book2

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MARTYN

KRÜGEL’S

BASS

MANUAL

Book 2:

Natural Minor Keys

FREE

ELECTRONIC PDF VERSION 1.1 - 2009

NOT FOR SALE

This is a COMPLIMENTARY Internet e-book made available for 01 January 2009 First draft completed 2007 – Revised and Updated 2008

The moral right of the author has been asserted

This PDF file was created as an additional educational aid for students of the bass guitar. The content, structure, format, analysis, design, artwork, photographs, methodology and model, remain the property of Martyn Krügel.

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PREFACE

This work is dedicated to teachers and students of the bass and particularly to and for the development of new aspiring bassists. This bass manual series – consisting of seven books – was designed as an additional study aid for students of the bass guitar and to show aspiring bassists just exactly how music theory is applied on the instrument and to promptly set the new bassist who cannot yet read music on the right track.

It is not the type of instruction book that suggests a specified method to be followed and as a result students are urged to develop their own course of action in working through these books. The assistance of a teacher or mentor will be invaluable and I urge aspiring musicians to always seek out a good mentor in music. I am also confident that a good mentor will immediately grasp the intention of my presentation and put the objectives of this presentation into practice, for the benefit of the student.

If anyone has any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

And good luck with the music. Martyn Krügel

Special thanks to Edwin Schroeder musician extraordinaire who introduced

and taught me the art of music and especially the greater art of

improvisational music.

Also a special thanks to my family and friends for their support.

INVITATION TO ADVERTISERS

The – Martyn Krügel’s Bass Manual Series – will be updated on a quarterly basis by the author and presented on his web site. Anyone involved in the music industry can therefore utilize this medium to promote their business.

Potential advertisers can contact the author directly if they wish to place advertisements of their products and/or services in the next edition of the – Martyn Krügel’s Bass Manual Series – for a cost-effective way to advertise and market their products and/or services.

For more details contact Martyn and request a price list.

CONTACT DETAILS

Martyn Krügel

web site: www.freebassmanual.com

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In book 1 of this series that deals with the major keys the student was advised to spend a considerable amount of time learning the application of the major keys on the bass and to gain a thorough understanding of the major keys. Now in book 2 that deals with the natural minor keys we will use the same methodology that we used in understanding the major keys but the practical application of the natural minor keys are a little easier because we have already actually played the minor keys when we did the major keys. The whole process – provided you know your major keys – will in reality be a lot easier.

By starting on the sixth degree of the major key the natural minor scale is produced so it is actually just a shift that occurs in that the sixth degree of every major key will now become our starting point (Key Tonality) in the formation of the new natural minor key. The minor key that is formed from the sixth degree of a major key is called the relative minor key of that major key and the two relative keys will share the exact same notes and key signature. For example: The relative minor key of C Major will be the key A Minor and the relative minor key of

G Major will be the key E Minor and so forth. Below is a table with all the relative major and minor keys. The

chapters in this book will also correspond with the chapters in book 1 in terms of the relative major and minor keys:

Book 1: Major Keys Book 2: Natural Minor Keys Chapter 1 C Major A Minor

Chapter 2 G Major E Minor

Chapter 3 D Major B Minor

Chapter 4 A Major F# Minor

Chapter 5 E Major C# Minor

Chapter 6 B Major G# Minor

Chapter 7 F# Major D# Minor

Chapter 8 C# Major A# Minor

Chapter 9 F Major D Minor

Chapter 10 Bb Major G Minor

Chapter 11 Eb Major C Minor

Chapter 12 Ab Major F Minor

Chapter 13 Db Major Bb Minor

Chapter 14 Gb Major Eb Minor

Chapter 15 Cb Major Ab Minor

The Natural Minor Scale Patterns

In this book 2 of the series we will now see how the natural minor keys are applied on the bass. Since we will be using the same methodology that we used in book 1 we will now have natural minor scale patterns that will cover the bass fingerboard utilizing the exact same principal that we used in book 1, but now applying it to the natural minor keys. Here we will also have three patterns starting with the root note on the top string and these patterns will also cover the fingerboard to the left, in the center and to the right. And again we will also have three almost identical patterns but with the root note or starting point on the second string and then finally and as always, the single string pattern that can and must be played on all four strings. But remember, if you have a decent understanding of the major keys and the application thereof the information given here will be purely a matter of principal and more easily understood since the bulk of the work was already done in the major keys.

