Learning fretboard on 6 string bass

[Acoustic356]

One suggestion: only play six for a good long while. Jumping between 4's, 5's and 6's is baffling (at least to me, and especially starting out). Play the 6 until it feels like "home" and other, less stringed models feel all skinny and weird.

I take a different approach... I teach my students how an instrument is laid out using a 4 string. I show them the relationship of how the instrument is laid out. Once they understand the logical structure, they can seamlessly navigate with intention across a 4, 5, 6, or 7 string instrument.

The only thing that may need to be addressed are muting strategies due to the additional strings.

 

[ole Jason]

Agreed, I've never been on board with the "Only play X string instruments" advice. Notes are notes. It should be no problem for someone to switch between basses with different numbers of strings.

One thing I'd add to drilling where the notes are is to drill intervals in relation to those notes. If you're soloing you're probably not going to play the root to start or end a phrase but you will still probably use it mentally as a reference point for where you start or end a line.

 

[Stringly]

I use A minor and G mixolydian arpeggios up and down the strings then up down and across

 

[Neon Scribe]

Learn the intervals, don't just memorize note names and fret positions. Take advantage of the all-fourths tuning to find your way around on the fretboard. Remember, everything repeats every five frets on the next string. Learn the patterns for navigating by intervals. A major third is ahead four frets, or over one string and back one fret. A major sixth is over two strings and back one fret. Learn the patterns for all the common scales and chords and you can transpose between keys easily.

 

[Slade N]

My bass has 6 strings and 24 frets. I try to memorize the position of each note on each string (without the bass).
Example C: B String (1, 13) E String( 8,20), A String( 3,15) D String (10,22), G String( 5,17) C String ( 12, 24). I try to do this for each note. ( I didn't double check these numbers so I'll wait for retribution).

i do this too

 

[Thumpin6string]

I went from a 4 string to a 6 string. I found it easy by remembering it is still just a 4 string with an additional string on the bass side and one on the treble side. Hopefully that makes sense. Once you get it in your head, it should be pretty easy.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

My bass also has 24 frets. Hmmm.... this a sort of visualization approach to the notes on the fret board. I had not considered this aspect. Thank you.

And even easier, just memorize the first 12 frets. The other 12 are the same notes, just an octave higher

 

[Sid s]

Example C: C String (12, 24).

Shouldn't that be C String (0, 12, 24) ?

(0 being the open string)

 

[juggahnaught]

I take a different approach... I teach my students how an instrument is laid out using a 4 string. I show them the relationship of how the instrument is laid out. Once they understand the logical structure, they can seamlessly navigate with intention across a 4, 5, 6, or 7 string instrument.

The only thing that may need to be addressed are muting strategies due to the additional strings.

Learn the intervals, don't just memorize note names and fret positions. Take advantage of the all-fourths tuning to find your way around on the fretboard. Remember, everything repeats every five frets on the next string. Learn the patterns for navigating by intervals. A major third is ahead four frets, or over one string and back one fret. A major sixth is over two strings and back one fret. Learn the patterns for all the common scales and chords and you can transpose between keys easily.

I absolutely agree with this.

However....while I absolutely agree with this....I think people should memorize the note positions and be able to have them on quick recall without thinking.

It's absolutely necessary to understand your instrument and be able to derive note positions. In fact, I'd say it's essential to understanding the instrument, furthering understanding of music theory, and playing in general. However.....when you hear a C, you don't want to be thinking about where the C is; you want it to be immediate memory recall, like remembering what eight times five is. You don't want to have to calculate it.

So yeah, learn to derive notes; being able to do this means that you can play any stringed instrument. (I've never actually understood it when people say they have to "learn" the notes on the high C or the low B - it's another string a fifth up, not that difficult.) However, you should definitely be able to reach for every note on every string (in every octave - don't neglect the high frets) with quick recall. This is admittedly an area where I'm lacking, which is why I'm advocating it; with quick recall, big jumps and string skips on the fretboard become effortless.

 

[thewildest]

Learn the intervals, don't just memorize note names and fret positions. Take advantage of the all-fourths tuning to find your way around on the fretboard. Remember, everything repeats every five frets on the next string. Learn the patterns for navigating by intervals. A major third is ahead four frets, or over one string and back one fret. A major sixth is over two strings and back one fret. Learn the patterns for all the common scales and chords and you can transpose between keys easily.

^ I was writing this same thing. My only addition is to develop this skill through playing with chords (instead of scales) as a practical way to learn and feel the intervals. Learning just the note of 1 string you can "visualize" the shapes and figure the notes of any string.

 

[hs123]

Shouldn't that be C String (0, 12, 24) ?

(0 being the open string)

I knew I was gonna get it!

 

[tbassist]

Lately I've been doing an exercise that I came up with to better understand my fretboard. I put on a random song in IReal or just use a real book and play the entire song on just one string. I usually start with my high C, since I normally focus on the lower strings. After I can get through the song, I then work to playing only the G string, and then all of the others. Sometimes I change songs for each string. This exercise has opened up my instrument and gotten me to the point where I don't need to stay withIn my safety zone of the first position

 

[Acoustic356]

I absolutely agree with this.

