Bass Guitar Scales Under Chords Posted By: Scott Olewiler

There are two types of bass guitar players. The first type just plays root notes and a few chords and never really advances in his bass playing. The second type learns how to properly use scales under chords and has an endless variety of new things to play. Which type are you?If you play bass you're familiar with playing the root note of whatever chord the guitar player is playing. You also may have learned how to play the triads; or the three notes that make up the chord the guitar player is playing. Nothing wrong with learning and playing those but they are actually just the building blocks to what truly good bass players do which is to play scales under chords.When you play triads you're actually playing parts of either a major or a minor scale. These two scales are a good place to start. Bear in mind that even though a song may be in the key of G, when the players shift to the C chord you should be playing a C scale, either major or minor, not still be playing a G scale.Bass guitar scalemajor bass scaleminor bass scalepentatonic bass scales