Is it Wrong to Do this?

[TheGiftedOne]

    I recently started back learning my 4-string bass guitar, but sometimes when I play songs and I'm trying to change from one string to another I'll bump over other notes....So in order to avoid this I just played the song I was learning ( "Now Behold the Lamb") all on the same string, which was "A" is something wrong with doing this instead of switching up on which strings you play on?

[twest45]

It can be done but this will drastically slow you down and have you moving all over the fret board on one string on a song in which you could play in 1st position if you use all the strings.  Victor Wooten called this "Wasted motion".  Just practice and it'll come with time.  Trust me!

[MikeGee]

well it is a good way to learn the fret board. I would do it but I have practiced in that fashion.

Have you learned scales, if you havn't start drilling scales.

[Keys410]

well it is a good way to learn the fret board. I would do it but I have practiced in that fashion.

Have you learned scales, if you havn't start drilling scales.

Agreed. Scales will help you get familiar with your notes and frets. You don't want to become handicap playing on one string, plus it's easier to play all of them.

[TheGiftedOne]

Okay. Thank ya'll...But do ya'll mean practice the scale on the same string for each each string or do ya'll mean going from one string to another to get the scale?

[Keys410]

All strings

[ddwilkins]

Take advantage of the other strings. I wouldn't prefer learning a song on just one string. That is truly wasted motion. What would you do that one string broke during a performance?

[funkStrat_97]

Life is too short to play on one string.  Use 'em all (of course, you could do what I do and play guitar ).

[BimmerFan99]

Playing bass can already be a physically demanding art.  Why should you make it more exhausting by moving up and down the fretboard when you have 3 or more perfectly good strings?  Not to mention, the exact some note on a different string will give you a different tone, thus giving you more tonal options.

[dhagler]

Playing bass can already be a physically demanding art.  Why should you make it more exhausting by moving up and down the fretboard when you have 3 or more perfectly good strings?  Not to mention, the exact some note on a different string will give you a different tone, thus giving you more tonal options.

+1.  For example, the b-flat you play at the sixth fret on the E string has a mellower tone than the b-flat you play at the first fret on the A string.  Also, it never hurts to learn to play the same song in more than one position on the fretboard (IMHO).

[Torch7]

+1 Learn your scale patterns, across the strings.
Try practicing the song slower (using multiple strings), gradually speed up as you get comfortable at slower paces....
It's all about muscle memory. Pretty soon you won't notice, those strings in the way.

[TheGiftedOne]

Thanks ya'll!!! So how I see it is that eventually after playing for so long your mind automatically recognizes the notes for each string right?  and it also seems that bass guitar can really help your ear to recognize notes better.

[Torch7]

Thanks ya'll!!! So how I see it is that eventually after playing for so long your mind automatically recognizes the notes for each string right?  and it also seems that bass guitar can really help your ear to recognize notes better.

Your hands will eventually gravitate towards notes, without you thinking about it... Its more of an occurence when the sound your hear being made by your fingers and no so much, thinking about the notes...  The subconscious/and intuition will eventually take over.

I play now and don't thin, E string 4th Fret, Ab.  Its more about the movements relative to the notes I am currently playing. 

IE: I am typing the message right now, I am not spelling the words in my head then finding the keys on the keyboard, and then plucking them.  I have been using language long enough to know how to spell words without thinking about it, as well as type them without searching for the keys, I just no where they are after lots of repetitive practice.  To the tune I still amaze my friends at how fast I type, because they are still at the pecking stage. 

Hope that made sense.

[TheGiftedOne]

Thanks for the info!!! May God continue to bless

[MikeGee]

Thanks ya'll!!! So how I see it is that eventually after playing for so long your mind automatically recognizes the notes for each string right?  and it also seems that bass guitar can really help your ear to recognize notes better.

Like torch7 says, your hands will just know after awhile. I can't explain it and I don't know why. When I look at the fret board lil letters just appear everywhere. C, C#, D, D# and so on. Your hands will know.


I also feel the thing you do when you use one string. I would keep practicing that too. Like I told a younger bass placer. Always add to your playing everything can be useful. Just my opinion.