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[The numerical value indicates the sequential order of the pattern and also represents the numerical value of the natural minor scale. The diagrams here and throughout the series illustrate your viewpoint when you’re holding the bass].

The three natural minor scale patterns with the root note on the TOP STRING:

Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

The three natural minor scale patterns with the root note on the SECOND STRING:

Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

The single string natural minor scale pattern with the root note on ALL FOUR STRINGS:

Single String Pattern

Note: The numeric values used in any other scale will always be determined relative to the numeric value of the

major scale of the same root note (starting point). Comparing the numeric value of the A major scale to the numeric value of the A natural minor scale for example, you will notice that the third degree in the natural minor scale has the numeric value b3 (flat three or flattened third) because in the A natural minor scale the note C is a natural note and in the A major scale the note is a C#. The same occurs at the 6th and 7th degrees of the natural minor scale. Observe the numeric values in the following two examples:

A MAJOR Scale A B C# D E F# G# Numeric Value 1 2 3 4 5 6 7



A MINOR Scale A B C D E F G Numeric Value 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 C MAJOR Scale C D E F G A B Numeric Value 1 2 3 4 5 6 7



C MINOR Scale C D Eb F G Ab Bb Numeric Value 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7

 Now, when we take these natural minor scale patterns and we LINK them over the fingerboard – it will form a kind of ‘NATURAL MINOR SCALE OR MINOR KEY ROADMAP’ across the entire surface of the fingerboard in which you can then play and improvise – once learned. It is important that you know your instrument well and learn to play all over the fingerboard in a particular key. Movement across the

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fingerboard of your instrument is absolutely essential and should be a natural part of your playing ability and the single string pattern will assist you in this and in playing these patterns in a ‘linked’ manner.

 What is interesting is that the above minor scale patterns remain exactly the same in form (the

PATTERN that you visualize and memorize) when applied to any other minor key. To play in any other

minor key will only depend on the starting note or the first note of the pattern also called the root note. For example: Starting on the B note and imitating the above minor scale patterns would produce the B

MINOR SCALE that then again produces the KEY OF B MINOR when all the patterns starting on the

note B are linked. Starting on the F note and imitating the above patterns would produce the F MINOR

SCALE that then again produces the KEY OF F MINOR when all the patterns starting on the note F are

linked and so forth.

 This means that when you’ve memorized these few set minor scale patterns mentally and technically (acquiring through regular practice the physical ability to play these minor scale patterns) you’ll be well on your way to be able to play in any minor key ALL over the bass fingerboard.

 Each and every ‘ROADMAP OF THE MINOR SCALE OR KEY’ produced by linking the natural minor

scale patterns, remains the same in visual form to any other individual minor key – a kind of mirror effect that takes place. This incident occurs on instruments like the guitar and bass purely by their design, where the ‘picture’ or pattern of one minor key looks exactly the same (visually) as the ‘picture’ or pattern of any other minor key. This repetition makes it just a little easier to learn the instrument. The subsequent notes calculated in a minor scale sequence from any given starting point will bring about that starting point’s minor key. The starting point for example in the key of A MINOR will be the root note or key note A and this starting point is also called the KEY TONALITY. It is the position of the notes and their note names and their respective sounds that differentiate one key from the other.

 And then finally concerning this topic, just bear in mind that the ability to play a pattern up and down fluently is not the music just yet (but it will be the first objective in terms of technique and learning your instrument). When we think of music and the function of these patterns, it is best explained when we observe the improvisational musician like a Jazz bassist who would create melodies, riffs, licks and musical themes spontaneously within these patterns by playing an assortment of different note selections and rhythmic variations around these patterns that has already been committed to memory. In other words, first memorize these patterns physically (technique) and then improvise around it. These patterns should be memorized visually in form, also numerically and it is also important that the note names of each particular minor scale are memorized as well. When you do all this practicing you will automatically train your ear and begin to develop your aural sense and also the ability to hear the relationship of sounds.

And please just keep in mind that if you have a thorough understanding of the major keys and the application thereof the information given here will be purely a matter of principal and more easily understood since the bulk of the work was already done in the major keys. By starting on the sixth degree of the major key the natural minor scale is produced so it is actually just a shift that occurs in that the sixth degree of every major key will now become our starting point (Key Tonality) in the formation of the new natural minor key.

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Comments on Fingerings

To immediately grasp the correct fingerings of the natural minor scale patterns or any pattern for that matter, it is best understood when we subdivide these patterns into the following three ‘sub-patterns’.

