One Finger Major Scales on the Bass

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Scott, a native Washingtonian, has been performing for audiences since 1968. A self taught musician, he mainly freelances as an acoustic bassist. Scott also plays guitar, electric bass, and tuba as well as singing in the styles of Nat King Cole, Mel Torme and Jack Bruce. He has worked with The Glenn Miller Orchestra and The Modernaires; The Peter Duchin Orchestra; The Ink Spots; The Tokens; Rory (Disney Channel); Charlie Byrd; Susannah McCorkle; Keely Smith, Jamey Aebersold and Chuck Berry. In spring '07 he performed in a clinic and show with Gene Bertincini at the 4 Seasons DC. Besides playing jazz, Scott's latest project is a Cream tribute band featuring Dan Hovey and John Zidar, (formerly Root Boy Slim's rhythm section). The band is called GHz (Gigahertz} and is breaking sound barriers around town. Besides playing over 200 club dates a year, Mr. Giambusso teaches and performs as a member of the Jazz Faculty of the Montgomery College Music Department. Not only does he teach the bass, but he also coaches singers, pianists and all instrumentalists on the nature of music and operates a recording studio for student demos. Because of his versatility, knowledge of tunes and styles, and his 30+ years of gigging experience, he has the rare ability to explain music to the laymen with clarity of vision.

One Finger Major Scales on the Bass

Is about understanding how to logically get around on the bass. Each lesson will deal with one aspect of musicianship. As the students take on each concept they will acquire a musical vocabulary and learn to speak the language of music with their fellow players. Everybody loves a good bass player and this video will tell you how to make the music do whatever you hear and make your band mates happy by the fat groove you are laying down for them.

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Transcripts

Scott Giambusso: Hi! This is Scott, your bass doctor. I would like to continue discussing major scales. Instead of playing in position on the neck I want to do as I did with the chromatic scales is play with finger on one string, on the low string because this is going to set us up to understand all the cords. We are going to start, I am going to do with two keys and I will do with key of E and the key of G. We will start with E major scale. Now, here is the formula for a major scale, you hit the root which will be our open E then we are going to go to the second fret, it is two notes, it is whole step to the third interval of the major scale, it is also whole step, two notes, to the fourth interval, it is a half step. Well, lets use the same finger and then to the fifth interval it is whole step, to the sixth interval it is a whole step, to the seventh it is a whole step and finally to the root again, it is a half step. I am going to do it backwards. I always do these things backwards. That is your major scale. We can do them on all the strings, thats just a major scale on one string. Now, one thing you might find interesting to do is take the scale and play the root every other note.

1-2, 1-3, 1-4, 1-5, 1-6, 1-7, 1-8, eight be and one again, 8-7-8, this is challenging because you have to actually jump your hand. It is great leaping exercises getting you in positions, doing on all the strings. You can almost start to do it. So, there is your major scale on one string, but now we want to do it in a closed position without the open strings. So, lets go to G. It is going to be, G is your third fret of the E string and we are going to climb-up here with one finger and dont let your fingers go, dont, dont do this, dont put your fingers behind your neck, a big mistake and I am just going to go down the scale so you see it, root, whole step, whole step, Half step-whole step, whole step-whole step, whole-half step, root, two whole steps and a half step, three whole steps and a half step, there is your major scale, minor is a little different, we will discuss that at another time.

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