Mode Mapping On Bass [2 Part Formula For Bass Lines/Fills/Solos]

►► FREE: Get my Ultimate Guide To The Modes On Bass and finally stop struggling with the modes → https://becomeabassist.com/ug-modes

Today, we’re answering a question that I got on an older video of mine all about how to ‘map’ the modes and scales to different chords on bass, and it’s a great question! It came from a student named Andy who wrote:

→ New to your site and enjoying it very much. I’m still trying to grasp how to match the mode to the chord. I’m playing along with a computer jam covering Em7, Am7, C7 and B7. Figured out mixolydian for the C7 and B7 (I think) but not sure how to line up with the first two. Thanks for all you do. Cheers, Andy

This is a great question, and deeper than it might seem on the surface. It’s *so* tempting to see a particular type of chord and automatically assign a scale or mode to it. In fact, that’s exactly what Andy did. He saw the C7 and B7 chords and assigned the Mixolydian sound to them.

But is that the ‘correct’ sound for each chord?

Is it the ‘best’ sound for each chord?

Or are there other options?

That’s exactly what this lesson is all about. In this lesson, I want to share with you a 2-part formula that you can use to make very good choices when it comes to playing over more complicated chords and you only need to know 2 things to make it work.

The notes of each chord you’re playing
The notes of the key you’re in

With just these 2 pieces of information, you can make more inventive bass lines, create your own fills, or even improvise using some really cool sounds.

If you find that this is a little bit over you head at the moment though, make sure to download the Ultimate Guide To The Modes On Bass using the form on this page:

https://becomeabassist.com/ug-modes

It’s completely free and if you find yourself a little confused in this lesson, the guide will help you make sense of everything in this lesson. It’s completely jargon-free too, so even if you don’t know the first thing about music theory, you can still get a ton out of it.

In fact, Andy - the student who asked the question that prompted this lesson - was going through the guide when he asked me about mapping these modes to different chords. It’s just that he had stumbled upon a chord progression that used chords from outside the key.

►► FOR THE THEORY NERDS (Like me…)

If you wanted to know exactly where the 2 ‘new’ scales (they’re not really new btw) came from in this lesson, here’s the in-depth version. And by the way, you don’t necessarily *need* to know the intricate details of this stuff to make music with it, although for some people, it helps.

The scale we played over the C7 chord is what’s known as a Lydian Dominant scale. You can almost think of it like a Lydian scale with a flat 7 or a Mixolydian scale with a sharp 4. It’ll give you the same result.

If you want to get *really* technical, the Lydian Dominant is the 4th mode of the ascending melodic minor scale. That means that C Lydian Dominant is actually from G melodic minor, and if you wanted to get really technical again, that chord we played it over would be a C7#11.

The scale we played over the B7 chord is the 5th mode of E *Harmonic* Minor. It works because it outlines the B7 and includes the leading tone of the key (the D#) which makes the resolution to the E minor chord nice and strong. As far as I know, the modes of the Harmonic Minor don’t have fancy names, although if they do, let me know.

Like I said - knowing this stuff isn’t essential for you to be able to use it. The most important thing is that you try things out, make some music and have a good time doing it.

Cheers,

Luke

P.S. If you wanted the track I'm using in this lesson so you can practice all this stuff for yourself, you can get it right here:

https://becomeabassist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Mode-Mapping-Track-Em7-Am7-C7-B7.m4a

Enjoy!

0:00 Intro
0:37 Andy’s Scales/Chords Question
6:07 2 Part Formula For ‘Mapping’ Scales To Chords
11:14 Get My Free Guide To The Modes On Bass

#becomeabassist #basslesson #modes

Видео Mode Mapping On Bass [2 Part Formula For Bass Lines/Fills/Solos] канала Luke from Become A Bassist