1

2

3

[The minor scale patterns are basically just a composition of these three ‘sub-patterns’]

Then we forget about this notion of ‘correct fingerings’ and substitute it with the idea of Finger Articulation. This is the ability to play any pattern with all of the four fingers or a combination of the fingers that presses against the fingerboard. This is how you commence practicing it:

1. Start by playing the above sub-patterns with only one finger, but all four fingers individually:

Index Middle Ring Pinkie

2. Then play the above sub-patterns with combinations of two fingers:

Index – Middle Index – Ring Index – Pinkie Middle – Ring Middle – Pinkie Ring – Pinkie

3. Then play combinations of three fingers:

Index – Middle – Ring

Index – Middle –Pinkie [Observe how sub-pattern 1 and 2 naturally falls into this combination] Index – Ring –Pinkie [Observe how sub-pattern 3 naturally falls into this combination]

Middle – Ring –Pinkie

4. And then finally play the combination of all four fingers and then apply this method of finger articulation when you learn to play the natural minor scale patterns.

 When you now observe the natural minor scale patterns you’ll see that the ideal finger to start with when playing the pattern that covers the fingerboard to the left will be the pinkie on the root note with the hand then almost perfectly in position to cover that part of the fingerboard that comes into play.

 The ideal finger to start with when playing the pattern that covers the center of the fingerboard will be the middle finger on the root note with the hand then perfectly in position to cover this part of the fingerboard that comes into play.

 The ideal finger to start with when playing the pattern that covers the fingerboard to the right will be the index finger on the root note with the hand then perfectly in position to cover that part of the fingerboard that comes into play.

 The single string pattern is probably the most important pattern and should be played fluently on all four strings with all possible finger combinations of one finger, two fingers, three fingers and four fingers.

[The crux of the above method that I call ‘finger articulation’ was introduced to me through an exceptional book called

Advancing Guitarist by Mick Goodrick – published by Hal Leonard,who recommended this method for learning and exploring single string playing].

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Comments on Technique

As discussed in the introduction of book 1, I would just like to repeat again that the overall objective when you play your instrument and play patterns and scales and so forth is to try and make it look like you’re playing the notes effortlessly or seamlessly and in a relaxed manner. You can now practice and play these natural minor scale patterns over and over as technical exercises to develop your strength and coordination and remember to stay relaxed. Over time your strength and the intensity (volume) with which you play the notes will increase.

Once you have familiarized yourself with the first natural minor scale pattern that starts on the top string and covers the fingerboard to the left and have determined the correct fingerings according to the section that deals with Finger Articulation and start practicing this pattern, your fingers should more or less already be in position with the notes that come into play. Observe the following sequence of photographs where I play that first natural minor scale pattern while striving for that economy of movement. [One photo for every degree of the pattern ascending and descending]:

1st Degree 2nd Degree 3rd Degree 4th Degree 5th Degree

6th Degree 7th Degree 8th Degree 9th Degree 10th Degree

9th Degree 8th Degree 7th Degree 6th Degree 5th Degree

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Comments on Improvisation

[IMPORTANT NOTICE: The new aspiring musician should just take a moment

and think about and conceptualize the notion of IMPROVISATION in the context

of music with the goal of applying it when learning, practicing and playing].

A few things to think about and apply when incorporating improvisation when playing or practicing something like the natural minor scale patterns and open to your own

interpretation

Accents Phrasing Arpeggios Relaxation Note Repetition

Tempo Speed Note Selection Taking Risks Volume

Beat Melody Trills Listening Finger Articulation Coordination Legato Intervals Timing Single String

Amplitude Pizzicato Modes Syncopation Chords

Rhythms Articulation Question &

Answer Emotion Blues Tremolo Phantom Notes Concentration Jazz Silence

Dynamics Triplets Open Strings Length of Note Space

Ornaments Harmonics Bebop Triads Discipline

Scatting Tapping Visualizations Sliding Music

A Final Word

In working through this book, what you as the student need to do is to apply the things that are shown to you. For example: When you see a section dealing with intervals and in that section it is stated that the notes A and

C together produces a minor third interval, you must then take your bass and apply this and play these two

notes and listen and observe and say to yourself, okay, so this is a minor third interval and approach all the other topics in the same fashion. Forgive me for stating the obvious but keep in mind that one of your objectives is to become technically adept at producing the things that you learn on your instrument and in order to do that, you will have to commit yourself to the physical practicing of the instrument.

