.........and what techniques/exercises helped ? I'm right handed.
I think we all had to adjust something, hands too small, hands too large, etc. Practice running your scales and see if it gets better - with practice. Right at first we are asking our body parts to do things they never have done before, and as a results there is some stiffness, yes and pain. If pain stop, rest, and then start over. There should not be pain. Take it slow and work up to normal speeds. If you have physical problems, you may have to "slide a little". I have small hands and I've been known to slide a little.
Since this is your first post we have no idea where you are on your bass journey, so just in case here is a way of running your scales.
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Bass Patterns based upon the Major Scale box.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
You may have seen this box with just dots. Adding the scale numbers lets the box come alive. Place the box on the root (R) note of what you want - and then play the spelling for that scale or chord and the box will automatically place the correct notes under your fingers.
Want to run the C major scale; find a C note on the 3rd or 4th string and put the box's R over that C note then play the spelling for the Major scale. It's R-2-3-4-5-6-7-8. Want to play the Cmaj7 chord, it's spelling is R-3-5-7. I've listed the spellings for some of the chord tones and scale intervals you will be using.
Basic Chord Spellings
- Major Triad = R-3-5
- Minor Triad = R-b3-5
- Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5
7th Chord Spellings
- Maj7 = R-3-5-7
- Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7
- Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7
- ½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7
- Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7
See a chord and play it's chord tones. As every key will have three major, three minor and one diminished chord it's a good idea to get your major, minor and diminished bass line chord tones into muscle memory so when you see a chord your fingers just know what will work. Now the song may only give you enough room for the root, or root five - adapt and get as many chord tones into your bass line as needed. Root on 1 and a steady groove from the other chord tones plus something to call attention to the chord change is what we do.
Scale note spellings
- Major Scale = R-2-3-4-5-6-7 Home base
- Major Pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6 Leave out the 4 & 7
- Natural Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7 Major scale with the 3, 6 & 7 flatted.
- Minor Pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7 Leave out the 2 & 6.
- Blues = R-b3-4-b5-5-b7 Minor pentatonic with the blue note b5 added.
- Harmonic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 Natural minor with a natural 7.
- Melodic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-6-7 Major scale with a b3.
Let the major scale be your home base then change a few notes and you have something different. No need to memorize a zillion patterns. Let the major scale pattern be your go to pattern - then adapt/adjust from there.
Take these scale box patterns around the circle of 5ths, i.e. C major scale first, G next, then D, A, E, B, F# and C#. Why? The frets get smaller as you go up the neck, but, you still have to fret at the sweet spot. Just part of getting used to our instrument.
Run those till they are in muscle memory. Hopefully each day will get easier. Again stop if there is pain.
