Music Theory Question

[El_Charro]

Hi Everybody,

Not quite sure which forum this belongs in, so posting it to the general forum for now with the understanding that it might need to get relocated.
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My question:

For a standard EADG tuning on a four string bass:

What is the frequency/tone difference between the BC frets (frets 2 and 3) on the A string and Frets 7 & 8 on the E string).

For a little context on this question:

I took a crash course lesson on the fretboard.

I understand that there is a relationship of counting up 5 frets on the string below so in this instance B&C on the A string in standard turning are frets 2&3, but my question- Are the B&C notes on the E string (frets 7&8) the same, or are they considered one octave down from the B&C notes on the A string?

I understand that the 12th fret of the E string is one octave up from playing an open E string, but I'm focusing here on the relationship of those specific fret numbers and how they are related (i.e. are they the exact same B&C notes if you play them on the lower string or are they down a scale?).

The biggest reason for my question- When I'm playing tabs there are a few songs where I'm playing an E note on the A string (so the 7th fret on A), but I'm suppose to quickly move my left hand up to play B&C on the A string (on the 2nd and 3rd fret of the A string).

What I found is that it's A LOT easier when playing that song fast to move straight from the 7th fret on the A string (note E) to playing the B and C notes on the E string because I'm moving from the 7th fret on the A string straight to the 7th fret on the E string.

If I do that and play the B&C notes on the E string- Is that "wrong".

I'm just curious because while I'm working on getting a faster left hand, it's MUCH easier to stay on the 7th fret and move down one string (hopefully they way I'm describing that makes sense).

As someone who's still pretty much a newbie and playing in there basement- I am not gonna really care for myself, however I would like to understand the note relationship I'm referencing above because I'm curious if I got in a band setting how that would impact what I'm playing.

To get even more specific The song I'm describing above is Creeping Death.

Tablature for the specific section I'm referring to goes something like this:
G-----------
D-----------
A--2(B)-3(C)----7(E)
E-----------

Is it "wrong" (or rather what's the difference) if I play the tab like this:

G---------
D---------
A--------7(E)
E--------7(B)-8(C)

The second option is MUCH easier to play and it almost sounds like it's got a little more "meat" to the bass riff when I play the B and C on the E string, but I don't know if that's completely "wrong" bc those notes are a step or a half a step down.

Apologies if this is kind of a stupid question when it comes to music theory- I don't wanna learn bad habits.

If anyone wants to weigh in on how to get quicker on moving my left hand up to hit those notes on a fast song I would also appreciate that feedback.

My left hand is a lot quicker on the fretboard after practicing, but I'm still struggling to hit those notes on time before I have to slide my left hand back down the fretboard.

Thanks! \m/

 

[AGCurry]

Yes, A(2,3) are the same notes as E(7,8). I don't do tab, but I would also choose your method of interpreting the note positions.

In general, the choice of which string to play notes on is made by a) what notes came before, b) which notes will come after, and c) what tonality/timbre you desire.

 

[Mushroo]

They are the same notes, and you should feel free to play whichever option is more comfortable and/or sounds best.

That said, learning to shift is an important skill, and 2nd fret to 7th fret is not really considered a "difficult" shift. I watched a live performance of "Creeping Death" and Jason performs this shift with ease. Often in rock/metal bands, it's considered "part of the show" for the bassist to use similar fingerings to the guitarist (so they look synchronized) and I suspect maybe "it looks cooler" is why Jason played it that way, instead of the "easier" fingering on the 7th and 8th frets.

Therefore I would recommend to practice it both ways, so you can become a versatile player.

 

[Mushroo]

Did a little more digging and found a different live version from '85, with a crystal-clear view of Cliff's hands!



I'm not saying you must play it exactly like Cliff, but the video is well worth studying. If nothing else, it shows how effortlessly he shifted his left hand up and down the neck. That's definitely a skill you should be working towards acquiring, in my opinion, as opposed to keeping your hand in one spot and avoiding shifts.

 

[El_Charro]

Did a little more digging and found a different live version from '85, with a crystal-clear version of Cliff's hands!



I'm not saying you must play it exactly like Cliff, but the video is well worth studying. If nothing else, it shows how effortlessly he shifted his left hand up and down the neck. That's definitely a skill you should be working towards acquiring, in my opinion, as opposed to keeping your hand in one spot and avoiding shifts.

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"I'm not saying you must play it exactly like Cliff"- Lol-Oh Man I totally should try to ;-)

I haven't watched that video in a while (certainly not since I picked up the bass)- Thanks for the link - Any tips on getting a quicker left hand?

Thanks! \m/

 

[thetragichero]

the tonal difference isn't in the fundamental but in the distribution of the harmonics
for what it's worth, it is my opinion that the A string (in general) is where the best tones are on all the bases I've played. especially compared to the E string. I'm a big fan of playing the entire neck but rarely use the E string above B (sometimes high E or F if I'm above the 12th fret elsewhere, but mostly not)
base it on both sound and feel

there's definitely something cool about big slides like the bass does here

 

[Mushroo]

Thanks for the link - Any tips on getting a quicker left hand?

You're welcome!

I like to practice scales and arpeggios on a single string. I think that's a really good exercise for learning to shift. For example play CMaj - GMaj - Amin - FMaj arpeggios on the E string, then on the A string, and so forth.

Another fun exercise is to take some easy bass lines that you already know, and try to play them entirely on the E string. A lot of rock bassists actually prefer to play that way (using only the E string, as much as possible).

 

[bfields]

I've got a semi-regular exercise where I flip to a random song in irealpro and read through it on one string.

If it's a fast bebop tune I consider it a success if I can hit each root once in time. For other things I might manage to play a proper bassline.