Skipped White Keys For Bass Line by Rockmaster
How to use the Skipped White Keys Method For Bass Line
Skipped White Keys For Bass Line
Major Third
The major third spans 5 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 3 skipped keys between.
The 3 skipped keys can be
2 black keys and 1 white key as in C – E, F – A, G – B
or
2 white keys and 1 black key as in D – F#, E – G#, A – C#, B – D# in the sharp keys,
and
Db – F, Eb – G, Gb – Bb, Ab – C, Bb – D in the flat keys.
From this we can say that the major third has 2 skipped white keys except,
C – E, F – A, G – B, which have 1 skipped white key.
Minor Third
The minor third spans 4 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 2 skipped keys between.
The 2 skipped keys can be
1 black key and 1 white key as in
C – Eb, D – F, E – G, F – Ab, G – Bb, A – C, B – D, in the sharp keys
and
Db – Fb, Gb – Bbb (A), Ab – Cb, in the flat keys,
or
2 white keys Eb – Gb, Bb Db.
From this we can say that the minor third has 1 skipped white key, except, Eb – Gb, Bb – Db.which have 2 skipped white keys.
The Perfect Fourth
The perfect fourth spans 6 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 4 skipped keys between.
The 4 skipped keys can be
2 white keys and 2 black keys as in
C – F, D – G, E – A, F – Bb, G – C, A – D, B – E, F# – B (Gb – Cb) for the sharp keys
and F – Bb
or
3 white keys and 1 black keys as in
Db – Gb, Eb – Ab, Ab – Db, Bb – Eb, Gb – Cb for the flat keys.
From this we can say that the perfect fourth has 2 skipped white key for the sharp keys
and
3 skipped white keys for the flat keys.
The Perfect Fifth
The perfect fifth spans 8 piano keys – the 2 keys that you are holding, plus 6 skipped keys between.
The 6 skipped keys can be
3 white keys and 3 black keys as in
C – G, D – A, E – B, F – C, G – D, A – E, for the sharp keys
or
4 white keys and 2 black keys as in B – F#, Db – A, Eb – Bb, Gb – Db, Ab – Eb,
Bb – F, for B – F# and the flat keys.
From this we can say that the perfect fifth has 3 skipped white key for the sharp keys and 4 skipped white keys for the flat keys.
Skipped White Keys Method
It is much simpler to count white keys, so we will use the white keys to determine intervals.
This is the Skipped White Keys Method.
Use this method to determine intervals for bass notes.
1 skipped white keys will be a minor third or or a major third or an adjacent note.
2 skipped white keys wil be a minor third or a major third or a perfect fourth.
3 skipped white keys will be a perfect fourth or a perfect fifth.
4 skipped white keys will be a perfect fifth.
