Bass Guitar Lesson : Diatonic Scale
Diatonic scale is a seven-note musical scale that contains 5 tone (T) and 2 semitone (S), so its structure is T-T-S-T-T-T-S. In bass guitar or guitar, the tone (T) has two fret range and the semitone (S) has only one fret range. In solfege, diatonic scale is spelled “do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do”
The tone that comes to be “do” is called root, in case if we played C as root (C=do) so the diatonic scale is
| C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C | |||||||
| do | re | mi | fa | so | la | ti | do | |||||||
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Another case if we played D as root (D=do), so the structure is
| D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# | D | |||||||
| do | re | mi | fa | so | la | ti | do | |||||||
|
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Diatonic scale is also divided in seven musical modes, they are Ionian (I), Dorian (II), Phrygian (III), Lydian (IV), Mixolydian (V), Aeolian (VI), Locrian (VII).
The folowing modes are taken from C=do :
| Diatonic Modes |
Composition |
| Ionian (I) | C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C { T-T-S-T-T-T-S } |
| Dorian (II) | D–E–F–G–A–B–C–D { T-S-T-T-T-S-T } |
| Phrygian (III) | E–F–G–A–B–C–D–E { S-T-T-T-S-T-T } |
| Lydian (IV) | F–G–A–B–C–D–E–F { T-T-T-S-T-T-S } |
| Mixolydian (V) | G–A–B–C–D–E–F–G { T-T-S-T-T-S-T } |
| Aeolian (VI) | A–B–C–D–E–F–G–A { T-S-T-T-S-T-T } |
| Locrian (VII) | B–C–D–E–F–G–A–B { S-T-T-S-T-T-T } |
If we take D as root (D=do), the modes are :
| Diatonic Modes |
Composition |
| Ionian (I) | D–E–F#–G–A–B–C#–D { T-T-S-T-T-T-S } |
| Dorian (II) | E–F#–G–A–B–C#–D–E { T-S-T-T-T-S-T } |
| Phrygian (III) | F#–G–A–B–C#–D–E–F# { S-T-T-T-S-T-T } |
| Lydian (IV) | G–A–B–C#–D–E–F#–G { T-T-T-S-T-T-S } |
| Mixolydian (V) | A–B–C#–D–E–F#–G–A { T-T-S-T-T-S-T } |
| Aeolian (VI) | B–C#–D–E–F#–G–A–B { T-S-T-T-S-T-T } |
| Locrian (VII) | C#–D–E–F#–G–A–B–CS-T-T-S-T-T-T |
Here are the example in applying the theory above :
- The G Mixolydian mode (T-T-S-T-T-S-T) is G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G (Based on C as
root) - The C Mixolydian mode (T-T-S-T-T-S-T) is C-D-E-F-G-A-Bb-C (Based on F
as root) - The D Mixolydian mode (T-T-S-T-T-S-T) is D-E-F#-G-A-B-C-D (Based on G
as root) - The E Mixolydian mode (T-T-S-T-T-S-T) is E-F#-G#-A-B-C#-D-E (Based on A
as root)
Finally, we can determine the scales from diatonic :
C=do
| Scale | Interval | Composition |
| >C major7 | 1-3-5-7 | C-E-G-B |
| >D minor7 | 1-3b-5-7b | D-F-A-C |
| >E minor7 | 1-3b-5-7b | E-G-B-D |
| >F major7 | 1-3-5-7 | F-A-C-E |
| >G dominant7 | 1-3-5-7b | G-B-D-F |
| >A minor7 | 1-3b-5-7b | A-C-E-G |
| >B diminish7 | 1-3b-5b-7b | B-D-F-A |
Have a nice practice !!
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