Chapter 2: Intermediates
Warm-Ups for Intermediates

Objective: To learn a method of transitioning up and down the fingerboard in different keys

As I stated in the Warm-Ups for Beginners, it's important to properly prepare the hands before we start playing any music. What we will do in this lesson is continue from the lesson with the beginners and make it a little more challenging. The object here will be to play the exercises through different keys without stopping. This should help with developing our ability to hear changes of pitch when the key changes and also it should give us some tools to comfortably play up and down the fingerboard.

In the warm-up exercises for beginners we concentrated on just playing two octave scales using the relative minor to transition up and down the fingerboard. In this exercise we will be playing scales from the lowest possible note to the highest possible note that is within (diatonically) that particular scale. If you have a 4 string bass and the lowest possible note is "E" we will start playing the C Major scale with the open "E" string. In our fingering we should continue using the same pattern as before (2-4; 1-2-4;1-3-4) for the major scales and the same pattern as before (1-3-4; 1-3-4; 1-3) for the relative minor scales.

You'll see in Warm-Up for Intermediates #1 that we'll start playing the C major scale with open B (for five string bass players) then using the 1st and 4th fingers play "C" and "D" then transition down a whole step and play E, F & G (on the B string), then cross over to the E string and play the A Minor (Relative Minor) as before.Connect all of the notes using the C Major and A Minor to transition up the fingerboard as far as you can go in the key of C Major. If you don't have a five string bass then start with the open "E" string and play the F & G with the 1st and 4th fingers then continue with the A Minor as demonstrated. When you are descending try to continue connecting the relative minor and major scales to connect all of the notes until you reach the last note which will be your open string. I've also included the same approach to ascending and descending in F Major (D Relative Minor).

Now that you have made a successful transition in the key of C Major let's try playing along with the Warm-Up for Intermediates #2. This will take us through G Major/E Minor; D Major/B Minor; Bb Major/G Minor; Eb Major/C Minor. The important goal here is to be able to play these without stopping at a tempo that is comfortable for you. Try to make sure that you are listening to every note and playing them all as musically as possible. This is not just an exercise but a beginning passage to playing music that involves the physical, mental and spiritual sides of your being there all at the same time. If you make a mistake then stop and make a mental note so you'll know which note it was and maybe try to think about why you played it...........did you lose your concentration ? ......did you forget which key you were playing in ?.............being honest in your self-evaluation will help you to pay attention so when you come back to the same spot again you'll avoid making the same mistake because now you'll be aware of it !!

Finally, I've included some rhythmic variations in Warm-Up for Intermediates #3 which should help keep you engaged with this development and not get too bored. So often we get the technical skill accomplished but lose sight of the musical development that is taking place so by varying these patterns rhythmically we should stay inside of what is taking place musically. You'll notice that I haven't put any fingerings in the tablature because at this point you should have figured out what the sequence is for each major and minor transition no matter what key in which you are going to play. Start off slow until you get the feel of what you are playing musically and then try to ................Have Some Fun With It !!

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