Learning fretboard on 6 string bass

[SteveCS]

Yes, a bassist in the UK made the point of using Tenor clef for upper register bass lines and even provided a sheet music example I could use. I will give it a go when I get home.

The thing to remember with that score is we, my band that is, don't have a guitarist, so the guitar things you hear on the recording - the intro and solo - I do on the bass. So things won't quite be as they seem.

 

[ole Jason]

By intervals I am assuming you mean the pattern between notes as it relates to the scale for the chord being played over...yes?

Yep you've got it. You'll often hear people talk about the 'color' of playing notes over chords and that's usually what they mean. At a certain point you really won't be thinking "I see Dm7 on the chart so I can play D dorian here" but you'll know how a natural B sounds over a Dm7 and where that B is... and then you can choose whether or not that's what you want to play.

 

[Newby6string]

Yep you've got it. You'll often hear people talk about the 'color' of playing notes over chords and that's usually what they mean. At a certain point you really won't be thinking "I see Dm7 on the chart so I can play D dorian here" but you'll know how a natural B sounds over a Dm7 and where that B is... and then you can choose whether or not that's what you want to play.

Great...I am understanding this stuff...lol! As I think about what you are saying here, it sounds like a bass player has a lot of control over how a chord sounds. I mean, if the pianist or guitarist plays a chord, the bassist has a choice of what note(s) in that chord he wants to emphasize which can really change the overall sound of the chord. Am I making sense here?

 

[Newby6string]

The thing to remember with that score is we, my band that is, don't have a guitarist, so the guitar things you hear on the recording - the intro and solo - I do on the bass. So things won't quite be as they seem.

Now you have interest even more.

 

[SteveCS]

Now you have interest even more.

I can post a 'first take' recording, but you'll have to take it as you find it...

 

[Newby6string]

I can post a 'first take' recording, but you'll have to take it as you find it...

Fair enough. Give it go.

 

[SteveCS]

Fair enough. Give it go.

Warts and all... Its just a rehearsal take so no polish and plenty of mic bleed...

 

[dcgbass]

Anyone have any ideas on learning the fret board on a 6 string bass? I am using the octave concept and a chromatic/naming approach. Would like a more systematic/efficient approach to learning the notes on the fret board. Sight reading exercises are covered just want a better way to learn all the notes on the fret board so that my sight reading of bass clef can advance at a faster rate.

Anyone have any ideas on learning the fret board on a 6 string bass? I am using the octave concept and a chromatic/naming approach. Would like a more systematic/efficient approach to learning the notes on the fret board. Sight reading exercises are covered just want a better way to learn all the notes on the fret board so that my sight reading of bass clef can advance at a faster rate.

Hi Newby

I would suggest that my book could help you a lot https://www.amazon.com/6-String-Bas...ywords=6+string+Bassics&qid=1584025115&sr=8-1
If you have any questions, let me know

 

[Newby6string]

Hi Newby

I would suggest that my book could help you a lot https://www.amazon.com/6-String-Bas...ywords=6+string+Bassics&qid=1584025115&sr=8-1
If you have any questions, let me know

Thanks!

 

[lfmn16]

This man has taught more people the names of all the notes on your instrument than any other teacher that I have met. You should not use any tricks or patterns... you should know that the 6th fret of the B string is an F, or that the 10th fret on the D string is a C... etc.

His method is simple. Start from the highest note on your instrument, and learn where every note is... dedicate 1 week to each note... in 12 weeks, you know where all your notes are.

Here is a demonstration of his approach:

When I took lessons with Anthony, he had me set a metronome and play each note on each string in time. Very effective.

There are no tricks, secrets or shortcuts, just hard work.

 

[dcgbass]

When I took lessons with Anthony, he had me set a metronome and play each note on each string in time. Very effective.

There are no tricks, secrets or shortcuts, just hard work.

You are absolutely right about that..There are no shortcuts!

 

[Admiral Thrawn]

While I'm not a 6-string player (I have a 'Ray 5), I use the Tenuto app.

You can customize it for 6-string bass.

However, the fretboard stops around the 17th-18th frets.

It's not a be-all, end-all app, but it has worked wonders for me to learn the fretboard.

 

[Watchootognbout]

Get one of these.

 

[dcgbass]

I am putting together a column in Bass Musician Magazine called Six String Bassics which was the name of my last book. The thrust of the column is to give bassists who are transitioning to 6 some ideas on how to do it. It should be out in the next few weeks.