You will also observe when working through this book how each chapter is almost a carbon copy of the next chapter except for the note names and their respective sounds and the different positions on the fingerboard that changes with every different natural minor key. The student is advised to compare the chapters with one another to see and find the characteristics of the minor keys.

When you work slowly through the chapters in this book you will begin to conceptualize the application of theory on your bass and with a little persistence and before you know it you’ll have an extensive music vocabulary or a sort of information database that you can draw on when you play. Do not be put of by the jargon or terminology used in the theory because as you gradually work through every chapter you will come to terms with the important things. Once you have grasped and worked through the first chapter of this book, every subsequent chapter will also be easier because you will basically be doing the same stuff. Your ability to hear things in a musical context will also develop and your ear will automatically catch-up with the things you are doing and this facility to hear things will begin to subconsciously dictate what you want or need to do. Observe this phenomenon when it occurs and cultivate it further. When you work diligently through this book there will come a stage at some point when you’ll sit and practice and all of a sudden you’ll pick up a familiar tune and you’ll be

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able to play it or a close variation thereof. And then on another day you might be listening to one of your favorite tunes that’s maybe in the keys of B Minor and F# Minor and as a result of your ability to now play in those two keys, you’ll be able to jam along with the music and improvise in these keys together with the tune or you will just create your own tunes and play your own music. Give it a couple of months and be patient. The first couple of months are difficult but only because everything is so new but once you have familiarized yourself with a couple of concepts things will quickly start to make sense.

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Chapter 1 THE KEY OF A MINOR (Natural)

The Notes

The key of A MINOR (Natural) is derived from the A NATURAL MINOR SCALE. The notes of the A

NATURAL MINOR SCALE may be presented as follows with a numerical value attributed to each note:

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

1/

8 2/

9 b

3/

b10

4/

11 5/

12 b

6/

b13

b

7

In written musical form the A NATURAL MINOR SCALE is presented in this manner:

TrebleClef

Bass Clef

[NOTE: The focus here is not on reading music. The discipline of reading music will however be much easier to grasp once the basics of this series of books is understood and any aspiring musician should be urged to learn how to read music].

The Bass Fingerboard

On the bass fingerboard the notes of the A NATURAL MINOR SCALE shows up as follows and yes, this is also all the natural notes on the fingerboard with the relative Major Key being C MAJOR:

When we take the various natural minor scale patterns and we LINK them over the fingerboard – it will form a kind of ‘MINOR SCALE OR MINOR KEY ROADMAP’ and the subsequent reproduction of the above ‘picture’. So in order to memorize the above sequence of notes we will start by learning the individual minor scale patterns as indicated in the following section. In this chapter of A MINOR the first note or root note of each pattern will be the note A and when we link these natural minor scale patterns, we’ll get the above ‘picture’ of the key of A MINOR that covers the whole extent of the fingerboard.

The Natural Minor Scale Patterns

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Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

Single String Pattern

Intervals

I

1

st

_A

_B

_C

_D

_E

_F

_G

3

rd

_C

_D

_E

_F

_G

_A

_B

5

th

_E

_F

_G

_A

_B

_C

_D

I

A Minor

1 st

A

3 rd

C

_(b3)

5 th

E

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IV

D Minor

1 st

D

3 rd

F

_(b3)

5 th

A

(19)

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VII

G Major

1 st

G

3 rd

B

5 th

D

Further Harmonization of the Scale Tone Chords in A Minor (Natural)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

A Minor Seventh B Minor Seven flat Five C Major Seventh D Minor Seventh E Minor Seventh F Major Seventh G7 (Seventh)

1

st

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

3

rd

C

D

E

F

G

A

B

5

th

E

F

G

A

B

C

D

7

th

G

A

B

C

D

E

F

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Chapter 2 THE KEY OF E MINOR (Natural)

The Notes

The key of E MINOR (Natural) is derived from the E NATURAL MINOR SCALE. The notes of the E NATURAL

MINOR SCALE may be presented as follows with a numerical value attributed to each note:

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

E

F#

G

A

B

C

D

1/

8 2/

9 b

3/

b10

4/

11 5/

12 b

6/

b13

b

7

In written musical form the E NATURAL MINOR SCALE is presented in this manner:

TrebleClef

Bass Clef

The Bass Fingerboard

On the bass fingerboard the notes of the E NATURAL MINOR SCALE show up as follows – the relative Major Key is G MAJOR:

When we take the various natural minor scale patterns and we LINK them over the fingerboard – it will form a kind of ‘MINOR SCALE OR MINOR KEY ROADMAP’ and the subsequent reproduction of the above ‘picture’. So in order to memorize the above sequence of notes we will start by learning the individual minor scale patterns as indicated in the following section. In this chapter of E MINOR the first note or root note of each pattern will be the note E and when we link these natural minor scale patterns, we’ll get the above ‘picture’ of the key of E MINOR that covers the whole extent of the fingerboard.

