How to Master the Fingerboard (like the Pro's) with Felix Pastorius

In this lesson I’ve got a VERY special guest with me.
The one and only, Felix Pastorius.
Yep… I’m guessing you’ve at least heard of that surname before ;)
In this lesson Felix is going to teach you:
How he approached learning he fretboard in a really deep and methodical way
Why he uses symmetry in order to organise his fretboard
Why he uses 3 note per string scale groupings
How to NOT make the number one soloing mistake most bass players make
And way more juicy bass shenanigans…
If you’re ready to start levelling up your bass playing, you know what to do! ;)
As always, see you in the shed…
Scott :)
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[@gonzajs]

"Just do the work" best advice ever

[@haneyhanes]

Preach! That’s what it all comes down to

[@adamdixon6326]

Amen

[@Oldscoolify]

"It's so easy to spend as much time looking for shortcuts as it is just to do the work".. Gold star statement. Love it!

[@ChopinDolphy]

It's so anti KZbin "music lessons" hahah. All these bullshit clickbait "THE ONE SECRET TO UNLOCKING THE FRETBOARD" videos.

[@robertcarlclayton7724]

Love this! In '81 or '82 I saw Jaco play in the back parking lot of Musicians Exchange in Ft. Lauderdale. Mid song someone came out & whispered to Jaco. He stopped playing & exclaimed "my wife just gave birth!". I think he said twins. He then ripped thru the most amazing bass run I have ever heard!

[@Oldscoolify]

I always love a Jaco story!

[@martinheath5947]

Props to Felix. That's some hard act to follow and he's found his own way to do it brilliantly. Great stuff!

[@fattyjaybird7505]

Lol... could you be Jaco's son and play the flute?

[@sigiriabeysekara8723]

@@fattyjaybird7505 is he self taught?

[@RJRonquillo]

Yeah Felix!! We used to jam together in Miami Beach way back in the day, i think he was 19 or 20 at the time. I still have recordings of some of the gigs on Mini Disc.

[@hugeshows]

I remember seeing him play with Jeff Coffin in Tallahassee around that time. I had no idea who he was, and the whole first set I'm just thinking to myself "Geez, this guy sure thinks he's Jaco". When Jeff Introduced the band I must have laughed for 5 minutes straight.

[@456or7strings]

R.J. Ronquillo wow, that’s awesome!

[@JediCrackSmoke]

Dude, your Rockman headphone amp video was awesome! I really enjoyed it.

[@MeshuggahDave.]

Mini disc. I loved those things

[@eyeofbass]

Felix seems like a nice, down-to-Earth guy, and what a talent. Jaco would be proud.

[@Phaser1980]

Arpeggios... *heavy breathing intensifies*

[@robbiehartnett4494]

@minkosaurus but also, you can literally hear heavy breathing when Scott plays the arpeggios.

[@tomspotley5733]

😂😂 whoever that is has definitely lost an item of clothing by that point.

[@franktalarico689]

Glad he uses a six. No one better use that "jaco only needed four" line anymore

[@1BassJohn]

haha, well said actually!!

[@RossMacdonaldBass]

“You’d be a better pianist if you only had access to 3 octaves” - No one ever

[@BolderoffBros]

Jaco only needed 4. Felix needs 6.

[@trumpetplayerdude9838]

@@BolderoffBros You obviously haven't heard him play

[@Steve-mp7by]

Jaco only needed 4 and he will always be the greatest ever

[@malicant123]

That major arpeggio over the minor chord sounds so cool.

[@PhuckHue2]

minor arpeggio over a dominant 7 chord

[@CarSimping]

and there’s 11 more keys to experiment that with.

[@CarSimping]

@@PhuckHue2 it doesn’t have to be dominant all the time. you can take a c minor key and play e flat natural 7

[@brettmarlar4154]

I think the reason behind so many bass players gravitate toward the root when launching into a solo, is that after we've been supporting everyone else all night, and suddenly when it's our turn everything else just drops out. So for us to start on something that isn't the tonic, sounds glaringly wrong to the non-musician types in the room. Now if we had something under lying our solo that gives continuity to the progression, I think more bassists would be more willing to seemingly go "outside" in this manner. Just my 2 cents.

