A scale is a series of notes ordered by pitch.
A key signature is a set of sharps or flats at the start of each staff line that indicates the key of the piece.
The most common scales are the major and minor scales. Each key has a unique combination of sharps or flats.
The key signature tells you which notes are sharp or flat throughout the piece (unless altered by accidentals).
Bass Tip: Learning scales and keys on the bass helps you quickly find chord tones and melody notes.
Practice each major and minor scale up and down the neck.
The Major Scale
The major scale follows the interval pattern:
W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step, H = half step).
Example: C Major Scale: C – D – E – F – G – A – B – C (no sharps, no flats).
Bass Tip: Memorize the shape or pattern on the fretboard for the major scale.
Once you know the shape, you can move it to any starting note.
The Minor Scale
The natural minor scale pattern is: W – H – W – W – H – W – W.
There are variations like harmonic minor (raised 7th) and
melodic minor (raised 6th and 7th ascending, natural minor descending).
Example: A Natural Minor: A – B – C – D – E – F – G – A (no sharps, no flats).
Bass Tip: Experiment with the dark or moody feel of minor scales.
Many rock, metal, and funk lines use minor tonalities.
Scale Degrees
Each note in a scale is assigned a scale degree (1 through 7 in diatonic scales).
Scale degree 1 is the tonic (“home base”), 5 is the dominant, etc.
1 = Tonic
2 = Supertonic
3 = Mediant
4 = Subdominant
5 = Dominant
6 = Submediant
7 = Leading Tone
Bass Tip: Identifying scale degrees helps you construct bass lines that outline chord progressions.
Key Signatures
A key signature is a group of sharps or flats placed after the clef to indicate the key.
Each key has a specific number of sharps or flats (0 to 7).
Circle of Fifths: Keys are often arranged in a circle to show relationships by perfect fifths.
Moving clockwise adds a sharp each step; counterclockwise adds a flat.
Bass Tip: Familiarize yourself with the circle of fifths to quickly identify which notes are sharp or flat in any key.
Key Signature Calculations
The number of sharps or flats in a key signature follows a predictable pattern:
Order of sharps: F#, C#, G#, D#, A#, E#, B#
Order of flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, Fb
For major keys:
Sharp keys: The last sharp is a half step below the tonic.
Flat keys: The second-to-last flat is the tonic (with some exceptions like F major).
Example: G major has 1 sharp (F#). F major has 1 flat (Bb).
Bass Tip: Practice finding the key based on how many sharps or flats you see;
then run its scale on your bass to reinforce the concept.