I don't understand, I am dumb

[dvs20]

I want to learn to play bass! I've been playing on and off for years. I just don't understand though. I know the finger patterns of the major and minor pentatonic scales (start on A end on an A I think 1 octave up??) I can't remember the notes I play, I have no fretboard knowledge at all I've tried saying the note as I play it I just can't remember! I beleive my technique is good on both hands I'm just ready to take the next step and was wondering what I should do to learn my fretboard? I don't know I'm confusing myself writing this! how did you guys without teachers learn to play??

[Chazinroch]

Learn the notes 4 frets at a time. Start with the open strings through the 4th fret. Then from the 4th fret to the eight and so on. Once you get to the 12th fret the pattern starts over again. Spend a week with each 4 fret position. Don't try and learn the entire fret board in one week. Don't worry about sharps and flats at this point. Once you know the note names and locations, sharps and flats are 1/2 step away. Learn scales (start with C major) and when you play them, sing the notes out loud. This helps with memory and ear training. Learn to read!!! A most importantly find a good teacher. You'' get it, it just takes time, patience, and practice.

[SmittyG]

Originally Posted by dvs20

how did you guys without teachers learn to play??

Lots and lots of trial and error.

Looking back, I really wish I would have been able to find a bass teacher. (All I could find where guitar players doing double duty. But, even that may have helped.)

First, you have to KNOW what note you are playing when you fret at any point. If you don't have that, then the rest gets almost impossible. In fact, you will be stuck just trying to memorize patterns without really understanding what you are playing or why. And, just like your multiplication tables, there are no shortcuts or quick fixes--you have to learn by pure repetition. You just have to do it over and over and over; that's the only way.

If you already have some exercises for learning all the notes on the fretboard, then you just have to slow down, focus, and take your time to get the information in your hands, in your ears and in your head. If you don't, I can recommend some that will get you started. Once you know what the notes are, then you can start working on putting them into patterns (chords, scales, riffs and so forth).

[EADG mx]

get a good teacher

[mccartneyman]

First, you're not dumb. You learned the alphabet, right? And that has 26 letters. The scale uses only 6 letters, and even with flats and sharps, you're still dealing with only 12 notes. If 3rd graders can learn to play violin, you can learn bass.

I am self taught, although I knew how to read music before I started out on bass. I played my brother's upright for the first year, and only by myself in my bedroom. What I did to learn where the notes are was buy the Mel Bay bass book. Once I knew where the notes are, I simply played along with Beatles records for almost a year. By the time I got an electric bass, I knew not only where the notes are, but patterns. And McCartney is inventive enough that I learned not only stock rock bass lines, but some sophisticated things, too.

Today I read music if needed, but I can still play a song by listening to it a few times, and having learned by listening to and copying so many great bassists over the years, I can invent my own bass lines easily. But read on:

I've had students who wrote the names of the notes on stickers and put the stickers on the fretboard under the string. I'd do this only for the first five frets until you feel comfortable.

Another thing you can easily do is draw a diagram of the first five frets -- just two parallel lines for the neck boundaries, with four more parallel lines for the strings,and vertical lines for the frets. Make several copies. Write the all the notes in on one copy. Study it, then try to write them in on a blank sheet from memory. Next, fill in only certain notes on some copies -- make each copy different -- then try to fill in the missing notes.

Be aware that some notes -- flats and sharps -- can have two names. For example, C sharp (C#) is also D flat (Db). What they are called depends upon the key signature. If you are unaware of key signatures, buy a book on basic music theory. I don't think it's important to write the "correct" note name on the stickers at this point. Starting at fret one on the E string and continuing up to the fifth fret on each string, (except for the D, when you'll run out of stickers at fret 2) I'd simply use

F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb, B, C, C#, D, Eb, E

then start over when you get to the third fret on the D string.
After you know how to play, you can learn when to call a note , say, F# or Gb.

If you can afford it, find a teacher who will start with you from square one. It's not necessary to read music from the get-go, but knowing where the notes are on the fretboard is essential.

Good luck!

[dreadheadbass]

i had this trouble learning notes too even today i still dont know them i suffer from dyspraxia so remembering numbers and letters is very hard for me so instead i remembered each note as a colour
ok so it doesnt help you when your jamming things out with friends or bandmates but it does help you construct basslines a little faster

[TDYooper]

All very good advise. Like so many other things we learn, playing bass is just a matter of doing it over, and over again. A good teacher, or mentor will help to get us going, and keep us on track, but we are the ones that have to make it happen. No one else can do it for us, and as we get better, things become more natural.