[@bassiejazz]

Absolutely right.

[@shanemichaelneal648]

Very well said

[@HerroVincey]

An interesting way Billy Sheehan does this is with a 12 step pedalboard, a midi controller that allows him to play whole chord progressions.

[@zr2700]

and this is why most bass solos suck... if we aren't playing the bass who is? The bass solo in Le freak is how a bass solo should be, in my opinion: playing a melodic groove/bassline as a solo. Forget Jaco or Wooten where they are playing lead melodies on the bass, no supporting grooves, when they solo. Basically, If someone else can sit there and play a bassline along to your bass solo, then y'all doin' bass soloing wrong! And I would rate Benard Edwards as the greatest bass player of all time over Jaco ANY day of the week!

[@brettmarlar4154]

@@zr2700 Where I respect your opinion, I would have to disagree. It isn't that no one is playing bass. The bass is just taking on a different role as the soloist. The point is that I was trying to make, and think you misunderstood, is that it would be easier to venture off on more melodic endeavors if we had more hamonic support. Just some sparse, ringing chords, whether it come from the guitar, piano, keys, horns, etc. Of course the main purpose of the bass is to establish the groove/pocket. No one would dispute that. I just don't think that the bass should be looked at as a one-trick pony. If you don't want to solo, that's fine, it's your prerogative. But this guy is basically saying that it's okay to step outside of the conventional view of what it means to play bass, which is also just as cool as sticking to the traditional role.

[@FidgetTheMidget8P]

Scott: "Don't look for shortcuts; do the work" Also Scott: *5-10 videos with "shortcuts" to learning the fingerboard*

[@caridry]

Capitalizing and doing the work on people that don't want to capitalize and do the work. But, it is lessons like these, and many others that he has that is making me look at his lessons full time once I get some time!

[@talesfromthetoiletseat8295]

I look at “shortcuts” as a way to think about something differently. You still have to do the work but some times it is nice to have somebody explain something differently. Anything that helps the dim watt bulb light up you know? With theory I’m dense. Lol

[@alessandroborghese8148]

Never heard of him and i'm completely blown away, man he is amazing

[@thebro3377]

His dad was Jaco Pastorius. How could you not be blown away by his bass playing?

[@abraxasret7457]

@@thebro3377 He probally wants people to be blown away from his skill rather than being blown away because thats the son of one of the best bassists known to man lol. 99% of his interviews/vids hes adressed as Jacos son rather than being introduced as just himself. Hes his own musician/artist and I would imagine its taxing to always be adressed as Jacos son when he just wants to be known as his own artist.

[@sitizenkanemusic]

Hey Scott. I like to consider myself pretty advanced in music theory (going to apply for my doctorate in the fall). What Felix is talking about the iii/III and vi/VI degree modulations (flats or natural)- that's called the chromatic mediant- and they can be SUPER EFFECTIVE when approached the right way. Quick and simple lesson- when thinking of a chord progression for a musical phrase in the key of C Major, you can either modulate to these triads/scales- a Major/minor third UP, which is E-flat (Major or minor), or E (Major or minor), or go a third backwards and play A (Major or minor) or A-flat (Major or minor). Beethoven often did it in his music, which was a huge reason the Romantic Era spawned from the Classical era in terms of technique. Love your videos! Cheers!

[@ShortFuseFighting]

nobody likes a "know-it-all", Gary....

[@Carehuea]

@@ShortFuseFighting A 'know-it-all' with a pretty lady in his profile pic ;)

[@stuartholme4457]

Stop looking for shortcuts and just do the work. That is TRUE GOLD right there. If there were any shortcuts that actually worked, they would just be "the way" rather than being a shortcut.

