Chords and scales really overlap. Scales generate chords...Chords fit into scales. There is definitely a lot more worth in practicing chord sequences, melodically, than running scales up and down, however. And as a bass player you're really aiming to accent chord tones, so it certainly has a level of usefulness in learning.
In rock music...you are rarely ever going to be playing 7ths (except dom7's). Beyond that, you will probably not be playing diminished or augmented triads. So I would say it's a good idea to place a lot of time into practicing major, minor, and dom7 arpeggios. I wouldn't neglect the others if you want to be well rounded, but purely from a perspective of possible usefulness...those 3 are at the top of the list.
Now, since you're going this route, here is a good exercise:
Learn your major scale in all positions across the bass.
Spend possibly a day or two on a single position, and within that position:
1. Arpeggiate every diatonic chord in sequence
2. Practice the scale pattern in groups of 3 & 4
3. Practice the scale pattern in thirds & fourths
4. Arpeggiate chord progressions within that pattern
5. Try to write basslines focusing on the chord tones, but using the other notes in the scale to bridge the gap.
Here is a tab for the first bit...this is the bread and butter or learning the fretboard & learning to bridge the gap between your ear and fingers.
G major scale (G A B C D E F# G)
POSITION 1Code
G------------------2-4-5-------------------------
D-----------2-4-5--------------------------------
A-----2-3-5--------------------------------------
E-3-5--------------------------------------------
(fretboard view w/ scale degrees labeled)
Code
G|-2-|---|-3-|-4-|
D|-6-|---|-7-|-1-|
A|-3-|-4-|---|-5-|
E|---|-1-|---|-2-|
ARPEGGIATE DIATONIC CHORDS WITHIN PATTERNDiatonic chords of G major: G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em, F#º
G: G B D
Am: A C E
Bm: B D F#
C: C E G
D: D F# A
E: E G B
F#º: F# A C
(I start each arpeggio on the root, and then on the way down hit the other chord tones that exist on the string sets below
the root, then resolve it back to the root - just so you're hearing and seeing where they are)
Code
G Am Bm
G----------4---------|-------2-5-2-------|-------4-----------|
D--------5---5-------|-----2-------2-----|-----4---4---------|
A----2-5-------5-2---|---3-----------3---|-2-5-------5-2---2-|
E--3---------------3-|-5---------------5-|---------------2---|
C D Em F#º
G---------5-----------|-----2--------------|-----4-------------|----2-5-2------------|
D-----2-5---5-2-------|---4---4------------|-2-5---5-2-------2-|--4-------4--------4-|
A---3-----------3---3-|-5-------5-------5--|-----------2---2---|------------3---3----|
E-----------------3---|-----------5-2-5----|-------------3-----|--------------5------|
PRACTICE SCALE PATTERNS IN GROUPS OF 3 & 4This is an exercise in musical sequence. A sequence is when a group of notes are transposed over and over again. In
instance we will explore diatonically sequencing groups of 3 and 4 within the scale. It is a more musical exercise than
running scales up and down, and if you explore other variations & sequences you can start to build a foundation for melodic
material.
GROUPS OF 3Code
G-----------------|-----------------|---------2---2-4-|-2-4-5-4-2-4-2---|
D-----------------|-------2---2-4-2-|-4-5-4-5---5-----|---------------5-|
A-----2---2-3-2-3-|-5-3-5---5-------|-----------------|-----------------|
E-3-5---5---------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
G-2---------------|---------------------------|
D---5-4-5-4-2-4-2-|---2-----------------------|
A-----------------|-5---5-3-5-3-2-3-2---2-----|
E-----------------|-------------------5---5-3-|
GROUPS OF 4Code
G-----------------------------------------------2-----2-4---2-4-5--|
D-----------------------2-----2-4---2-4-5-2-4-5---4-5-----5--------|
A-----2-3---2-3-5-2-3-5---3-5-----5--------------------------------|
E-3-5-----5--------------------------------------------------------|
Descend in the same manner as the previous example, I'm too lazy/want to save space...principle is the same. Also, try doing
other groupings of notes, and more melodic sequences that aren't simply scalar.
PRACTICE SCALE PATTERNS IN THIRDS AND FOURTHSThis is similar the previous exercises, except you will be practicing melodic 3rds and fourths, meaning you will leap a third
or fourth as you ascend the scale.
THIRDSCode
G-----------------|-----------2---4-|-2-5-4---2-------|-----------------|------------|
D---------------2-|---4-2-5-4---5---|-------5---4-5-2-|-4---2-----------|------------|
A---2---3-2-5-3---|-5---------------|-----------------|---5---3-5-2-3---|-2----------|
E-3---5-----------|-----------------|-----------------|---------------5-|---3-5-2-3--|
FOURTHSCode
G-----------------|-------2---5-2---|-----------------|-----|
D-----------2---4-|---5-2---4-----2-|-5---4---2-------|-----|
A---3---5-2---3---|-5---------------|---5---3---2-5---|-3---|
E-3---5-----------|-----------------|---------------5-|---3-|
ARPEGGIATE CHORD PROGRESSIONS WITH PATTERNCommon chord progressions in a major key: I-IV-V-I, I-vi-IV-V-I, I-vi-ii-V7-I,
These are all similar, but a good exercise.
I-IV-V-ICode
G C D G
G---------4-------|-------5---------|---------2-------|---------4-------|---|
D-------5---5-----|---2-5---5-2-----|-------4---4-----|-------5---5-----|---|
A---2-5-------5-2-|-3-----------3---|-----5-------5---|---2-5-------5-2-|---|
E-3---------------|---------------3-|-2-5-----------5-|-3---------------|-3-|
I-vi-IV-V-I Code
G Em C D G
G---------4-------|---------4-------|-------5---------|---------2-------|---|
D-------5---5-----|-----2-5---5-2---|---2-5---5-2-----|-------4---4-----|---|
A---2-5-------5-2-|---2-----------2-|-3-----------3---|-----5-------5---|---|
E-3---------------|-3---------------|---------------3-|-2-5-----------5-|-3-|
I-vi-ii-V7-ICode
G Em Am D7 G
G---------4-------|---------4-------|-----2-5-2-------|-----2-5-2-------|---|
D-------5---5-----|-----2-5---5-2---|---2-------2-----|---4-------4-----|---|
A---2-5-------5-2-|---2-----------2-|-3-----------3---|-5-----------5---|---|
E-3---------------|-3---------------|---------------5-|---------------5-|-3-|
Obviously many of these arpeggios are not occurring in root position, and that is because I am gravitating to the closest chord tone when I start the pattern, in order to facilitate a smooth line.
This post was edited by chronowarp on Jun 17 2010 11:03pm