The Natural Minor Scale Patterns

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Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

Single String Pattern

Intervals

I

E

⇩

F#

G

A

B

C

D

E

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II

F#

⇩

G

A

B

C

D

E

F#

III

G

⇩

A

B

C

D

E

F#

G

IV

A

⇩

B

C

D

E

F#

G

A

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V

B

⇩

C

D

E

F#

G

A

B

VI

C

⇩

D

E

F#

G

A

B

C

VII

D

⇩

E

F#

G

A

B

C

D

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Harmony: The Scale Tone Chords (triads)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

1

st

_E

_F#

_G

_A

_B

_C

_D

3

rd

_G

_A

_B

_C

_D

_E

_F#

5

th

_B

_C

_D

_E

_F#

_G

_A

I

E Minor

1 st

E

3 rd

G

_(b3)

5 th

B

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IV

A Minor

1 st

A

3 rd

C

_(b3)

5 th

E

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VII

D Major

1 st

D

3 rd

F#

5 th

A

Further Harmonization of the Scale Tone Chords in E Minor (Natural)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

E Minor Seventh F# Minor Seven flat Five G Major Seventh A Minor Seventh B Minor Seventh C Major Seventh D7 (Seventh)

1

st

E

F#

G

A

B

C

D

3

rd

G

A

B

C

D

E

F#

5

th

B

C

D

E

F#

G

A

7

th

D

E

F#

G

A

B

C

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Chapter 3 THE KEY OF B MINOR (Natural)

The Notes

The key of B MINOR (Natural) is derived from the B NATURAL MINOR SCALE. The notes of the B

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

B

C#

D

E

F#

G

A

1/

8 2/

9 b

3/

b10

4/

11 5/

12 b

6/

b13

b

7

In written musical form the B NATURAL MINOR SCALE is presented in this manner:

TrebleClef

Bass Clef

The Bass Fingerboard

On the bass fingerboard the notes of the B NATURAL MINOR SCALE show up as follows – the relative Major Key is D MAJOR:

When we take the various natural minor scale patterns and we LINK them over the fingerboard – it will form a kind of ‘MINOR SCALE OR MINOR KEY ROADMAP’ and the subsequent reproduction of the above ‘picture’. So in order to memorize the above sequence of notes we will start by learning the individual minor scale patterns as indicated in the following section. In this chapter of B MINOR the first note or root note of each pattern will be the note B and when we link these natural minor scale patterns, we’ll get the above ‘picture’ of the key of B MINOR that covers the whole extent of the fingerboard.

The Natural Minor Scale Patterns

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Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

Single String Pattern

Intervals

I

B

⇩

C#

D

E

F#

G

A

B

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II

C#

⇩

D

E

F#

G

A

B

C#

III

D

⇩

E

F#

G

A

B

C#

D

IV

E

⇩

F#

G

A

B

C#

D

E

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V

F#

⇩

G

A

B

C#

D

E

F#

VI

G

⇩

A

B

C#

D

E

F#

G

VII

A

⇩

B

C#

D

E

F#

G

A

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Harmony: The Scale Tone Chords (triads)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

1

st

_B

_C#

_D

_E

_F#

_G

_A

3

rd

_D

_E

_F#

_G

_A

_B

_C#

5

th

_F#

_G

_A

_B

_C#

_D

_E

I

B Minor

1 st

B

3 rd

D

_(b3)

5 th

F#

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IV

E Minor

1 st

E

3 rd

G

_(b3)

5 th

B

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VII

A Major

1 st

A

3 rd

C#

5 th

E

Further Harmonization of the Scale Tone Chords in B Minor (Natural)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

B Minor Seventh

C# Minor Seven flat Five

G

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Chapter 4 THE KEY OF F# MINOR (Natural)

The Notes

The key of F# MINOR (Natural) is derived from the F# NATURAL MINOR SCALE. The notes of the F#

