Master the Art
  • Music Theory
    • Grade 1 - Writing notes lessons 1-34
    • Grade 1 - Rhythms Lessons 35-64
    • Grade 1 - Basic rhythms and musical alphabet lessons 65-95
    • Grade 1 - Scales Intervals and Chords lessons 96-125
    • Grade 1 - Musical Terms and Signs lessons 126-147
    • Grade 1 - Practicing your knowledge of level 1 148-181
  • Guitar
    • Teachings and Tutorials >
      • The Parts of The Guitar >
        • Electric Guitars
        • Steel String Acoustic Guitars
        • Nylon String Guitars
      • Strumming
      • Guitar Repairs
      • Free Song Riffs >
        • 0-9
        • A >
          • Apache - the Shadows
          • Are You With Me - Lost Frequencies
          • Autumn Leaves - Ed Sheeran
        • B >
          • Black Night - Deep Purple
          • Bloodstream - Ed Sheeran
        • C >
          • Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
          • Check Yes Juliet - We The Kings
          • Clocks - Cold Play
          • Come As You Are - Nirvana
          • Crazy Train - Ozzy Osborne
        • D >
          • Dammit - Blink 182
          • Day Tripper - The Beatles
          • Don't Speak - No Doubt
        • E >
          • Enter Sandman - Metallica
          • Every Morning - Sugar Ray
          • Everybody Hurts - REM
          • Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
        • F >
          • Far Away - Nickelback
          • Foot Tapper - The Shadows
          • Freak - Silver Chair
          • Free Fallin - Tom Petty
        • G >
          • Georgia - Vance Joy
        • H >
          • Hanging By A Moment - Life House
          • Heart Shaped Box - Nirvana
          • Here Without You - 3 Doors Down
          • Hey Soul Sister - Train
          • Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
          • Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
        • I >
          • I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
          • Iron Man - Black Sabbath
        • J >
          • James Bond Theme
        • K >
          • Killing In The name Of - Rage Against The Machine
          • Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
        • L >
          • Lego House - Ed Sheeran
        • M >
          • My Friends - Red hot Chili Peppers
          • My Sharona - The Knack
        • N
        • O >
          • One - Metallica
          • Original Prankster - The Offspring
        • P >
          • Paranoid - Black Sabbath
          • Peter Gun Theme
          • Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
        • Q
        • R
        • S >
          • Savin Me - Nickelback
          • Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
          • Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple
          • Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
          • Sweet Child O Mine - Guns N Roses
        • T >
          • Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
          • Titanium - David Getta
        • U
        • W >
          • Walk This Way - Aerosmith
          • Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi
          • We Are Done - The Madden Brothers
          • What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction
          • Whats My Age Again - Blink 182
          • Why Georgia - John Mayer
          • Wonderful Land - The Shadows
        • X
        • Y
        • Z
      • Free Songs
      • Free Drum Loops >
        • Crotchet (Quarter Note) Based Drum Loops
        • Quaver (Eighth Note) Based Drum Loops
        • Quaver Triplets (Eighth Notes) Based Drum Loops
        • Semiquaver (Sixteenth Note) Based Drum Loops
    • Ensemble Charts
    • Current and Past Students
    • Equipment used by Peter >
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        • Electric Guitars
        • Acoustic Guitars
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Bass Guitar Charts for Essential Scales

Scales are the patterns of notes that are used to write music.  Without scales there would be no structure to music and no system in which to learn and pass on the art of music to others.  Each of the charts provided can be moved in to any key.  Learn the diagram in the listed position.

What is a scale?

Click on this link for video on "What are Scales"
There are 5 essential scales to learn.  They are

  • Major Scales (definitely the most used and the most important, hence the name).  Every other scale is compared to this one. Actually, every other part of music is compared to the major scale.  Hence, knowing this scale is completely indispensable.
Link to 4 / 5 / 6 String Bass Major Scale Charts
  • Major Pentatonic - This is the major scale missing two of the notes, hence the name "PENTAtonic. It is widely used in every style of music. The major pentatonic scale is a very flexible scale due to its simple structure and lack of any clashing notes.
Link to 4 / 5 / 6 String Bass Major Pentatonic Scale Charts
  • Natural Minor - There is two ways to understand the natural minor scale, one is a comparison to the major scale, the other is an inversion of the major scale.  Both are essential knowledge. The natural minor is used in most styles.

Link to 4 / 5 / 6 String Bass Natural Minor Scale Charts
  • Minor Pentatonic - This is the minor scale missing two of the notes. As with the major pentatonic, the minor version has unlimited use and is very flexible due to it basic structure.  It has been used by every musician and in every style of music.

