6 Sring Scales w/fingerings? Resources?

[Standalone]

My SRF706 has started following me to gigs.

I am looking for resources for scales — with fingerings — so I can build some muscle memory and vocabulary. Any links? Excellent books?

I am not really looking to grow my bass clef reading skills, as much as I’d like to — but it’s always been shapes and fretboard diagrams for me so far and I’d prefer to build from there.

 

[BrotherMister]

Are you looking to learn scales or learn diagrams?

 

[Papageno]

Scales are the same for all instruments. And concerning fingerings, since the bass (in normal 4ths tuning) is a very symmetrical instrument, the kind of fingerings you can play on 6-string bass is the same as on a 4-string bass.

So I don't really understand what it is that you need. Unless you don't know your scales or your fingerboard. If that's your problem, then my suggestion is: go learn your scales (as already said they are the same for all instruments), and learn your fingerboard (not a big deal, 2 more strings is just 24 notes), and then find out the fingerings yourself. That process might be a little slower, but it will be much more valuable on the ling term. Furthermore, there is no best and unique fingering for a scale, but plenty of them, depending upon the line you are playing.

 

[Les Fret]

kind of fingerings you can play on 6-string bass is the same as on a 4-string bass..

Not if you play scales over all six strings in one position. I found this website, many six string bass scales here. Maybe useful. Dave's Six-String Bass Resource Page - Scales

But better learn all the notes on the neck instead of merely diagrams.

 

[Papageno]

Not if you play scales over all six strings in one position.

What's wrong about shifting? Isn't that a normal part of the playing on a string instrument?

When you are playing a scale (or any line for that matter), if the next note is out of your reach in the current position, then you just shift to another position that is convenient for the next part of your line. That's it. (unless you don't know your fingerboard).

 

[Les Fret]

What's wrong about shifting? Isn't that a normal part of the playing on a string instrument?
.

Nothing at all. I do it all the time on six string but learning scales in one position is great on six string, especially for soloing. It’s just another option and an extra benefit of having a six string bass.

 

[Papageno]

Nothing at all. I do it all the time on six string but learning scales in one position is great on six string, especially for soloing. It’s just another option and an extra benefit of having a six string bass.

Sure, I agree on this.

The point I was making in answering to the OP is that the very process of finding out ourselves the fingerings for a line, a scale, an arpeggio, is much more profitable on the long term than getting it spoon-fed from someone else.

 

[Watchootognbout]

You may memorize scale fingerings.
But when playing,fingerings depend on what you are doing and what you want to do next.

 

[Snert]

My SRF706 has started following me to gigs.

Welcome to the dark side.

My suggestion is to just practice scales across all 6 strings all over the neck until you don't think about it, whilst working on your muting. And keep the 4s locked away until then.

 

[Standalone]

Welcome to the dark side.

My suggestion is to just practice scales across all 6 strings all over the neck until you don't think about it, whilst working on your muting. And keep the 4s locked away until then.

Well, yes. I’d like some resource that has such scales mapped out — I’ve never been a very motivated woodshedder, and having something to look at would be nice…

 

[Standalone]

Here’s the video of my first time out with it. Lots of fun.

Are you looking to learn scales or learn diagrams?

It’s probably weird, but I personally fail to see the divisions between the scale, the patterns they make on the fingerboard, and the way they interact with harmony and rhythm.

In this case, I wanted to have a visual aide while I work on them. I think I have a type of synaesthesia that closely relates spatial perception and music.

At this point in my bass playing career, I’m not likely to re-start at zero and approach a wider fretboard as though I’m a total novice.

Not if you play scales over all six strings in one position. I found this website, many six string bass scales here. Maybe useful. Dave's Six-String Bass Resource Page - Scales

But better learn all the notes on the neck instead of merely diagrams.

Yes, thank you, this is exactly what I was hoping someone might have handy. I appreciate the link.

Sure, I agree on this.

The point I was making in answering to the OP is that the very process of finding out ourselves the fingerings for a line, a scale, an arpeggio, is much more profitable on the long term than getting it spoon-fed from someone else.

That would be great, and I do agree, but would certainly take both more available time than I have and probably more motivation and concentration than my busy and burned out self is likely to muster.

A helpful visual reference isn’t (imo) being “spoon fed.”

 

[Snert]

I've read the post following the one quoted.

Well, yes. I’d like some resource that has such scales mapped out — I’ve never been a very motivated woodshedder, and having something to look at would be nice…

I did it this way and is offered as a suggestion, maybe it would work for you, maybe it will give you an idea.

I've had a scales book for decades, but it's 4 only. When I started playing 6s, I took the book and started re-writing the charts for 6s. It forced me to think about what I was doing.

Here's a chart for your wall. Might be what you're after.
https://www.amazon.com/STRING-BASS-SLIDE-RULE-CHART/dp/B01MZELH57

 

[Standalone]

I've read the post following the one quoted.
I did it this way and is offered as a suggestion, maybe it would work for you, maybe it will give you an idea.

I've had a scales book for decades, but it's 4 only. When I started playing 6s, I took the book and started re-writing the charts for 6s. It forced me to think about what I was doing.

Here's a chart for your wall. Might be what you're after.
https://www.amazon.com/STRING-BASS-SLIDE-RULE-CHART/dp/B01MZELH57

Thank you. I think looking at that helps me see more clearly that I don’t need fingerings for across-the-fingerboard stuff. It’s unnecessary.

Fingerings for the sort of position-shifting scales that I learned when I took a few lessons back in the day were more helpful.

I like the way that poster relates useful
Pairs of scales that are a fourth/fifth apart.

I grabbed these from the other link; I think they will be useful as a starting point.

 

[Papageno]

Thank you. I think looking at that helps me see more clearly that I don’t need fingerings for across-the-fingerboard stuff. It’s unnecessary.

Fingerings for the sort of position-shifting scales that I learned when I took a few lessons back in the day were more helpful.

I like the way that poster relates useful
Pairs of scales that are a fourth/fifth apart.

I grabbed these from the other link; I think they will be useful as a starting point.
View attachment 4852284 View attachment 4852285 View attachment 4852286

Good for you if you found what you were looking for. My point was not against using visual maps (I use a them a lot myself, although they are mental maps most of the time).

My point was that drawing those maps youself is a process that is much more profitable than having them provided by someone else. Yes, it may require a little bit of thinking but if you know the intervals that build a scale, and if you know how intervals are laid on a bass fingerboard, that should be a simole task.

Now you say you don't have time for that. I must say I don't get how one can want to play an instrument (and to gig with it) without dedicating the time needed to learn it thoroughly.

 

[Standalone]

I must say I don't get how one can want to play an instrument (and to gig with it) without dedicating the time needed to learn it thoroughly.

The work/life balance in France, along with many other factors, likely is part of what may make my statement hard for you to understand.

It is very different there from where I reside and work. My priorities are mainly with making that less so, which leaves me little time and energy for my sideline, music.

More direct to your point, there is surely profit in being an autodidact. But -- for argument's sake -- when I learned French, I would say that I profited more from quality textbooks, workbook exercises, quality teaching, and a good community of fellow learners. On my own, I'd not have learned it.