Hi- I'm having a bass made and am considering having position dot inlays put on the neck. Is there a standard placing for these? Where do most of you put them?
thanks!
Lorin
thanks!
Lorin
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Double Bass Position Dot Inlays: Where do most people put them?
- Thread starter Lorin Cohen
- Start date
I teach DB and the most common location for tapes, installed by Orchestra teachers on their student basses, I believe are in the wrong place. They outline 1st and 3rd positions. On the G string that would be: A-B and C-D.
Many School age bass students also play, or aspire to play, the electric Bass. And as you know fingerboard markers are at frets: 3,5,7,9,12
When I bought a bass from Robertson back in 2003, I had fingerboard inlaid at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th, and 19th "frets". Done like this so that it would line up with dots on my electric basses. But that was one too many. On my subsequent DB's, I did not install actual inlays, but rather used adhesive dots at the 3rd, 5th, 12th and 19th "frets". You don't need a dot at the 7th fret because that is the neck block. The other problem with dots is that you have to twist your neck out into the left to actually see them, so it would be much better to have them on the edge of the fingerboard.
So to sum up, I would not install inlays on the front of the fingerboard. Use adhesive at 3rd, 5th "frets" on the edge of the FB, and 12th and 19th "frets" on the front of the fingerboard.
Mark
Many School age bass students also play, or aspire to play, the electric Bass. And as you know fingerboard markers are at frets: 3,5,7,9,12
When I bought a bass from Robertson back in 2003, I had fingerboard inlaid at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 12th, and 19th "frets". Done like this so that it would line up with dots on my electric basses. But that was one too many. On my subsequent DB's, I did not install actual inlays, but rather used adhesive dots at the 3rd, 5th, 12th and 19th "frets". You don't need a dot at the 7th fret because that is the neck block. The other problem with dots is that you have to twist your neck out into the left to actually see them, so it would be much better to have them on the edge of the fingerboard.
So to sum up, I would not install inlays on the front of the fingerboard. Use adhesive at 3rd, 5th "frets" on the edge of the FB, and 12th and 19th "frets" on the front of the fingerboard.
Mark
I would avoid dots below thumb position. I think that could negatively affect resale value, or at least I know I would find that of putting. I think a handful of dots at the harmonics in thumb position could be nice though.
If you must have something below thumb position, this is good advice. I've owned a few fretless bass guitars, some with lined fingerboards and some without, and I similarly prefer unlined fingerboards in that case with markers of some kind on the side of the fingerboard.
This discussion comes up periodically. I have had students who have come to me after having the tape experience in their school orchestras. To have them overcome the disadvantages of this can take a long time and is frustrating for both student and teacher. If you want to study the classical solo bass rep and want a few dots on the fingerboard in TP that can make some sense. In the lower positions I see no long term positives and several negatives. Take the time to learn the fingerboard the correct way, and you will be able to play whatever you want on any bass you encounter. It all goes back to getting a few lessons with a competent teacher. Take it from someone who didn't do that; it's the best and most efficient way.
95% of the inlaid dots I see on fingerboards are in the wrong position; 'seems like I have removed more than I have added.
On a double bass, things are so large that when you change the setup and strings, often the dots will be out. A simple whiteout pen will allow a solid identifying mark that can be easily removed in a minute or put in a different spot.
Plenty of people will tell you to take more lessons or learn the instrument better, blah, blah, blah. There is value in that, but my guess is those folks don't play poorly lit stages were the soundguy removed all bass from the monitors and the lasers and smoke machines are blasting in your face like I do where anything that helps hit the notes better during the third set at midnight is a bonus....
On a double bass, things are so large that when you change the setup and strings, often the dots will be out. A simple whiteout pen will allow a solid identifying mark that can be easily removed in a minute or put in a different spot.
Plenty of people will tell you to take more lessons or learn the instrument better, blah, blah, blah. There is value in that, but my guess is those folks don't play poorly lit stages were the soundguy removed all bass from the monitors and the lasers and smoke machines are blasting in your face like I do where anything that helps hit the notes better during the third set at midnight is a bonus....
You just stole my post. What you describe is exactly how I handle this situation.
I didn't say more lessons. I said a few to learn the basic concepts. More are great if they help you.If you feel you need some sort of visual reference in some specific circumstance that's up to you. My point is that if using this sort of aid becomes the only way you feel you can play you are limiting yourself to an unnecessary degree. Others may differ.
Dots will get you into the right neighborhood, but even rolling the pad of your finger will put you out of tune.
^^100%^^
This is really the issue. And it's not just the pads of fingers; if strings are changed and the tensions are different, or if going from thin to fat strings, position markers become even more inaccurate, whether they are temporary or permanent.
The ear is the only reliable tool for intonation, but markers may help get into the general location if hearing is difficult.
For better or worse though, when you change your fingerboard, any inlaid markers go away with the old one. Nothing is really permanent.
I have side markers, which are easier to see while playing. They are both reflective and tactile so I can see them in the dark and can also feel them. But I only use them for starting position and try not to watch my instrument while I play, using ears for intonation and my eyes to follow signals and body language of other musicians. Like "touch typing" (if anyone remembers what that means), playing is much smoother when not being watched.
As a non double bass player who played just fretless for three years I wouldn't add them at all, regardless of how much time you have invested in the instrument. Embedded full width fret markers can help for approximation and developing proper finger stretching but dots won't help you much at all on an instrument with no frets. If you want to get to an acceptable performance competence a fretless needs to be driven by ear, not eye. A 'traditional' method of playing bass is to hit low and slide up into your note when you can. Not only works and helps to develop your ear but sounds better incorporated into songs where the bpm allows you to use it. 90% of my fretless playing was with vocalists and sliding up into the exact pitch they are hitting helps them and pleases the audience
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100% correct. Fretless is infinitely microtonal. It wasn't uncommon for me to adjust specific notes slightly 3/4 of the way through songs to compensate for the guitar player's B or high E dropping slightly out of tune. It allowed me to bridge the difference between the vocalist and the slightly dissonant guitar chord or note(s), resulting in a non-dissonant aggregate tone coming out of the pa speakers. Finger rolling can be a viable method of fine tuning a note or getting microtonal wavers to accent someone else's timbre as well. This is making me miss my fretless days now, lol
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"Dots are for Tots...Ears are for Seers!" (tm)
IMFO, of course.
IMFO, of course.
I experimented with stickers before I had mine done. I wound up doing the electric bass locations in thumb position because it looks more symmetrical. I have them on G, Bb, C, D, G
Definitely trademarkable, lolol Bravo maestro
When and if you need it, a #2 pencil mark on the fingerboard works well for if and when you need it situations.
Things can change on DBs…
Nothing (perfect notes at determined positions) is forever.
Not to discount the worth of markers but, I’d recommend not making permanent indicator dots.
Things can change on DBs…
Nothing (perfect notes at determined positions) is forever.
Not to discount the worth of markers but, I’d recommend not making permanent indicator dots.
