Inlays for thumb position

[tornadobass]

I added small, white side marker dots to my BugBass (at G, A and B on the E string). It's been handy for playing in tune at noisy environments or the start of songs in my blues band. After playing an Epiphone upright for several months, I went back to the Bug and found the dots distracting.

I've also used a dark blue paper dot at the octave between the D and G strings, which has been helpful, except I get fined for playing above the octave...so the dot acts somewhat like those buried fences for dogs

[Mike Arnopol]

I remember when I was studying with the principal of the Chicago symphony when I was a kid that he would put pencil marks on the fingerboard for some difficult passages. I play jazz for a living and I'm kindof known for thumb position soloing. I don't have dots. And I play in tune. I'm now thinking of putting in dots ala Edgar. I might attempt things that would have been near impossible, even for someone with 43 years of bass playing experience. I would never try to nail notes past a certain point from a low position to upper thumb. I would likely come VERY close. So why not have a visual aid so that if I wanted to jump from half position to a high F and be able to nail it? Who cares what dogmatic bass players think? If you can expand what you're able to play and play with better intonation?
I think that up to thumb position dots are a hinderance and distraction---there are plenty of physical reference points. But at a certain point in thumb position there are fewer reference points and a greater likelihood to play out of tune.

[Matt R.]

Originally Posted by Mike Arnopol

I remember when I was studying with the principal of the Chicago symphony when I was a kid that he would put pencil marks on the fingerboard for some difficult passages. I play jazz for a living and I'm kindof known for thumb position soloing. I don't have dots. And I play in tune. I'm now thinking of putting in dots ala Edgar. I might attempt things that would have been near impossible, even for someone with 43 years of bass playing experience. I would never try to nail notes past a certain point from a low position to upper thumb. I would likely come VERY close. So why not have a visual aid so that if I wanted to jump from half position to a high F and be able to nail it? Who cares what dogmatic bass players think? If you can expand what you're able to play and play with better intonation?
I think that up to thumb position dots are a hinderance and distraction---there are plenty of physical reference points. But at a certain point in thumb position there are fewer reference points and a greater likelihood to play out of tune.

Yessir. Great post.

[JGoldberg]

Originally Posted by oldfretless

It might not be the best thing to do, but in drag racing, many drivers tape up the peripheral portion of their helmet visor, leaving a small 2x2 square in the center. The theory is you won't be distracted, leaving your brain to concentrate on less input.

That reminds me of the Gestalt Theory. I think about that a lot in terms of how "visual baggage" can draw focus and attention away from other tasks. It takes a lot of brain power to process what you see. If your eyes are shut you can focus more energy on playing accurately. I imagine looking for markings might be a hinderance. Of course having them doesn't mean you have to look.

[Phil Rowan]

Originally Posted by Mike Arnopol

I would never try to nail notes past a certain point from a low position to upper thumb. I would likely come VERY close. So why not have a visual aid so that if I wanted to jump from half position to a high F and be able to nail it?

Exactly what I do when playing a piece where the bass section has to hit (arco) the same über high note, coming in out of nowhere, with the last note you played somewhere around or lower than the heel of the neck. It's a very exposed thing and a huge leap to make so no shame in just drawing a tiny little line right where that note is. Aside from that there's no need to use any visual markings (even on that same über high note) for learning the geography of the fingerboard. That's what the physical landmarks as well as studies in different scale/arpeggio fingerings are for (and using your ears, along with a nice drone/tuner, like the Korg OT120, doesn't hurt either).

Note - I don't work for Korg and don't mean to sound like I spam for them.. I just really want that tuner for my birthday.

[spoonido]

I put a few small lines on the side of the finger board with a "china white" pencil. Rubs off when you don't need it any longer.

[bassmastan]

I don't think you need the inlays, I used to just have a book of positions and use my ear to determine if I were in the right place, then my teacher (middle school ) put tape on the fingerboard, I took it off and made the argument that learning something by just reletave space isn't enough, internalizing the note is the second part to it. Ill never regret what I did, just sit at home with a keyboard or piano with a chart with positions for thumb position and play the note visualize where the note is and play the note on the bass, play a half step below and above, eventually you can adjust your hands as your playing to get the note you want. Just my advice.

