How to master the fretboard -your technique

[fuadramsey]

Okay what technique did/do you use to come out of "the box?"

I figured I would master the fretboard (come out of the box) after playing for many years. Guess what, I've been playing for many years and I'm barely coming out of it. For me I've been using a scale book that runs scales throughout the fretboard -up and down.

[reedo35]

What technique did your teacher use?

[fuadramsey]

My teacher Mr. Mel Bay and a bunch of other books always showed just one position for basic scales (minor pentatonic and major). So that's how I learned them.

[DarkArwen]

Mr. Mel Bay..... love it!

[JTE]

Instead of getting scales from a book, I learned the fingerboard by learning scales in my head.

A. Figure out what notes are in the key, and work out for yourself where they all are on the neck.

B. Spend time on finding all the A's on the neck, then the D's, etc.

C. Take a note, identify and find its fifth, and play them while singing the note names- e.g., taking Bb, figuring out that F is the fifth, then find a Bb, sing "Bb", then play the note, then sing "F" and find the F. Do this with other intervals too.

D. Work out scales on one string only, but from the nut to the last fret. Not really practical for playing often, but very good for learning the notes.

E. Work out the thirds for any key and play the scale alternating the thirds.

F. Use the harmonized scale exercise Jaco Pastorious teaches in the video lesson with Jerry Jemmott from DCI. Using 7th chords, play the I Maj7 ascending, the ii min7 desceding, the iii min7 ascedning, the IV Maj7 descending, the V dom7 ascending, etc. until you run out of frets.

G. Transpose bass lines you already know to weird keys, naming the notes as you go.

All of these get you away from the merely mechanical aspects to reinforce the music part of learning music.

John

[sloasdaylight]

Learn relationships between frets and notes on the board.

The entire fingerboard is just one huge grid that has a series of patterns on it, repeated until you run out of room. Once you figure out those patterns, the world is your oyster, as the saying goes.

[251]

Originally Posted by fuadramsey

Okay what technique did/do you use to come out of "the box?"

I figured I would master the fretboard (come out of the box) after playing for many years. Guess what, I've been playing for many years and I'm barely coming out of it. For me I've been using a scale book that runs scales throughout the fretboard -up and down.

I only play 4 string basses & use 2 octave scales with a metronome. Play them on 1, 2, 3 or 4 strings, ascend, descend, move them chromatically, or through a Circle of 4th/5ths. Use the entire fret board. Find the hard to reach places & how to best reach them. Find the places that are tiring to play for a long time, find at least 1 comfortable way to use your fingers & then exercise your fingers. For me that is octaves on frets 1 & 2 with both ring & pinky fingers on the high note. I practice Major, Dominant & Major/Minor & modes of each. They're a good warm up & cool down.

I don't know a substitute for this exercise & don't find playing it fun but, the longer I use it the better I can get around the fretboard. 8-)

[dDaddybass]

Check out http://www.studybass.com/ . It has a cool fretboard printer that you can use in any key, any scale or mode. Pretty cool. It allows you to see all of the notes on the fretboard. Also, I learned this from my teacher, learn one note at a time. Learn the root by writing the note, say c. Example, E string: frets 8 and 16, A string, 3 and 15, D string, 10 and 22. G string, 5 and 17. And I've thrown in the circle of 5ths, so the next note would be G. Play the scales and modes in every key.

[Gawd]

Originally Posted by JTE

Instead of getting scales from a book, I learned the fingerboard by learning scales in my head.

A. Figure out what notes are in the key, and work out for yourself where they all are on the neck.

B. Spend time on finding all the A's on the neck, then the D's, etc.

C. Take a note, identify and find its fifth, and play them while singing the note names- e.g., taking Bb, figuring out that F is the fifth, then find a Bb, sing "Bb", then play the note, then sing "F" and find the F. Do this with other intervals too.

D. Work out scales on one string only, but from the nut to the last fret. Not really practical for playing often, but very good for learning the notes.

E. Work out the thirds for any key and play the scale alternating the thirds.

F. Use the harmonized scale exercise Jaco Pastorious teaches in the video lesson with Jerry Jemmott from DCI. Using 7th chords, play the I Maj7 ascending, the ii min7 desceding, the iii min7 ascedning, the IV Maj7 descending, the V dom7 ascending, etc. until you run out of frets.

G. Transpose bass lines you already know to weird keys, naming the notes as you go.

All of these get you away from the merely mechanical aspects to reinforce the music part of learning music.

John

This. I'd add also to learning the scales on one string, also learn them across 2 strings, 3 strings, etc, in different ways. In a horizontal and vertical fashion (vertical being one position across the the strings, horizontal in shifting positions).

Also practicing all of the modes in different ways horizontal and vertical helps.

Play through the modes with each root starting on it's relative note to Ionian. Than with each root remaining the same note. These should also be done in alternating thirds.

What JTE posted and my additions have been what I've been doing daily for the past little while, the improvement has come very fast.

[BassChuck]

One thing that makes learning the fretboard difficult is that EB is one of the few 'symetrical' instruments. In other words, the pattern that your fingers make to play a scale is the same for all major or minor scales. You can get by with very little knowledge of the board. (a true good news/bad news scene)

What helped me was to say the name of the note out loud as I played scales. This helps not only knowing scales and the board, but also acts to slow you down a bit and help you with technique.

Sadly, EB is an instrument that will tolerate a huge amount of laziness. Its up to you to make the difference and learn what other musicians know about their instruments.

[Shmone]

+1 to learning the scales on the keyboard, 2 octave scales helped me learn the fretboard.

[StereoPlayer]

I learned in back in the day in front of a mirror....it helped with my hand placement and allowed me to follow other guitarist hands easier. I hardly look at my neck or hand when playing now, even with [laying fretless.

I had music in school, so that helped. But I played to my favorite bands via records! CD's and such are much easier now.

I also "jammed" with my friends for many years. Make recordings, you'll be glad you did.

I still learn every day....after the 40 something years of playing.

[Rudreax]

Learn to read music. Then learn to read music without looking at your fretboard. It forces you to memorise where the notes are since you won't have time to constantly look at the your hand and the sheet.