[@brianwilliams1588]

Been playing for the better part of 25 years (theres a long hiatus in there). Never did the work earlier on. Now I'm scrapping everything I thought I knew and starting over... this time, Just doing to work: Learn the frettboard Learn the scales Learn the arpegios Learn the chords but most importantly, PRACTICE! Every. Single. Day. 💪 😎 👍

[@mrp410]

I've done "broken thirds" for years but never knew that is what it's called! The other thing I do is to play a 4 note arpeggio chord using the diatonic scale/modes. So in the key of C scale: CM (Ionian, 1st to 7th) - root, 3rd, 5th, 7th Dm (Dorian, in reverse 7th to 1st) Em (Phrygian, 1st to 7th) FM (lydian, 7th to 1st) GM (Dominant, myxolydian 1st to 7th) Am (Relative minor, Aeolian, 7th to 1st) B Dim (flat 3, 5, 7 - 1st to 7th) CM (7th to 1st)

[@skulldar]

Definitely will use this!

[@jimle22]

I lived in Melbourne, Florida a few years ago and had the pleasure of meeting and seeing David Pastorius perform, Jaco's nephew. An awesome bassist in his on right also. Think the name of his band was 951 or something like that. Runs in the family I guess.

[@TheJazzmoose]

This video alone is worth a £40 bass lesson. Thanks Scott for all that you do

[@merqury5]

Im not really a proper bassist, but even if I wasn't at all I would still watch your fascinating interviews.

[@thatpaulschofield]

He's got huge hands and plays short-scale basses. I on the other hand have trouble playing e.g. C, D and E on the same string on the lower frets with my regular hands on a 35" scale bass. This is not to take away from ANYTHING being presented here, which is all golden advice.

[@denkgod2272]

I just wonder how euphoric it was to sit next to the equally skilled son of the greatest bassist to ever live

[@modulationmusiclibrary]

I watch this video constantly, such a great breakdown of amazing things you hear in jazz. Different movements, and of course, do the work!

[@gazell3s]

The bit about avoiding the root blew my mind. Thank you Scott + Felix!

[@jodyhendrix5876]

Awesome video, absolutely love the tips on staying away from the root!

[@travisguide4516]

scales have helped me to get across feelings with instruments I like seeing others who are scale heads like this

[@bassplayerrm]

Some REAL nuggets here! nice to see someone giving real practical info very good video. Felix is a beast

[@BestBassTab]

Felix is easily one of the best musicians on the planet

[@kyojitsu1]

All classical pro musicians: 'Hold my beer'

[@kennycharlton7891]

I like how this is a whole video about Felix and Scott and there's this dude just there the whole time they're Talkin.

[@thatellipsisguy8984]

The ultimate third wheel...

[@displacedhippie3296]

That's the bass I got TODAY! I LOVE IT SOOOO MUCH!!!

[@filippoorologio6777]

A pastorious holding a fodera will always be beautiful.

[@3steln766]

I'm going to be honest. You blew my mind in this episode! Thank you for all you do for musicians, man

[@bassmw8175]

I respect Felix for bringing in some new ideas to bass.

[@matteobonti9738]

Scott, you really have a great sound in your hands! Round and clean, very precise. You rock! 🤟

[@stephenrawson7205]

Thanks Felix! This is awesome, I've never heard of broken 3rd, 4ths, 5ths, & 6ths exercises.

[@drummermil]

Awesome lesson video, Scott. In 10 minutes with you and Felix, I’ve got something to work for several months. (I’m an SBL member, so off to the full video)

[@bastianviscarra584]

I think thats the key of all of that.. DO THE WORK!! Practice all the forms in all the ways, like always has been. I cant denied, some shortcuts are awesome, and help you, but eventually you need all the stuff. Great video as always.

[@miguelserpa8649]

I play the guitar but this video really inspired me thank you so much!!!

[@tompreston7580]

5:57 I also came to that realisation recently, best thing that happened to my practice

[@jazz2959]

Really cool video, I got to watch Felix a bunch of times in Ft Lauderdale and hang with him while playing with local musicians, his twin brother and the Yellowjackets.

[@joedyer502]

This. This is the stuff I am looking for a teacher to teach me. I want to spend all my time unlocking the relationships between scales, modes, arpeggios, and chords. Songs can wait for a while because playing along is not teaching me the relationships of the above.

