Which fingering do I use?

[Hambone 70]

I'm a trumpet player, now learning bass.

Trumpet to me is easier. There is one fingering per note (actually, that's not true. Some have two). However, as I can find a particular note sometimes on all four strings of my bass, I'm having difficulty knowing which one to use.

I know one theory... use the 'nearest' fingering. That's easier said than done for me.

Any exercises/techniques/theory that can make this easier? I'm determined to learn to without tabs.

Thanks!

 

[Fergie Fulton]

Fingerings are related to key, because a key will give you options on notes related to chord options. Therefore certain fingerings will hinder others will open up movement.

It is what I call 'fret mapping' and is just a term to help players to learn the neck and the interaction of notes. It's just being aware of your options. The more varied music you play and the more experience you gain it becomes pretty much an instinct in what areas of movement are best suited for a song or piece of music.

The basics are, the bass is tuned in fourths, each fret is a semitone, so if you place your fingers on the E string and cover Ab A Bb B then to the left or right of that sequence there will be a C. That C is the same pitch but on different strings ( one is the next fret to the right on the E string, the other one fret to the left on the A string ). The fingers used relate to, where you have come from, to where you are, to where you are going.
As music is about the flow of movement then your fingerings have to flow, so your note choices may be critical in achieving this?


This applies all over the neck, any two notes of the same pitch can be found in this way between two strings. Obviously there are open string options as well of A, D, G, of the same pitch as well as the single open E. ( remember that E option can the same as the others on a five string tuned in fourths )

I have recent pre-production footage of the idea of fret-mapping, although an out-take, I will see if I can find it and post it up so anyone else interested in the concept of fret mapping can see the idea and run with it in their own playing.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

We do a lot of chord tone accompaniment playing, i.e. follow the chords and play their tones. We fill with scale notes and of course use scale notes when we play melody. But, most of the time we are using chord tones. So.... The following helped me see and find those chord tones on my fretboard.

Bass Patterns based upon the Major Scale box.

Major Scale Box.

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
The Cmaj7 chord is coming up in the song.  If I place
the R (root note) on the 4th string 8th fret, which is
a C note every thing I need is waiting for me within
the "box".

Basic Chords
• Major Triad = R-3-5
• Minor Triad = R-b3-5
• Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5

7th Chords
• 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 R-3-5-8, three minor R-b3-5-b7 and one diminished chord R-b3-b5-b7, 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 will keep you gigging.

C note at the 4th string, 8th fret, or 3rd string 3rd fret which one should you use? Depends.

The I IV V chord progression has been used in a zillion songs. In the key of C that would be the C, F & G chords. Place the root C on the 3rd string, where are the F & G notes? Yep, right above and below the C. That was a very large WOW for me. Look for D-G-A or G-C-D - yep, piece of cake.

Visualize the box, place the root, what you need is always in the same spot within the box waiting on you.
For example:
Need the 2 - its on the same string as the root and over two frets.
Need the 3 - its up a string and back one fret.
Need the 4 - its up a string same fret.
Need the 5 - its up a string and over two frets. Or just below the R same fret, lower string.
Need the 6 - its up two string and back one fret. Over the 3.
Need the 7 - its up two strings and over one fret.
Need the b3 or any flatted note - move one fret back toward the nut.

IF, big IF, you think in scale degrees this will help. If you are reading standard notation and looking for the note name, C, D, E, F, etc. then this will help; http://www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/bass-clef-fretboard-notes/. and then click on "Bass clef notes on the fretboard" for where those notes are on your fretboard. Notice our fretboard has three octaves, I think of it as being lower ledger notes, staff notes and upper ledger notes - that's my way of keeping the three octaves in place.

I did not mention tabs. Tabs are OK for working out specific phrases, but, I do not recommend them as a way of playing complete songs.

Have fun.

 

[Blake Bass]

I'm determined to learn to without tabs.

That's great, it may seem like a slower process at first but overall you'll be a much better player/reader. Stick with it.. I've never seen anyone ,in over 30 years of professional playing, use tabs on a gig.

 

[Jools4001]

Take a look at [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] along with the arpeggio lesson.

It shows a simple technique to using different positions to play the same scale, if you do this slowly and say and sing the note with it, it should really open up the fingerboard for you

 

[matey]

why is that dude wearing a glove?

 

[fearceol]

why is that dude wearing a glove?

This gets asked a lot.

See post #5 here

 

[Jhengsman]

As an ex sax player I chose alternate fingerings because of where I was and where I was going. After you learn the primary fingerings and trying to play everything using just that one position you appreciate the freedom. The same process occurred for me on bass I learned the notes in the first couple of positions and as I used more of the fretboard experience taught me when to shift and use alternate positions/strings. What still gets me is how guitarist who use multiple alternate tunings are able to remember where they are with all the different tunings.

 

[dieselbass]

also, E 2nd fret on the D string will have a little higher "timbre" or sound then E 7th fret on the A or octave on the E. Same note on the staff, but sounds a little different.

when playing a quiet section at church, I'd head for that 7th fret on the A string as it sounds nice and sits well, on louder sections, 2 fret on the D as it cuts better.

I'll bet this carries some variables with gear and strings.

I played bass trombone and those doubled notes all sounded very close.