[CamMcIntyre]

I put side dots on my bass with white nail polish. Several of the people I have studied with have had either the home made variety or inlaid side dots.

[koricancowboy]

Fear dogmatic responses! Here's an interesting read. http://www.fmh.utl.pt/labcmotor/imag...os_mc_2007.pdf

[Matt R.]

Originally Posted by koricancowboy

Fear dogmatic responses! Here's an interesting read. http://www.fmh.utl.pt/labcmotor/imag...os_mc_2007.pdf

Well that was an easy read But very fascinating, thanks for sharing that.

[koricancowboy]

Originally Posted by Matt R.

Well that was an easy read But very fascinating, thanks for sharing that.

[tyb507]

I don't know if he always has them, but I saw Barry Bales with AKUS last summer and he very clearly had white tape or white pencil lines on the side of his FB in a few positions.

I don't think anybody would doubt his ability to play in tune, but it was a big outdoor concert (questionable stage sound?), and playing with a pro group driven by tight vocals and dobro, I can't imagine there's any room for fishing in the intonation department.

That emboldened me to put some pencil marks on my FB when I'm in a setting where playing out of tune is not an option (recording sessions, performances with small groups in intimate settings, backing up vocalists etc) and/or I expect there to be conditions that might make hearing myself difficult.

If your job is to provide a tonal foundation for a group, and there's a chance you won't be able to hear yourself clearly, I don't think there's any reason not to mark notes whether temporarily or permanently. It's your bass, do what you want! Inlaid markers can be drilled and filled or dyed to match the FB if a future owner doesn't like them.

I can't really speak to thumb position markers...I just always play perfectly in tune up there 100% of the time, arco, with my eyes closed, so there's that.

[longfinger]

Originally Posted by koricancowboy

Fear dogmatic responses! Here's an interesting read. http://www.fmh.utl.pt/labcmotor/imag...os_mc_2007.pdf

Nice. thanks.

[rusag2]

Can't really answer this question without asking another question: What do you want to get out of playing bass? I'm never going sit first chair in New York. Hell I might not even ever play arco. But I enjoy playing. And I enjoy it more when I play the right notes. I have put tiny dots of fingernail polish on E side of the fingerboard. I can feel these dots with my left thumb. It's a tactile "landmark"...not a visual crutch. I don't look at 'em at all. And, they're permanent enough but can be easily moved with changes in brige position or a new nut or what have you. Short answer: I play better with my dots and I enjoy it more. So, for me, that's the answer. Find your own answer...what makes you enjoy it more?

[Geeze]

If you get inlays, you'll play like this --> b song - Edgar Meyer Bela Fleck - YouTube

[NicholasF]

Don't people sometimes us chalk, or a special kind of pencil? When I was learning I just a graphite pencil, just to mark harmonics, and that would rub off with a light wipe from a clean towel(then again, to find the D on my first Eb bass, I had to use a peice of masking tape that never actually came off). You don't have to get something so perminant, because 10 years from now you may find it useless, an injury to the neck/nut/bridg/anything may cayse the positions to move, you might have played on the board so much you need a new one which means you need to get it inlayed again, and you might be in the market to sell it and it might deface value. Something that will come off would suffice, even stickers of smiley faces or butterflies would work.

[james condino]

Ethics and style points aside, I'd suggest always use a whiteout pen and don't make permanent inlays for the simple reason that if you change your setup and strings, there is a pretty good chance the intonation will move slightly. I've lost count of how many basses have come through the shop for repairs that had mother of pearl type inlays that were not even close to the correct location.

j.

[Turnaround]

I have permanent dots on the edges of the FB on my 1/4 and my 3/4. They are helpful at times since I am constantly switching between these instruments as well as 34 and 35" electrics, fretted and fretless. A quick visual cue doesn't hurt.

And just because the dot is there doesn't mean I have to look at it. Most often it's when something doesn't sound right, a quick glance tells me if my hand is where I expect it to be - not necessarily where it should be, just where I expect.