MORE
WITH DIAGONAL PATTERNS
Last time around we worked on a diagonal approach to playing through
the modes of the major scale. In this lesson, we will expand upon that
idea, creating even more musical examples which blend these diagonal
patterns with intervallic and sequenced ideas.
As you recall, we can create diagonal approaches by alternating 3 consecutive
notes within a scale with a diatonic 5th. Using this method, the formula
for creating a pattern could be written in a formula as:
1,2,3, [shift starting finger up a diatonic 5th] 5,6,7, [shift starting
finger up a diatonic 5th] 9,10,11, [shift starting finger up a diatonic
5th] 13,14,15, etc...
Fig.1 shows the diagonal pattern for ionian on a 4 string bass,
as it appears on the fingerboard.
Fig.1 ionian (numbers represent fretting hand fingerings)
Now let’s try mixing these patterns with ideas borrowed from our
intervallic studies. Before we do this, however, let us first number
each note of the pattern, so we may reference them in order in each
new exercise. See Fig.2.
Fig.2 ionian (numbers represent order of notes*)
*Notice that the numbers in Fig.2 do not represent note function
or scale degrees. Instead, they are referring to the order of the notes
played in order to simplify your understanding of each exercise.
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Now we are ready to blend this diagonal form with some other intervallic
and sequenced ideas.
Example 1: Diagonal-intervallic 3rds
Our first example blends diagonal exercises with intervallic 3rds. Recall
that intervallic 3rds incorporate scale degrees played in a particular
order:
1-3-2-4-3-5-4-6-5-7-6-8-7-9-8-10-9-11-10-12...
Applied to our diagonal approach, the exercise would be played as shown
in Ex.1, using G ionian as an example:
Ex.1
To create this exercise, we simply substituted the numbers of each note
in Fig.2 for the scale degree numbers specified in the intervallic
3rds exercise. Notice that the intervals created from note to note are
not necessarily going to include 3rds. This is because diagonal forms
don’t include every note found in the scale. Written out in scale
degrees, this exercise would look like Fig.3.
Fig.3
Example 2: Diagonal-intervallic 5ths
This example blends diagonal exercises with intervallic 5ths. Recall
that intervallic 5ths incorporate scale degrees played in the order:
1-5-2-6-3-7-4-8-5-9-6-10-7-11-8-12...
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Applied to our diagonal approach, the exercise would be played as shown
in Ex.2, using G ionian as an example.
Ex.2
Once again, keep in mind that the intervals created from note to note
are not necessarily going to include any diatonic 5ths. We are only
substituting the numbers of each note in Fig.2 for the scale
degree numbers specified in the intervallic 5ths exercise. Written out
in scale degrees, this exercise would look like Fig.4.
Fig.4
Example 3: Diagonal-sequenced 4’s
This example blends diagonal exercises with sequenced 4’s.
A sequence, as it applies to this exercise is simply a predetermined
number of notes from a scale played in order. (Ex: A sequence of 4 is
4 notes of a scale played in order; a sequence of 5 is 5 notes from
a scale played in order, etc.) Using this approach, a scale played in
sequenced 4’s would incorporate the following scale degrees:
1-2-3-4-2-3-4-5-3-4-5-6-4-5-6-7-5-6-7-8-6-7-8-9-7-8-9-10-8-9-10-11-9-10-11-12...
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Applied to our diagonal approach, the exercise would be played as shown
in Ex.3, using G ionian as an example.
Ex.3
Example 4: Diagonal-sequenced 6’s
This example blends diagonal exercises with sequenced 6’s. Recall
that sequenced 6’s incorporate scale degrees played in the order:
1-2-3-4-5-6-2-3-4-5-6-7-3-4-5-6-7-8-4-5-6-7-8-9-5-6-7-8-9-10-6-7-8-9-10-11-7-8-9-10-11-12...
Applied to our diagonal approach, the exercise would be played as shown
in Ex.4, using G ionian as an example:
Ex.4
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