Fingering Reference for non traditionalists

[phippsyg]

I have come from a simandl background with my left hand approach, and am aware of the various left hand approaches, predominantly from a classical viewpoint.

For those that have not learnt a fingering system as such, what is your roadmap for the fingerboard?

Do you have reference points, or some sort of positional perspective worked out or do you just take it as it comes?

Look forward to hearing responses,
Cheers.

[charlespf]

The Rabbath method uses harmonics as reference points, and there aren't exactly fixed 'positions'. It's pretty much about where you are in relation to harmonics.

My teacher, who uses a great deal of 4 finger technique ala Gary Karr, still advocates using Simandl positions as a basic roadmap for the board.

[nathanmcnathan]

I don't really think in terms of set positions, but in terms of key centers and key notes on the fingerboard that my hand stays close to. It really helps me learn and memorize parts fast.

[hdiddy]

I've learned simandl and yet I still use particular knot and grain patterns on the back of the neck for general landmarks. Works fine for me and noone can tell the diff.

[nathanmcnathan]

I've done that on my school's bass... It's got a relly knotted ebony FB, and I've noticed that there's a small, light-coloured speck right where A is on the E string.

[Panurge]

I come from an electric bass background, and worked a lot of double bass fingerings out on my own. However, Rufus Reid made me realize the importance of a simple chromatic scale on one string, which is something I'm sure most of you know. I think Milt Hinton made a big deal about this as well.
So, if you need a detailed account of the exercise, you basically start in half position, and then go up the octace in a "one finger per fret" manner, using the index-middle-pinky claw grip. Then you go back down. Each "position" slowly makes its natural way into your muscle memory. Rufus made me go up an octave and a fifth to practice switching to thumb position. Check out his books for the whole story.
Another real good way to go about it is to do "one finger" scalar exercise, with the bow, or pizz, whatever, where you use one finger at a time to do a scale on one string, sliding into the next note. The key here is to make the slide inaudible, even if you're bowing through it.
As a daily exercise I've made it a quick and effective routine to start with the index on the G string Ab and do the scale over an octave, then back down, middle finger for the A, and pinky for the Bb, which switches to middle finger on the F or G, depending on my mood... Pick any scale, any combination, in thirds, arpegios, anything goes, really.
Same goes for all the other strings.
Another benefit from doing this is hand and finger strenght as the sliding motion tones the muscles and tendons involved in maintaining form and creates really nice callous on the tips and pads of fingers.
Obviously, proper "positions", and scales over all strings, string crossings, and a multitude of other things will make your knowledge of the instrument acceptable to you, but the second exercise really helped, I've found.
Take it easy,
E.