When learning, did you tape the "notes" on your neck?

[Soul Man]

Here's a question from out of nowhere.....

I was just curious, when you guys were (and still are) learning, how many of you taped the notes on the fingerboard under the strings so that you could learn your way around the neck better?

Just wondering.......

[KennethB]

No.

[kirkm24]

I never thought of that before. I got a book about scales and basic theory concepts so I understood the progression of notes as it applied to the fretboard (this was 12 years ago).

Example: Open E string, F, F#(or G flat),G, G#(or A flat), A, A# (or B flat), B, C, C#, D, D# (or E flat) E and then the sequence starts over again. Just remember there are no B# or E# those are C and F respectively. Whatever you tune each string to is the starting note and then you follow the same progression as above. This will help you a lot in the long run. Another important thing to know is that at the Double dots on the neck, the neck "starts" over in terms of the note progression. When you put this all together the possibilities are huge in terms of what all you can do.

Once you get this down good, get a book on scales and start working on that. If you really want to move forward with you playing, I strongly suggest lessons. Have fun and remember you can never be too good at an instrument. It is a lifelong pursuit of perfection!

A really fun book to get is the Basic and Advanced Bass Books by Billy Sheehan. Billy might be one of rock's greatest players and the books show you scales and modes and even have a lesson on tone and various playing techniques. Plus you can watch him rip loose on some riffs (they both come with companion DVDs and run about $25 each). Sadly, Billy doesn't play EBMM basses, he uses Yamaha Attitude basses but as good as he is, I'll give him a pass..

[AnthonyD]

No... No... No...



I played for many, many years without know the notes on the neck beyond the 6th or seventh fret. I mean, I could tell you the notes I was playing if I took a moment or two to think about them, but I'd have to think about it.

Only place I knew the notes without thinking was 1st through 5th fret.

Now, during practice sessions (meaning just me and my bass practice, not band practice or rehearsal) I spend some time with moving shapes and scales up and down the neck and I call out the root note as I move around.

Another exercise is to call out a note and then play it in the 3, 4 or 5 locations up and down the fretboard. Focus on a few notes at a time.

For me, these two methods have helped me get more comfortable in the 6th to 12th fret space.

[OnlyMe]

Nope, never done that

[strummer]

No

[mammoth]

i sometimes feel like taping a picture of rodan to my forehead just to keep my bongo focussed..

[MK Bass Weed]

Do what Entwistle did...have them put on the fretboard in abalone!

[Soul Man]

I didn't either, I had heard someone talking about learning to play AFTER learning to play piano. They were used to seeing the notes on the piano keys while learning so they felt lost without seeing them on a bass or a guitar.

Interesting how people "see" the fretboard.

[AnthonyD]

Not sure where you are in your development, but I would strongly suggest getting comfortable with all the notes up and down the 'E' and 'A' strings at a minimum.

This will permit you to find your key centers with movable shapes and allow you to follow a guitarists chord changes easier.

[Moose308]

Oddly, I have never really thought about the "notes". Granted, it is useful to know where G is, but I don't think "Now I need to play an A".

In fact, I would think this sort of thinking might get you into trouble, especially when you need to change the key if the singer is having an off day.

So far (and I am by no means a good player) I have been thinking of things entirely in numbers. There are 12 notes. That's it. And we number then 1-8 (huh?). So if I am playing a G, that's my root, or 1. From there, it's all just numbers. 1-3-5 is a happy major. 1-b3-5 is a minor. 8 is your octave. And so on. The nice thing about this is it does not matter what "notes" you play. Everything revolves around the numbers and patterns they form, so often you just need to know the key or root of the song, and from there, all you need to know is "it's a 1-4-5 chord progression" and you know how to play the song. Sort of.

[RobertB]

Good point Moose, I was (and still am, I guess) going to say something similar. And that is that just going ahead and learning the basics of scales, intervals and chords will probably serve you better and take less time, because you'll be able to build your absolute mental map of the fretboard by finding where the notes are relative to one another. The benefit & mental "burn-in" you'll get from that will greatly outweigh the benefit & retention you'll get from labelling. In my opinion, of course.

Robert

[carpedebass]

No...I never thought of that...I resorted to rote memorization.

[phatduckk]

ya im in the same boat as Anthony. I know a bunch of the notes on the board and if i had a second i could name any of em but i cant just rattle em off off the top of my head.

down to the 7th fret or so im solid... otherwise i need a minute to think

[vcs700s]

No.