I know which scales fit which chords. But for the longest time, my solos still sounded like I was just running up and down scales.
Here’s the shift that made all the difference: I started hearing bigger shapes—then simply connecting each point inside them.
Suddenly, my melodic bass solos had gravity, direction, and a clear destination.
In the YouTube Shorts clip below, I show how to create a melodic line using a simple G minor 9 shape and a few guide-tone targets.
Let’s break it down.
Watch: From scales to melody in 30 seconds (Gm9)
Why solos start to sound like scales
- Equal weight problem: Scales feel fluid, but if there isn’t much of a change in direction, running up and down gives every note the same weight. The tones that should feel special just blend in.
- No target, no story: Melody needs a destination—often the 3rd or 7th (in Gm9, that’s Bb and F/b7)—and a breath. The 5th is also a strong landing. Thinking only in scales pulls everything toward the root and not much else.
- Root addiction: Camping on 1 makes lines feel like drills, not phrases. The root is “home”—like a period in a sentence. If every line starts and ends there, it sounds like an exercise.
Translation: Guide tones = 3 & 7. Target tones = where your phrase wants to land. Aim is the heart of a melodic bass solo.
The exact shape I played (and why it works)
Degrees: b3 → 1 → 7 → b6 → 5 → b3 → 2 → 1
In G minor: Bb → G → F# → Eb → D → Bb → A → G
- 7 (F#) gives harmonic minor pull—tension that wants to resolve to 1 (G).
- b6 (Eb) darkens the color before landing on 5, 3, or 1.
- Ending phrases on 3 or 7 (guide tones) locks in the harmony far better than hovering on the root.
Here’s the breakdown of this system
- Sing a simple shape. This is your melodic framework—the intent behind your line.
- Map the anchor points on the fretboard. (e.g., for Gm9: G–Bb–D–F–A)
- Sing the connectors between those points. Keep it mostly stepwise; add a tiny approach when it feels good.
- Play exactly what you sang. Don’t “fix” it with extra notes.
- Leave space. Try “connecting the dots”, but be sure to leave space in your line to breathe.
- Land on a target. End phrases on Bb (b3) or F (b7); D (5) also works.
- Repeat with one change. Same motif, different rhythm or move it an octave.
Wha-lah. Your line will sound more melodic and lyrical than if you were to simply run up and down a scale.
This works with any shape or sound (triad, m9, sus, blues box). The rule is the same: sing → map → connect → play → breathe → land.
Micro-challenges (make it stick)
- No-root for 1 bar: Avoid G for a measure. Your voice leading tightens instantly.
- One-string drill: Stay on one string; move by half/whole steps. Forces melody over shapes.
- 3-note limit: Build a phrase with Bb, A, G only. Let rhythm & dynamics do the work.
- Motif development: Repeat your first idea an octave up; change one note or just the rhythm.
Common fixes
- “I start on the root every time.” Start on b3 or 5; land on 3 or 7.
- “I fill all the space.” Count two silent beats with your fretting hand off the strings.
- “My lines jump randomly.” Fewer wide intervals; more stepwise motion into your target.
Try it in other keys (2 steps)
- Pick your new root (say D).
- Map the same degree path: b3 → 1 → 7 → b6 → 5 → b3 → 2 → 1.
Your ear will start to recognize the tension/release of 7 and b6 in any key.
Quick Reference
- Targets: 3rd & 7th (guide tones)
- Path used: b3–1–7–b6–5–b3–2–1 (G: Bb–G–F#–Eb–D–Bb–A–G)
- Concepts: voice leading, target tones, phrasing, stepwise motion, chromatic approach, enclosure, call-and-response, contour, space, resolution, harmonic minor, chord tones, motif
Want more like this?
If you’re into ear-first systems and bite-size practice, explore more in Music & Bass—I keep it practical and human.
