Bass Lesson #1 - Scales and Modes

Here's my first bass lesson, hope you enjoy! The scale we're using is the extended G Major scale. I use the extended version to stretch my fingers out much like a guitar player would. It makes your fingers stronger and gives you a bit of extra reach learning to use your second finger to reach over two frets, as well as strengthening the use of your pinky finger. One quick note: DO NOT play until you hurt. "No pain, no gain" is for sports, not music. If you're hurting after this stuff, you're either positioning your arms and hands wrong, or you need to work up to this stuff. Take a break and come back later if you can't readjust your hurting. Stop when it gets painful, and come back later. If not, you could be permanently damaging yourself. Don't do that. When practicing this scale, try to keep all the notes in one tone and volume. Don't be too hard with them at first. Keep your fingers nice and relaxed. Keep your thumb behind your middle finger as often as possible and you will be more steady with each note. Practice them softly and loudly as well. Try starting soft and building up with each note, and then try starting loud and dying off at the end of the scale. Make sure and keep your tempo the same, and your dynamics nice and steady. When attacking the strings with your right hand (left if you're a lefty), or your "pick hand", try to use a steady pattern of index, middle, index, middle to begin. I know if you watch my right hand closely, you'll notice I do NOT do this ...