Bass Modes: Aeolian

So, here we go again with the modes…remember: MODES ARE NOT KEYS. There is a huge difference between a mode and a key- they are two completely different “systems” in music.

With that in mind, we’re going to start with the Aeolian mode on the bass. This mode has exactly the same notes as the natural minor scale.

Here is the A Aeolian mode in bass tab:


G ------------------------------(5)-7-9-
D --------------------(5)-(7)-9---------
A -----------5-7-(8)--------------------
E -(5)-7-(8)----------------------------

Intervals

Because this is a mode and not a key, you don’t form chords with this scale. Instead, you’re better off thinking of each note in the scale as a different interval from the root note as the modes were originally designed to play melodies and not chords.

The most basic way to play a bassline is to play the root notes, right? The notes that give each chord it’s letter name. Well, that would be all well and good for different keys (where you’ll get a chord progression and different chords)…but modes aren’t like that! If you play the root note here you’ll just be playing an “A” all the way though.

…it’ll work, but it’s also not the most interesting bassline in the world…

Notice the notes in brackets in the tab above? Those are the main intervals that give the Aeolian mode it’s characteristic sound (the root, minor third, minor 6th, and minor 7th). So, if you play a bassline that has these notes in (A, C, F, and G in our example), you’ll be “implying” the Aeolian mode and getting it’s sound.

This also works if you think in terms of chords. For example, you could use the A Aeolian mode with:

Am: “A – C – E” or “root, minor third and fifth”
F/A: “A – C – F” or “root, minor third and minor 6th”
Am7: “A – C – E – G” or “root, minor third, fifth and minor 7th”

Extension

If you understand the basic ideas here, and wanted to extend things a bit, try more chords: Am9 or Am11 (remember that the 9 and 11 should be at least an octave above the root note, or you’ll just be playing a 2nd and a 4th and it wont sound right…).

You could also take the general idea of this and apply it to playing in a chord progression i.e. wherever minor 7, minor 6th, minor, minor 9 or minor 11 chords are, play around with the Aeolian mode on just that chord (although be careful as this is where many people are confused about modes and keys…).

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Rob.

July 20, 2011 at 7:00 pm | Bass Scales | No comments