four fret hand in Db and Ab

Traditionally, you cover three semitones between the first and fourth fingers. The third finger is not used until you reach thumb position (above the octave). Although, there are plenty of folks out there that use it to varying degrees lower on the neck.

As for maintaining a span with all four fingers that keeps you in tune that low on the neck, Good luck. I have hands that match up with my size 12EEE shoes quite well, and I don't think I could do it. It'd be too hard to stay within the right technique to get a clean stop on the string.

I would finger an Ab major scale:

1,4 (pivot) 1,2 (pivot) 4, (pivot) 1 (pivot) 2,4.

Pivoting implies that the thumb stays stationary on the spine of the neck and the hand pivots to get the finger on the stop position. More traditional methods employ a "shift" where the thumb moves as well.

 

Having just done this myself over the last year to 18 months, I would say you have to learn new "everything" in terms of approach to the instrument and technique!!

They are totally different and you just can't approach DB as a big fretless BG - it might work with some EUBs - but a real DB is a totally different experience ...

Basically you will be starting from scratch on technique if not music theory and of course everybody will be here soon saying - get a teacher!!

 

Not trying to highjack the thread, but I'm thinking of doing the oposite. I've been playing Upright for about a year and have never tried fretless BG (BG stands for Bass Guitar, not Blue Grass )
Should I aproach it like a small Real Bass or as if it was my fretted slab just without any frets?

 

That was my M.O. when I started playing electric. I even practiced out of Simandl using the written fingering.

Over the years, I've learned to take advantage of the shorter scale and throw in the third finger when it behooves me. But down in the $$ zone of up to the fifth fret or so, the ring finger plays a strictly supporting role for the pinky.

 

Thanks! that's what I's thinking of doing. Now, if I could only get my hands on a fretless