Play Impressive Bass Grooves & Wicked Bass Lines Bass Guitar Secrets - Accelerate your progress on the Bass and flatten your learning curve!

The first chromatic scale form contains 4 notes on every string. As you move to the next higher string you will shift back one fret.

If you want to stay in one position when playing a chromatic scale you will use the following forms. Use form #2 when ascending, and form #3 when descending.

Chromatic scale form #2
In position, ascending

Chromatic scale form #3
In position, descending.

Here is a graphic that shows how the notes in form #2 and form #3 compare to each other. The red line is drawn between the notes that are the same.

You certainly could play form #3 when ascending, and form #2 descending. But it is easier to have your first finger start on a lower fret and move up than it is to do the opposite. You are starting out of position, and moving into position.

A position is a 4 fret area where a finger is assigned to each fret. Notes that are one fret lower than the position are played with your first finger. Notes that fall one fret higher than the position are played with your fourth finger. When playing chromatically it is always easier to play a note that is out of position and move into position than it is to start in position and move out of position. That is why it makes the most amount of sense to use form #2 while ascending, and form # 3 when descending.

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Page 1, Intro to chromatic scales on the bass