However....while I absolutely agree with this....I think people should memorize the note positions and be able to have them on quick recall without thinking.

It's absolutely necessary to understand your instrument and be able to derive note positions. In fact, I'd say it's essential to understanding the instrument, furthering understanding of music theory, and playing in general. However.....when you hear a C, you don't want to be thinking about where the C is; you want it to be immediate memory recall, like remembering what eight times five is. You don't want to have to calculate it.

So yeah, learn to derive notes; being able to do this means that you can play any stringed instrument. (I've never actually understood it when people say they have to "learn" the notes on the high C or the low B - it's another string a fifth up, not that difficult.) However, you should definitely be able to reach for every note on every string (in every octave - don't neglect the high frets) with quick recall. This is admittedly an area where I'm lacking, which is why I'm advocating it; with quick recall, big jumps and string skips on the fretboard become effortless.

I agree... I was simply mentioning 2 different skill sets... To me, the goal is to be able to make music.

I start me students learning the notes on a 4 string bass as most new musicians start with a 4 string. We concentrate on the notes from the 12th fret to the 1st.

Later, we extend that starting from the 24th, 21st, or 20th fret depending on what they are playing.

Once they move to a 5 of 6 string instrument we repeat the process.

Now... being able to read a chart and adapt that to a 4, 5, or 6 string bass using a number chart? That in itself is another skill... and a valuable skill... to be able to convert a chord chart or lead sheet to numbers - make the analysis of why certain chord choices were made and understand what flavors to accentuate or when to fill and why? That's what makes a bassist...

 

[SteveCS]

That makes sense since it is in the guitar range of tones. Will need to include sight reading in Treble clef for upper register bass lines. Thanks for pointing that out.

Indeed. In terms of bass notation, i.e. transposed up 1 octave, our 'middle' C, i.e. first ledger line above, is at 20 on the E string, 15 on the A string, 10 on D and 5 on G. As for a 24-fret 6-string, assuming B0-C3, the first string goes to 2 ledger-lines above the treble clef.

 

[Mushroo]

Do you know how to construct the major scale from whole steps (2 frets) and half steps (1 fret)?

Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half

For whichever key the song is written in, I try to visualize the half-steps all over the fretboard. For example in the key of C, the half steps are between E-F and B-C. So I visualize all the one-fret, half-step E-F and B-C patterns all over the fretboard. (It's not difficult, because they are neatly arranged in a diagonal geometic shape, like stair steps.) Or another example, if the song is in the key of E, then the half steps are G#-A and D#-E.

Once I am locked in on the position of all the half steps, then by the process of elimination, all the other intervals in the scale are whole steps.

 

[nilorius]

Try to tune that small 1rst. string like 3-4 and problems will split.

 

[Newby6string]

Do you know how to construct the major scale from whole steps (2 frets) and half steps (1 fret)?

Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half

For whichever key the song is written in, I try to visualize the half-steps all over the fretboard. For example in the key of C, the half steps are between E-F and B-C. So I visualize all the one-fret, half-step E-F and B-C patterns all over the fretboard. (It's not difficult, because they are neatly arranged in a diagonal geometic shape, like stair steps.) Or another example, if the song is in the key of E, then the half steps are G#-A and D#-E.

Once I am locked in on the position of all the half steps, then by the process of elimination, all the other intervals in the scale are whole steps.

Yes, and to play it in three different starting position on the fret board. Interesting way to conceptualize the fret board. I will give it a go. Thanks!

 

[Newby6string]

Indeed. In terms of bass notation, i.e. transposed up 1 octave, our 'middle' C, i.e. first ledger line above, is at 20 on the E string, 15 on the A string, 10 on D and 5 on G. As for a 24-fret 6-string, assuming B0-C3, the first string goes to 2 ledger-lines above the treble clef.

Ah....thanks for the clarification. I have three four string basses aside from my six string. I suppose I could read the melody lines in treble clef in the upper register to become proficient in reading treble clef. Choices and options!

 

[Newby6string]

And even easier, just memorize the first 12 frets. The other 12 are the same notes, just an octave higher

Good point!

 

[Newby6string]

I absolutely agree with this.

However....while I absolutely agree with this....I think people should memorize the note positions and be able to have them on quick recall without thinking.

It's absolutely necessary to understand your instrument and be able to derive note positions. In fact, I'd say it's essential to understanding the instrument, furthering understanding of music theory, and playing in general. However.....when you hear a C, you don't want to be thinking about where the C is; you want it to be immediate memory recall, like remembering what eight times five is. You don't want to have to calculate it.

So yeah, learn to derive notes; being able to do this means that you can play any stringed instrument. (I've never actually understood it when people say they have to "learn" the notes on the high C or the low B - it's another string a fifth up, not that difficult.) However, you should definitely be able to reach for every note on every string (in every octave - don't neglect the high frets) with quick recall. This is admittedly an area where I'm lacking, which is why I'm advocating it; with quick recall, big jumps and string skips on the fret board become effortless.

Very good points to consider. For my instrument to be an extension/expression to what I am thinking musically, it would mean knowing my note positions instantly. I know this works when I have to read off of sheet music where my eyes are mostly on the printed page and not the fret board.