| Learn Your Frettboard w/ the Circle!
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On the bass, since it is tuned in 4th for all strings *unlike guitar which goes from G to B (3rd) one of the Key's to knowing your bass is the circle of 4ths ...
How do you know what is the 4th?
We all know C Major scale correct?
C D E F G A B C
C is the 1st
F is the 4th (fourth degree in the scale is the 4th)
So... the circle moves in 4ths around...
C F Bb Eb Ab Db Gb B E A D G C
The easy way to remeber it...
C
F
BEAD (like the word Bead) but with Flat infront
Gb / F#
BEAD (like the work Bead) naturals
G
C
If you can take the time to find where the C is on the frett board and discover the pattern then you can learn where the notes are...
C on the G string is on the 5th Frett and 17th Frett
F on the D string is on the 3rd Frett and the 15th Frett
See the pattern? Down one string down Two Fretts... Thats a fourth!
Bb on the G string is on the 3rd Frett and the 15th Frett.
Another Pattern! Going Up a string on the same frett is a 4th...
If you repeat that pattern you can play the circle of 4ths.. This is also the most common chord progression... (2 , 5 , 1) (D G C)
If you play this up and down and across your bass, it will really help you learn where all of the notes are on your frettboard and not just in one place, but up and down on everystring...
This will also help you bar notes when plaing the 4ths up the strings. It can help with your technique as well...
I hope this helps... Its basic, but will help you in the long run...
The above in reverse....
C G D A E B F#/Gb Db Ab Eb Bb F C
is the circle of 5ths. | 
