Scales: do you practice the lowest position with the most open strings?

[lermgalieu]

When I started playing Upright bass, I was taught to avoid open strings as they sound different than fingered notes. It's always stayed with me.

This surprises me. I've never heard an upright teacher say this. I am not saying it's wrong, just not consonant with my experience playing the instrument.

 

[Ellery]

It is very useful to do both.

 

[mrjim123]

A lot of instructors say you should avoid open strings as much as possible. Doing so can lead to sloppy playing if not done properly, e.g., if you play an open string and the next note you play is on a different string then muting the open string and then playing the following note with a smooth transition is difficult.

Some discussion here: Why no open strings?

 

[getBAK]

This surprises me. I've never heard an upright teacher say this. I am not saying it's wrong, just not consonant with my experience playing the instrument.

It was orchestral stuff (all bowed) when I was really young. The teacher was a violin/viola player so everything was based off that. I'm also one of the only upright players I know that plays with a French Bow.
A "5th fret" A does sound different than an open A on an upright, especially with a bow.

 

[lermgalieu]

It was orchestral stuff (all bowed) when I was really young. The teacher was a violin/viola player so everything was based off that. I'm also one of the only upright players I know that plays with a French Bow.
A "5th fret" A does sound different than an open A on an upright, especially with a bow.

Yes, of course they sound much different, but I've always been taught (and play this way) that on upright bass open strings are invaluable for transitions and sanity checking intonation on the fly. The latter might not be as important if you have a really good ear, I suppose. I don't. Anyway, I've been grinding through Simandl (for the millionth time), and obviously 1/2 and I positions are rife with open strings.

 

[getBAK]

Oh - I don't disagree. In Jazz, open strings for sure, but than you tend to find fewer whole notes and bowed slurs.
To be clear, I am very far from an authority on upright bass. I have one, but it doesn't see much action. Touring with my upright in my 20's broke me of any need to take it out in public.

 

[brianrost]

How about zero frets? They are not very popular but the makers of instruments with them often claim that it makes the open string sound fretted, because, well, it is.

Original Steinberger design:

Current NS Design Radius has no zero fret:

Gretsch guitar:

Hofner:

 

[JimmyM]

Now that I have basses that sound good with open strings, I'm using them a lot more than I ever did. Used to be the open notes would sound like a whole different instrument. Then I put Geezers on my Fenders and I never had that problem again.

But I think running scales is easier when you do it using only fretted notes. OTOH, anyone hears me running scales on a gig has my permission to whack me in the shin with a Nerf bat, so don't neglect the open string scales.

That should be "notes," not scales. I'm of the mind that scales breed familiarity with the fretboard and serve a major purpose as building blocks, but a chordal approach is the best thing for modern music. The chords really tell you everything you need while scales are useful for finding notes to play that don't sound like you're running scales against chords

 

[DJ Bebop]

How about zero frets? They are not very popular but the makers of instruments with them often claim that it makes the open string sound fretted, because, well, it is.

Original Steinberger design:

View attachment 4205399


Current NS Design Radius has no zero fret:

View attachment 4205406

Gretsch guitar:

View attachment 4205402

Hofner:

View attachment 4205403

I love me some zero frets
They used to be considered wrongly, something you would find on low-grade instruments because many off shore instrument makers used them, like the Hofner above. A lot coming from Japan back in the day utilized them.

This guy likes them, old news...

 

[Benjamin Earl]

Yes, the open position is just as important as the closed positions.

 

[MichelD]

All the time. I start out doing a Major 7 scale starting on the open E and then go through the cycle of fifths. Having done that, I might do a dominant 7 scale too, minor 7 scale then go to various chord arpeggios as well.

 

[Groove Master]

I was wondering something about practicing scales: how important is it to practice scales in the very lowest position, the one where you'll be playing multiple notes on open strings? It seems like I rarely see pros playing in this position, but I may be mistaken. Thoughts?

Yes I do because something it does open a new way to play scales in a closed-position that I would not have seen otherwise ;-)

 

[mambo4]

are you sure about the left hand fingering on the A7 in measure 11 - looks like it should be 0-4-1-0-1-4?
The last G in measure 5 I would probably also play with 3, not 4

You are correct about the A7 : 0-4-1-0-1-4.
I can see the logic of playing the G of Eb7 with 3. I play it as a strict 124 exercise, tho.

Unless I'm mistaken, this was an adaption of an exercise you posted.

 

[matthewbrown]

I remember an interview with Chris Squire .... when asked if he practiced scales he said no ... he would practice songs

Yes, but I think that practicing Steve Howe's songs means you're practicing a lot of scales - and arpeggios, too.

 

[Ric5]

Carol Kaye Chord notes vs scale notes

(1175) carol kaye - YouTube

 

[Ric5]

(1175) Carol Kaye,Steve Bailey&Victor Wooten BassSession NAMMSHOW 2000 - YouTube

 

[SteveCS]

You are correct about the A7 : 0-4-1-0-1-4.
I can see the logic of playing the G of Eb7 with 3. I play it as a strict 124 exercise, tho.

Unless I'm mistaken, this was an adaption of an exercise you posted.

That appears to be the case!