I like to compare it to driving. I don’t know how old you are, or what your driving style is, but I’m sure your first time out, you didn’t fire up the old stick shift diesel, hook up to the tri-axle fifth wheel and head out on the open road!!! You started out with something bit smaller (easier) and worked your way up…

Listen to what these folks have to say. Find you a good teacher, slip her into first gear, and lets just see where this trip takes us…

Enjoy the journey…

TDY

[nsmar4211]

I have to admit I go blank at times with what note I'm playing, comes from learning by scale degrees ( 12345678) instead of note names (cdefgabc).
I use a combination of octaves and the circle of fourths to figure it out when I get stuck. For some reason its easier for me to remember the notes on the two strings closest to me, so for notes on the other 2-3 strings, I look down an octave from where I'm at. For the circle of fourths way , lets say I want to play an A on the D string. I find the E on the A and up a string and viola! (BEADGCF, which is also how we mostly tune... ahhhh....). After doing this thought process enough the other strings start to sink into memory. It's all about the repetition.......but these help me get through at a gig/jam .

[hunta]

It's also important to remember that everyone has different learning styles. Repetition is important in any learning process, but you must choose what it is you're going to repeat! If what you're doing isn't working, you can repeat it as many times as you like and not progress.

Here's something you can try. Print out the attached necks.jpg in landscape form. Write all the notes in on the neck. Make a game out of it, don't just start writing the notes in on 1 string (E, F, F#/Gb, G), skip around. Write all the C's in first, then write in all the Gb's, whatever.

When you have a few completed fingerboard charts, start highlighting scale patterns. For example see C major.jpg.

Hope that's helpful

[jamesblue]

Nice thread, I haven't thought about this issue for awhile. I learned the E and A strings when I started out, but didn't really learn the rest of the fretboard well. This thread has encouraged me to revisit the fretboard once again.

[dvs20]

I'm glad I actually got feedback, thanks a ton fellas. I plan on sitting down with my wick and hitting it hard. kinda hard to play now because of the neighbors, I will be moving in a month and then it's on! but for the meantime I'm going to print out that sheet someone suggested and start that we'll see what happens in a month of little bass playing and lots of paper work

[SC Bassboy]

One thing you might want to try it putting some masking tape on your fretboard and actually writting the notes under the string. This is a really simple way to learn the fretboard. Eventually you won't have to look any more and you can remove the tape. Just don't leave your house with the taped-up bass or you might become a laughing stock.

[dvs20]

I get what your saying on the tape bit, buuuut there is something about putting tape on a warwick that I'm not to fond of
I think with the help I've gotten here so far I should be GTG. I'll be back when I can figure something else out

[DocBop]

I recommend students learn one string at a time by playing a C major scale on one string from the lowest available note the open string up to about the 15th fret. Play the scale saying the names of the notes as you play, don't worry about speed. Stay on one string until you feel you have it.

This does a few things. One learning the names of the natural notes on a string. If you know the natural notes no problem going up or down a fret to sharp or flat a note. Also you learn how a major scale is built by seeing/learning/hearing the intervals between notes. It also teach technique of shifting positions. I feel it is easier to learn just the natural notes only seven of them and just know to go up or down a fret to alter them. Be sure to really feel confident on one string before moving on to another.

I will leave it at that there is more to this exercise after learning the notes on one string at a time. Also don't say you're dumb. Remember... If you think you can or if you think you can't, you're right.

[Circus]

I took my metranome, put it on the slowest speed, and just picked a note in my head and played each note at a time whenever my metranome beeped. so say I picked G, I would hit the 3rd fret on my e string, then move up and hit the octave, then move up to the next string and play the lower g, then up to the octave, etc, playing each note whenever it beeped.

[bassbully]

Im no expert and know my fretbord pretty well and i had some trouble early until i found out to use octives to learn by. I started by learning the E string and then by using the octive off of it i could run the board on each string. Scales didnt work so well cuz i was always playing them faster than i could remember the notes for some reason. Playing songs and charting them and then trying them in different positions on the neck also help you learn the neck and how the notes work together.

[1954bassman]

If note names are giving you trouble, consider starting with the Nashville Numbering System. Google to find link.

Also, if you can not find a teacher, get yourself a really nice big instructional book. Don't be afraid to get a book that starts with the basics, and continues to very advanced. I think one of the better books in my personal library was published by Bass Player magazine.

I will say kudos to all who have offered really good advice. You will need to learn as much as possible. Intervals, note names, timing, fretboard, and much, much more.

Taking it slow with a metronome until each exercise becomes easy was also a great piece of advice. Your goal should be playing the exercise piece flawlessly at a slow tempo at first, then speeding up, if you like. Always check your tuning, and learn to use your hands to get the sound you hear in your head. Tuning, Timing, and Tone, and you are on your way.

Mark

[TDYooper]

Originally Posted by 1954bassman

Also, if you can not find a teacher, get yourself a really nice big instructional book. Don't be afraid to get a book that starts with the basics, and continues to very advanced. I think one of the better books in my personal library was published by Bass Player magazine.



Mark

Bassman has an idea there.

A while back, I picked up one of those yellow 'For Dummies' books that covers playing six sting. They just may have one for Bass playing too... Just something to think about.

TDY

[dvs20]

I did just pick up the for dummies book yesterday bass players type! feels good to know I will be getting away from crappy tabs now!