Link to 4 / 5 / 6 String Bass Minor Pentatonic Scale Charts
  • Minor Blues - This is the minor pentatonic adding in a chromatic passing note. This extra note gives the minor pentatonic a great flavour that is essential for the blues style of music (hence the name), and can be used in every style and genre.
Link to 4 / 5 / 6 String Bass Minor Blues Scale Charts

Charts for "Not So Common Scales"

No so common scales include the following.  They should still be learnt as you will use them, just not quite as often as the main scales.  Learn these after you are getting fairly used to the main scales. These scales are

  • Major Blues (type 1)

  • Major Blues (type 2)

  • Harmonic Minor

  • Lydian

  • Mixolydian

  • Dorian

  • Phrygian

  • Locrian

  • Major Blues - This is the major pentatonic adding in a chromatic passing note. This extra note gives the major pentatonic a great flavor that is essential for the blues and country style of music, and can be used in every style and genre. The nick name of this scale is the country scale.
Link to 4 / 5 / 6 String Bass Major Blues Scale Charts

Charts for Rare Scales

This group of scales I would put in the rare category.  They vary rarely will be used in pop / rock / country / dance music.  Make these your goal to learn once you have mastered all the previous scales.  These scales include

Lydian Dominant

Phrygian Major

Melodic Minor

Whole Tone

Diminshed 1/2 whole

Super Locrian


Charts for Scales "to Learn for Fun"

The final group of scales I would put in the "Learn for Fun" category.  They vary rarely used in any style of music. You will hear them arise occasionally and they are useful in some situations. Make these your goal to learn once you have mastered all the previous scales.  These scales include

Hungarian Minor

Bebop





  • Music Theory
    • Grade 1 - Writing notes lessons 1-34
    • Grade 1 - Rhythms Lessons 35-64
    • Grade 1 - Basic rhythms and musical alphabet lessons 65-95
    • Grade 1 - Scales Intervals and Chords lessons 96-125
    • Grade 1 - Musical Terms and Signs lessons 126-147
    • Grade 1 - Practicing your knowledge of level 1 148-181
  • Guitar
    • Teachings and Tutorials >
      • The Parts of The Guitar >
        • Electric Guitars
        • Steel String Acoustic Guitars
        • Nylon String Guitars
      • Strumming
      • Guitar Repairs
      • Free Song Riffs >
        • 0-9
        • A >
          • Apache - the Shadows
          • Are You With Me - Lost Frequencies
          • Autumn Leaves - Ed Sheeran
        • B >
          • Black Night - Deep Purple
          • Bloodstream - Ed Sheeran
        • C >
          • Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
          • Check Yes Juliet - We The Kings
          • Clocks - Cold Play
          • Come As You Are - Nirvana
          • Crazy Train - Ozzy Osborne
        • D >
          • Dammit - Blink 182
          • Day Tripper - The Beatles
          • Don't Speak - No Doubt
        • E >
          • Enter Sandman - Metallica
          • Every Morning - Sugar Ray
          • Everybody Hurts - REM
          • Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor
        • F >
          • Far Away - Nickelback
          • Foot Tapper - The Shadows
          • Freak - Silver Chair
          • Free Fallin - Tom Petty
        • G >
          • Georgia - Vance Joy
        • H >
          • Hanging By A Moment - Life House
          • Heart Shaped Box - Nirvana
          • Here Without You - 3 Doors Down
          • Hey Soul Sister - Train
          • Hey There Delilah - Plain White T's
          • Hit Me With Your Best Shot - Pat Benatar
        • I >
          • I'm Yours - Jason Mraz
          • Iron Man - Black Sabbath
        • J >
          • James Bond Theme
        • K >
          • Killing In The name Of - Rage Against The Machine
          • Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
        • L >
          • Lego House - Ed Sheeran
        • M >
          • My Friends - Red hot Chili Peppers
          • My Sharona - The Knack
        • N
        • O >
          • One - Metallica
          • Original Prankster - The Offspring
        • P >
          • Paranoid - Black Sabbath
          • Peter Gun Theme
          • Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
        • Q
        • R
        • S >
          • Savin Me - Nickelback
          • Seven Nation Army - The White Stripes
          • Smoke On The Water - Deep Purple
          • Sunday Bloody Sunday - U2
          • Sweet Child O Mine - Guns N Roses
        • T >
          • Teenage Dream - Katy Perry
          • Titanium - David Getta
        • U
        • W >
          • Walk This Way - Aerosmith
          • Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi
          • We Are Done - The Madden Brothers
          • What Makes You Beautiful - One Direction
          • Whats My Age Again - Blink 182
          • Why Georgia - John Mayer
          • Wonderful Land - The Shadows
        • X
        • Y
        • Z
      • Free Songs
      • Free Drum Loops >
        • Crotchet (Quarter Note) Based Drum Loops
        • Quaver (Eighth Note) Based Drum Loops
        • Quaver Triplets (Eighth Notes) Based Drum Loops
        • Semiquaver (Sixteenth Note) Based Drum Loops
    • Ensemble Charts
    • Current and Past Students
    • Equipment used by Peter >
      • Guitar Collection >
        • Electric Guitars
        • Acoustic Guitars
        • Bass Guitars
      • Effects and Pedals
      • Amplifiers
      • Accessories and Other
  • Singing
    • Choir Charts
    • Concerts
    • Current and Past Students
  • Store
  • Hair Design
    • Gallery
  • About
    • Peter Howlett
    • Jenny Howlett
  • Photography
  • Contact
  • Blog
  • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Terms and Conditions for Lessons
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Policy