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Book to target sections of bass neck?

Discussion in 'General Instruction [BG]' started by VolverseLoco, Jun 25, 2019.

  1. Jun 25, 2019 #1
    VolverseLoco

    VolverseLoco

    Aug 27, 2018
    Las Vegas
    I currently am working out of "Walking Jazz Lines For Bass" Mel Bay/Hungerford, and it is a great book, I learned to read out of it but I find that in normal reading out of it I don't go past the 5th fret. It has hands down taught me all the notes on the first 5 frets. I have been playing the written pieces out of it now between the 5th and 9th frets, to learn those frets and it is working but sometimes hard when I have to hit a low F# when I'm on the 8th fret somewhere, and come back and land properly without looking. Can anyone suggest a book like this that specifically the music notes target the section between the 8th fret and the 12th fret? And so on, and don't have you jumping around? I am not into silly methods of shortcuts to 'memorize' all the notes all of the fret-board, I believe that actual reading of notes and playing them teaches you just fine, but I want to stay in one particular section of the fret-board, to master it, then move on to a higher section, and when the time comes, then put it all together. Anyone got a good book that trains you like this?
     
  2. Jun 25, 2019 #2
    Mushroo

    Mushroo Guest

    Apr 2, 2007
    Respectfully, I think the "jumping around" you are trying to avoid is a valuable and necessary technique. If you watch pro jazz bassists play walking lines, their left hands are in constant motion. Your plan is kind of like learning to drive by "mastering 3rd gear" without ever shifting into other gears. Nobody actually drives like that, and it will not prepare you for real-world driving situations. :)

    A really great practice exercise for improving your shifting skills is to reposition your hand for each chord change. For example if you are playing ii-V-I in C major, you could start from the 10th fret for the Dmin, shift to the 3rd fret for G7, and then up to the 8th fret for Cmaj.

    But to answer your specific question: Cello music is great for learning the notes above the 8th fret. The lowest note of a cello is C at the 8th fret of the E string. Do you have a favorite song that features cello? Personally I like the Bach Cello Suites.

    You could also practice music for tenor singers (but transposed an octave down). Many tenor vocal parts fit well into the 8th-12th fret region of the bass fretboard. Here is a collection of 4-part chorales (soprano, alto, tenor, bass). If you read the bass part, then the tenor part, then the alto part, and finally the soprano part, you will cover 4 different areas of the fretboard: bach–chorales.com
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2019
  3. Jun 25, 2019 #3
    Malcolm35

    Malcolm35 Supporting Member

    Aug 7, 2018
    Baytown, Texas is now home.
    Not sure this will help, but, here goes.

    If I am playing from standard notation or fake chord sheet music I gather my notes in the first 5 frets.

    If I am playing from Nashville numbers or just noodling I walk the key, i.e. If the song is in the key of G my tonic/root will be 4th string 3rd fret. And here I think in scale degree numbers - R-3-5-7, etc.

    All my noodling/improvising is in scale degree numbers, i.e. 1-2-3-4-5-6-7 or 1-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7, or chord tone numbers, i.e. R-b3-5-b7. I'll go up to the 8, but, seldom think above the 8. Why? My skill level goes to 8 and I leave the higher notes to the solo guys. And I never get passed a lead break solo, so all my noodling and or improvising is chord tone related with scale notes inserted, if needed.

    In other words I think in A, B, C's and 1, 2, 3's, and I catch those notes where I feel is right for me. Offered for what this is worth.
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2019
  4. Jun 26, 2019 #4
    enricogaletta

    enricogaletta

    May 21, 2011
    You should try the reading book from Ron Velosky, especially the last half of the book, is awesome for reading and to explore any part of your full fingerboard, very challenging
    SIGHT READING FOR THE BASS - BassBooks Publishing - BassBooks.com
    than if you wanna something different but quite challenging you should try grooving with hybrid techniques book :D;)
    Ciao. Enrico