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

F#

G#

A

B

C#

D

E

1/

8 2/

9 b

3/

b10

4/

11 5/

12 b

6/

b13

b

7

In written musical form the F# NATURAL MINOR SCALE is presented in this manner:

TrebleClef

Bass Clef

The Bass Fingerboard

On the bass fingerboard the notes of the F# NATURAL MINOR SCALE show up as follows – the relative Major Key is A MAJOR:

When we take the various natural minor scale patterns and we LINK them over the fingerboard – it will form a kind of ‘MINOR SCALE OR MINOR KEY ROADMAP’ and the subsequent reproduction of the above ‘picture’. So in order to memorize the above sequence of notes we will start by learning the individual minor scale patterns as indicated in the following section. In this chapter of F# MINOR the first note or root note of each pattern will be the note F# and when we link these natural minor scale patterns, we’ll get the above ‘picture’ of the key of F# MINOR that covers the whole extent of the fingerboard.

The Natural Minor Scale Patterns

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Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

Single String Pattern

Intervals

I

F#

⇩

G#

A

B

C#

D

E

F#

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II

G#

⇩

A

B

C#

D

E

F#

G#

III

A

⇩

B

C#

D

E

F#

G#

A

IV

B

⇩

C#

D

E

F#

G#

A

B

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V

C#

⇩

D

E

F#

G#

A

B

C#

VI

D

⇩

E

F#

G#

A

B

C#

D

VII

E

⇩

F#

G#

A

B

C#

D

E

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Harmony: The Scale Tone Chords (triads)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

1

st

_F#

_G#

_A

_B

_C#

_D

_E

3

rd

_A

_B

_C#

_D

_E

_F#

_G#

5

th

_C#

_D

_E

_F#

_G#

_A

_B

I

F# Minor

1 st

F#

3 rd

A

_(b3)

5 th

C#

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(45)

IV

B Minor

1 st

B

3 rd

D

_(b3)

5 th

F#

(46)

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VII

E Major

1 st

E

3 rd

G#

5 th

B

Further Harmonization of the Scale Tone Chords in F# Minor (Natural)

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

F# Minor Seventh

G# Minor Seven flat Five

D

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Chapter 5 THE KEY OF C# MINOR (Natural)

The Notes

The key of C# MINOR (Natural) is derived from the C# NATURAL MINOR SCALE. The notes of the C#

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

C#

D#

E

F#

G#

A

B

1/

8 2/

9 b

3/

b10

4/

11 5/

12 b

6/

b13

b

7

In written musical form the C# NATURAL MINOR SCALE is presented in this manner:

TrebleClef

Bass Clef

The Bass Fingerboard

On the bass fingerboard the notes of the C# NATURAL MINOR SCALE show up as follows – the relative Major Key is E MAJOR:

When we take the various natural minor scale patterns and we LINK them over the fingerboard – it will form a kind of ‘MINOR SCALE OR MINOR KEY ROADMAP’ and the subsequent reproduction of the above ‘picture’. So in order to memorize the above sequence of notes we will start by learning the individual minor scale patterns as indicated in the following section. In this chapter of C# MINOR the first note or root note of each pattern will be the note C# and when we link these natural minor scale patterns, we’ll get the above ‘picture’ of the key of C# MINOR that covers the whole extent of the fingerboard.

book2

MARTYN

KRÜGEL’S

BASS

MANUAL

Book 2:

Natural Minor Keys

FREE

ELECTRONIC PDF VERSION 1.1 - 2009

NOT FOR SALE

PREFACE

Special thanks to Edwin Schroeder musician extraordinaire who introduced

and taught me the art of music and especially the greater art of

improvisational music.

Also a special thanks to my family and friends for their support.

INVITATION TO ADVERTISERS

CONTACT DETAILS

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

The Notes

The Bass Fingerboard

The Natural Minor Scale Patterns

Intervals

Harmony: The Scale Tone Chords

(triads)

Further Harmonization of the Scale

Tone Chords

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

INTRODUCTION

Relative Major and Minor Keys

The Natural Minor Scale Patterns

Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

Pattern to the Left

Pattern in the Center

Pattern to the Right

Single String Pattern

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









Comments on Fingerings

1

2

3

Comments on Technique

Comments on Improvisation

[IMPORTANT NOTICE: The new aspiring musician should just take a moment

and think about and conceptualize the notion of IMPROVISATION in the context

of music with the goal of applying it when learning, practicing and playing].

A Final Word

Chapter 1

THE KEY OF A MINOR (Natural)

The Notes

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

A

B

C

D