[@BAZZMAN800]

If you're going to play in any ensemble...learn songs...that way you can lean to utilize all that stuff in a functional and , hopefully, musical way.

[@ThePosrein]

There is brilliant stuff in this video. I will be practicing renewed for many more hours. Thanks!!!!!

[@Bob1Mack]

"Stop looking for shortcuts, and do the work." THE TRUTH.

[@rembeadgc]

Interesting listening to, watching and feeling Felix process and engage. How many times does he grab that hat? I definitely see subconscious echoes of his father, which I imagine most of us share with ours, knowingly or unknowingly.

[@david.leikam]

Yes, enjoy the work and understanding.

[@david.leikam]

Love delving into my new NS Design CR5 Radius bass this month. 😁👍

[@Lardykins]

Where do I apply for my Fodera Club membership?

[@ethan_6strings186]

First sell your house, your car, your soul and your left arm then you can afford to join

[@dunehaggar772]

An awesome vid! And you got your old bass on...bonus!

[@chuckjuice1317]

Today, my eyes have been opened...once I was blind, now I see...the lord works in mysterious ways...Jaco was one of my hero’s and a mentor, and encouraged me to find the godlike way via a bass guitar. I’m literally in tears hearing his son. Your dad was the best most humble superstar musician I’ve ever met, and I’ve met thousands. Live his legacy kid.

[@ruzgaravcii]

Mam this video helped me so much about understanding music

[@MineCRAFTINGMENCZ]

I get the thing about going up a third in a major key and playing a minor over it (C major -> E minor) so you don't use the root but when you go up a third in minor and play major (C minor -> Eb major), they're just the same notes=enharmonic

[@pingyu035]

The arpeggios we use on guitar aswell very useful

[@roosolini7105]

Holy shit that 3rd soloing trick works so well. Thanks so much man

[@AzikeOsita]

Wow this opened my eyes to a lot

[@oterovidal2484]

Scott's Fodera sounds really good, kind of upright sounding too, what a nice Bass!

[@benjibarbe5038]

Better vid i've watched in order to get better on the bass. Thanks a lot Scott

[@MrPsarp]

The best class I've ever attended 🙌😚😚

[@Redscape_]

He also had a great run with the Yellow Jackets after Jimmy Haslip left

[@km1842]

Not really

[@jcmcclain57]

Nice Scott, will be checking out the whole enchilada.

[@eeobeeob]

Great video, thank you Scott!

[@jimmyeich6250]

That bass you are playing sounds great under your fingers!

[@adriank9]

No shortcuts but suddenly in 6:59 you're giving the one Felix actually uses. I liked it. Just saying:>

[@bassmw8175]

@3:49 isn’t that from the Jaco Pastorious DVD?

[@octavioserrano7402]

Thank you... thank you big time for sharing what you love to do. Definitely helps to be reminded of yuh our roots. Although it's better to stay away from them... lol!!!

[@milkdawgmcgee7498]

Thanks again, Scott!!

[@GetmusiX]

Does everybody realise the requested time for this everyday practice (of course locked with a metronome) Over all the neck from fret 2 to 14 (all the tonality) starting with the major scale... - Broken scale by 3 (ascending / descending then descending / ascending) - Broken scale by 4 (ascending / descending then descending / ascending) Arpeggios break - Arpeggios M finishing on Route, then 7, then 7M and finally on 6 - Arpeggios m finishing on R, then on 7m, then (for the fingering) add a 7M and a 5b Back to scale - Play the 3rd (ascending / descending then descending / ascending) - Play the 4th (ascending / descending then descending / ascending) - Play the 5th (ascending / descending then descending / ascending) - Play the 6th (ascending / descending then descending / ascending) Done? ok then next mode! Just have to extend my 3/4 hours daily practice to "all the day & no sleep" ^^

[@basi-vega35]

Awesome teaching/tips video. That Gtetsch drumset in the background looks like Mike Johnstons kit too.

