Click HERE for the rest of the Bass Lab archives.

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

Relativity and Connecting the Dots
By Ben Wright
Posted: April 10, 2007
Skill level: Novice / intermediate

The next step in "connecting the dots" on your fret board is understanding a very simple concept called relativity. This has very little to do with physics, unless you consider the vastness of your fret board to be equivalent to the vastness of space and time. In that case, you may consider climbing a very tall mountain and remaining at its apex to ponder your fret board in solitude for the duration of eternity.

Otherwise, consider musical relativity to be the relationship of sounds within a harmonic structure.  For example, every major scale or chord has a relative minor counterpart. From any major root, you can find the relative minor root by descending 3 half steps, or 3 frets. For example, if our major root is C, descend 3 half steps to the note A. (See FIG. 1.) A minor is the relative minor to C major. In the same respect, C major is the relative major to A minor.  

FIG. 1.  C 3rd fret to A open, or 5th fret. 

Here's the beautiful part. Use the shape you know for a major pentatonic scale, this time from C on the 3rd fret. (See FIG. 2.)

FIG. 2.  C major pentatonic

Consider the notes in the C major pentatonic scale. C-D-E-G-A.

Now find the relative minor root by descending 3 frets from C (the major root) to A (the relative minor root) and play the minor pentatonic scale. (See FIG. 3.)

FIG. 3.  A minor pentatonic

Consider the notes in the A minor pentatonic scale. A-C-D-E-G. Notice anything? The notes in the C major pentatonic scale are identical to the notes in the A minor pentatonic scale, thus, the relative major and minor relationship.  

Consider this concept for a moment. What is the relative minor to D major? Well, start with the note D and descend 3 frets to the note B and there you have it. D major's relative minor is B minor. This means that D major pentatonic must contain the same notes as B minor pentatonic. Check this out on your bass and see if it does. D major pentatonic contains the notes D-E-F#-A-B. B minor pentatonic contains the notes B-D-E-F#-A. Voila! 

Now let's apply this concept to the neck. We'll go back to using the D root for a while. Remember that D major and B minor are related. The idea is to connect the whole neck using one scale. In this case, we'll use D major and B minor pentatonics. Starting with the lowest note possible, which is open E, play the ascending scale up to D on the A string. (See FIG. 4.)

FIG. 4. D major pentatonic.

Now, shift your hand up to play the next four notes, E-F#-A-B. You should be on the B note, 9th fret of the D string, with either your third or fourth finger. Try to visualize the B minor shape that is sitting on the neck in this position. (See FIG. 5.)

FIG. 5. B minor pentatonic.

Continue up the B minor pentatonic shape, B-D-E-F#, then shift your hand up the G string to play the last few notes, A-B-D. (See FIG. 6.)

FIG. 6.  B minor pentatonic.

Try and visualize the D major shape that is sitting on the neck in this new position. It looks exactly the same as the original on the 5th fret, but we have shifted it up one octave. There are many ways to play this idea on the neck. I've illustrated a few of them here. (See FIG. 7-9.) The best thing to do is work on them all until you are really seeing the shapes and how they connect across the entire neck of your bass.  

FIG. 7. Dmaj/Bmin the whole thing 1

FIG. 8. Dmaj/Bmin  the whole thing 2

FIG. 9.  Dmaj/Bmin the whole thing 3

This concept can be applied to any relative major/minor relationship using the pentatonic scale.   Try it from F major. First step; find the relative minor. 3 half steps down from F is D. D is the relative minor to F major. Begin this scale from F on the first fret of the E string. Play your major shape up to D on the A string and try to visualize the D minor shape on the neck. Continue up the D minor shape to D on the G string, then shift your hand up to play the final note, F. Try to see the F major shape in this new position, and try to continue to the highest note possible! Here's an example of two ways to play this F major/Dminor pentatonic scale. (See FIG. 10-11.)

FIG. 10.  F maj/D min 1

FIG 11  F maj/D min 2

Practice this concept with different starting points until you are totally comfortable with it. Your options are open! Write some lines incorperating this concept. Good Luck! 

Next time….   Opening your mind to arpeggios.

Copyright © 2007 Ben Wright