 17)


FIG. 17. F maj pent 8th pos

Try connecting the whole thing. (see FIG. 18)


FIG. 18. The whole thing

Here's a good mind-expanding creative exercise. Find every F on the fret board and try to connect them all using the major and minor pentatonic scales. Do the same thing from D, G, and C. You should begin to see very familiar shapes all over the neck. Good Luck!

Next time…. Relativity and Connecting the Dots.

Copyright © 2007 Ben Wright