Back to basics notes and scales

I

Iainbassboy

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Mar 11, 2018
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#1
Morning, 13.02.18
Can any one steer me to the easiest way to learn fret notes
i know abcdef and can work up when i find an 'a'
also been messing about with scales
been playing a while but all by ear now time to take it seriosly
If anyone can regress back to this stage in their playing ... even thinking of note stickers on the fret.
I pick bass up daily and just need a bit of structure and guidance

Cheers.
 
#2
Learn how to read music. Play something simple off of sheet music, for example beginner piano exercises. After a month or two, you'll be amazed how much you've learned - more than by rote memorization. And you'll have gained a skill that will put you above most any other bass player in your locale...

"Taking it seriously" and "the easiest way" kind of clash with each other.
 
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#7
Iainbassboy said:
Morning, 13.02.18
Can any one steer me to the easiest way to learn fret notes
i know abcdef and can work up when i find an 'a'
also been messing about with scales
been playing a while but all by ear now time to take it seriosly
If anyone can regress back to this stage in their playing ... even thinking of note stickers on the fret.
I pick bass up daily and just need a bit of structure and guidance Cheers.
Click to expand...

bass_board_1.png


Start with first position aka the first 5 frets of the fret board. Every note you will need can be found there. So let's start there.

I let the C be my home base. Where is there a B, yep back one fret. Where is the F? Well F is the 4th of C so it is always found up a string same fret. Where is the G? Well G is the 5th of C so it is always found down a string same fret.

The notes go up in 4ths and down in 5ths. C, D, E, F and C, D, E, F, G. Comes in handy when you have a I-IV-V chord progression. All your roots are in the same fret, yes different strings, but, same area.

OK where is the E? Well E is the 4th of B -- B, C, D, E so there will be an E one string up, same fret as the B.

Now you can use the open strings - E, A, D, G if you like. I do not. Why? I decided long ago to not use open strings because in the heat of finding my notes I do not want to be asking my self should I use the open string or one of the fretted strings. I elected to go fretted. You decide which is best for you.

Get some standard notation, fake chord or chord charts anything that will be identifying notes or chords by names. See a Cmaj7 chord. Where is there a C?

Lets get roots down first and we can get into the rest of the Cmaj7 chord later.

Eagles - Hotel California (Chords)

Have fun.
 
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#13
OP, learn the MAJOR scales following the Circle of Fifths.

Day 1) C Major scale
Day 2) G Major scale
Day 3) D Major scale
etc.........

You will notice that each subsequent Major Scale changes ONLY one note from the previous - add one additional Sharp.

Day 1) C Major scale - No Sharps / No Flats- C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C
Day 2) G Major scale - One Sharp - G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
Day 3) D Major scale - Two Sharps - D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D
etc.........

When you get to Day 7) F# Major, you will have also learned the enharmonic Gb Major scale.

Continuing, the subsequent Major Scale changes ONLY one note from the previous - subtract one Flat.

Day 7) Gb Major - Six Flats - Gb, Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, Gb
Day 8) Db Major - Five Flats - Db, Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C, Db
Day 9) Ab Major - Four Flats - Ab, Bb, C, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab
etc.........

This will take you to C Major - No Sharps / No Flats. Repeat.

You will also see/hear that the changed note (from the previous scale) is ALWAYS the 7th scale step (i.e., Leading Tone).

Then, start on Minor Scales and Modes. This will fill 3-4 years.
 
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#14
mambo4 said:
Nope

but here is the most effective way:
Pacman's sure-fire scale practice method
Click to expand...

Pretty cool. Thanks for that. :hyper:

OP ... don't sweat being called a troll because you asked a beginner question. I've had it happen, too. I just add those folks to my Ig List. There are too many knowledgeable folks here who graciously share what they know to have to put up with rude and ill-informed comments.
 
#18
Iainbassboy said:
Morning, 13.02.18
Can any one steer me to the easiest way to learn fret notes
i know abcdef and can work up when i find an 'a'
also been messing about with scales
been playing a while but all by ear now time to take it seriosly
If anyone can regress back to this stage in their playing ... even thinking of note stickers on the fret.
I pick bass up daily and just need a bit of structure and guidance
Cheers.
Click to expand...

For me ... it was modes.. When I learn a new song now.. I find it very helpful to also noodle around all the modes in that scale.. For example.. I am learning 101 Eastbound.. which is in Em ... so while I am listening to the song I alternate between playing the bassline.. and tightening that up.. and just running through the modes.. at various parts and various places along the neck.. I also play the modes in various positions..
 
#19
The thing is - there is no easy way.
If you are serious about it, you will have to 'live' in one key for, like, a month non stop. Say, you will only be learning the key of C and everything C related in April.
Your daily practice session should consist of:

1) Roots. You have to find them instantly - horizontally string by string, up/down, then vertically. Then take a pic of your fretboard, mark all the C notes with red dots, put it on your desktop, and memorise this picture. This is all visual memory. Then muscle memory - octaves, slides. Another cool trick - finding 'easy to find' roots without looking, on your particular instrument. E.g. you know that if you move your hand up the fretboard and touch the bass frame, the second finger on A string will be D, etc.

2) Arpeggios. C Major 7, C Minor 7, C Dominant 7, C 7b5. Not just starting from a root, but all the inversions. Very hard if you start from scratch, but very rewarding. The key is to think visually, in patterns.

3) Scales.


After a month or two living in the 'key' of C (more like a note of C), you will feel at home and will be able to play anything in it. There's no easy way.
 
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