Jaco Major Scale Fingerings

[drumvsbass]

As per your first question, Upon arriving at the G on the B string, I start coming back down and transition back to the hi G string after completing the 3 notes on the low B. The scales are not 2 oct in a linear sense but i like keeping it low and have chosen to do it this way

But are you doubling up the G twice or is that you use different fingerings on the way up as opposed to down?

Here's a slippery one....

-> = Slide Index is 1, middle 2, ring 3, pinky 4

Pinky slides 4 notes per string

B - (index @ 3rd fret) 1D, 2E, 4F#, ->4G (pinky @ 8th fret)
E - (index @ 5th fret) 1A, 3B, 4C, -> 4D (pinky @ 10th fret)
A - (index @ 7th fret) 1E, 3F#, 4G -> 4A (pinky @ 12th fret)
D - (index @ 9th fret) 1B, 2C, 4D, -> 4E (pinky @ 14th fret)
G - (index @ 11th fret) 1F#, 2G, 4A, ->4B (pinky @ 16th fret)

Index slides 4 notes per string

B - (3rd) 1D -> 1E, 3F#, 4G (8th)
E - (5th) 1A -> 1B, 2C, 4D (10th)
A - (7th) 1E -> 1F#, 2G, 4A (12th)
D - (9th) 1B -> 1C, 2D, 4E (14th)
G - (11TH) 1F# -> 1G, 2A, 4B (16th)

Super Slippery slope

First and pinky slide 5 notes per string

B - (3rd fret) 1D-> 1E, 3F#, 4G, -> 4A (pinky at the 10th fret already!!!!)
E - (7th fret) 1B -> 1C, 2D, 4E -> 4F# **(pinky at the 14th fret)
A - (10th fret) **1G -> 1A, 3B, 4C -> 4D (Pinky at 17th)
D - (14th fret) 1E -> 1F#, 2G, 4A, -> 4B ** (pinky at 21st!!! what the heck you doing up here anyway?)
G - 17th fret) **1C -> 1D, 2E, 4F# ->4G (pinky at the 24th you got a bass with a two octave neck? know how to get up there)

**These transitions between require that 2 whole tone stretch that I was talking about, so I probably wouldn't use every single one of those slides I might skip one for a more comfortable route with a combination of the first two.
But also a good rule of thumb (if you want to really deep dive on this) avoid slides on the index finger if it's only one fret, slide with the middle or ring instead and you'll generally avoid the two whole tones on a string stretch.

I break the fretboard into 3 zones. 5th and below, 6th-11th, and 12th and up.
5th and below is the same as 6-11, it just utilizes open strings to give a wider range. 6-11 is generally 1 finger per fret with 2 shapes, either the Major or Minor pentatonic shape or as Gary Willis would put it 2nd finger Major, and 4th finger Major. He as well tends to avoid the 2 whole tones on a string when he can and shift positions instead. This doesn't really do his system justice but it is the jist of it. (This is from the 8 week GW course through SBL)
12th and up is index as a bar and as far as the rest can reach.

 

[aprod]

Carol Kaye has a video which uses a pivot of the hand off the thumb to make this scale shape easy to execute.

 

[dreamadream99]

In general, and for versatility, one should be able to extend the first finger down a fret, and the fourth finger up a fret, when needed. The benefit of this technique is that it saves you a position shift going into the second octave.

 

[vin*tone]

...I know the idea is to choose a fingering and practice it that way. ...

I don't agree with this. Scales are only a means to an end. Learn one way well, then learn the other way. Your hands *should* be getting fatigued. That just means you're pushing your boundaries of strength and stamina.

 

[Sebbyv]

What an exciting thread

 

[eJake]

But are you doubling up the G twice or is that you use different fingerings on the way up as opposed to down?

Here's a slippery one....

-> = Slide Index is 1, middle 2, ring 3, pinky 4

Pinky slides 4 notes per string

B - (index @ 3rd fret) 1D, 2E, 4F#, ->4G (pinky @ 8th fret)
E - (index @ 5th fret) 1A, 3B, 4C, -> 4D (pinky @ 10th fret)
A - (index @ 7th fret) 1E, 3F#, 4G -> 4A (pinky @ 12th fret)
D - (index @ 9th fret) 1B, 2C, 4D, -> 4E (pinky @ 14th fret)
G - (index @ 11th fret) 1F#, 2G, 4A, ->4B (pinky @ 16th fret)

Index slides 4 notes per string

B - (3rd) 1D -> 1E, 3F#, 4G (8th)
E - (5th) 1A -> 1B, 2C, 4D (10th)
A - (7th) 1E -> 1F#, 2G, 4A (12th)
D - (9th) 1B -> 1C, 2D, 4E (14th)
G - (11TH) 1F# -> 1G, 2A, 4B (16th)

Super Slippery slope

First and pinky slide 5 notes per string

B - (3rd fret) 1D-> 1E, 3F#, 4G, -> 4A (pinky at the 10th fret already!!!!)
E - (7th fret) 1B -> 1C, 2D, 4E -> 4F# **(pinky at the 14th fret)
A - (10th fret) **1G -> 1A, 3B, 4C -> 4D (Pinky at 17th)
D - (14th fret) 1E -> 1F#, 2G, 4A, -> 4B ** (pinky at 21st!!! what the heck you doing up here anyway?)
G - 17th fret) **1C -> 1D, 2E, 4F# ->4G (pinky at the 24th you got a bass with a two octave neck? know how to get up there)

**These transitions between require that 2 whole tone stretch that I was talking about, so I probably wouldn't use every single one of those slides I might skip one for a more comfortable route with a combination of the first two.
But also a good rule of thumb (if you want to really deep dive on this) avoid slides on the index finger if it's only one fret, slide with the middle or ring instead and you'll generally avoid the two whole tones on a string stretch.

I break the fretboard into 3 zones. 5th and below, 6th-11th, and 12th and up.
5th and below is the same as 6-11, it just utilizes open strings to give a wider range. 6-11 is generally 1 finger per fret with 2 shapes, either the Major or Minor pentatonic shape or as Gary Willis would put it 2nd finger Major, and 4th finger Major. He as well tends to avoid the 2 whole tones on a string when he can and shift positions instead. This doesn't really do his system justice but it is the jist of it. (This is from the 8 week GW course through SBL)
12th and up is index as a bar and as far as the rest can reach.

thanks again, this is really in depth stuff!! Gonna have to dig in!