[@zubrhero5270]

Got literally to the end of the video before Scott say's "now you may be noticing the dude in the Arnold Schwarzenegger (from Total Recall) t-shirt". Dude. Now that you mentioned it, it's obvious. But I legitimately thought "who's the superfan in the Jaco t-shirt?" and thought nothing else of it lol.

[@JToddSpacek]

Props to Felix for committing to put the effort in to even attempt following in those footsteps. I play sax and can only think of Ravi Coltrane who was able to carve out a nice career....or Baird Parker who tried valiantly but buckeled under the pressure of trying to achieve what his virtuoso father did. I always wondered if these people all had "the gift" for music but would have been better contributng on another instrument......

[@TheHoinoel]

This video was great! Useful information, well explained and to the point. Thanks for this man :)

[@nickamodeo1331]

i was wondering if that was mike bendy. saw him and julius playing in ft. lauderdale about 10 years ago... he is a beast....

[@mjschaeffer2112]

Wow, great insight and inspiration

[@Nick-zp9lh]

This is a great video! What a great perspective.

[@leesagomez6615]

I play in upright solid body..Stagg.......I also have several Precision and J Basses most are Fretless....I took up the guitar in '89..... so I can go FROM one to the other....but If I have a solo on bass I use my guitar Senses

[@bradwillard3152]

Smart guy ...Good Lesson

[@StevenMorello]

Can someone explain the broken thirds, fourths, fifths and sixths? In C major would that mean you play C E G for thirds, C F B for fourths, C G D for fifths, and C A F for sixths?

[@thebasstown]

Loving it Scott. Finally some mercy towards us root-stickers.

[@musikwortkunst9019]

so much to learn! thank you :)

[@pxofpxof7782]

*9:11** SUMMARY OF GUY'S FROM THE LEFT CONTRIBUTIONS*

[@Happy-Me.]

I've seen John Scofield teach something similar to this around the scales on guitar.

[@yangarreola9382]

Hermosa harmony, my amigo 😍😍😍 tyvm

[@sizwemsilora7835]

Thanks for making the other guy play as well... I was about to ask... :)

[@SullivanMarsters]

Underrated video

[@davidgagnon2849]

I have to wonder does Felix carry a portrait of Tracy in his wallet?

[@artakha14]

Unlikely, Tracy was Jaco's first wife and not Felix's mother

[@doxx2427]

Yes he does actually, he shows it to us Everytime he passes through Teen town to check the Weather Report.

[@davidgagnon2849]

@@doxx2427 Well played, sir! Well played!

[@PhuckHue2]

that would be weird

[@PhuckHue2]

@@doxx2427 looky looky we have ourselves a writer here. a regular Shakespeare 😂

[@santiagomejia6126]

Awesome tips... thanks!!!

[@JoseDW7000]

This was super helpful!

[@RallyFlowBro]

Oh shit. I thought that was a stage name. Awesome that his legacy has lived on.

[@davidtidwell7987]

What a set of balls you'd have to have to use pastorius as a stage name bahaha

[@thebro3377]

He'd get lynched by the bass community if he were using Pastorius as a stage name. Jaco is to bass what Hendrix was to the guitar

[@joemiller8482]

I need this. . Great video

[@noisysquid992]

this is a GREAT video thank you

[@comiturhan]

yup that's his dad alright, and that's the son!

[@abraxasret7457]

I wander if he ever gets tired of always being addressed as Jacos son rather than just being adressed by his own name and recognized for his own talent.

[@Harry-cz1tv]

Good question

[@wizardmix]

Thanks for the great revelation!

[@thumpybones]

I went to CalArts many years ago and Charlie Haden busted my chops for starting a solo on the root.

[@devinebass]

That must have been AMAZING, studying with Charlie Hayden!!

[@thesoundpainterbkny3465]

One word, Wow!

[@BrianPellerin]

Too many MG basses in one place!!! 😮❤

[@mainsblanches8793]

Man, what a cool video!!...

[@superjam18]

Im pretty new to the bass but nit new to music theory, I want to practice this

[@xlfc]

Hmm, great technique! :-) Till now I used things like starting from the 6th of the scale (for example Aminor arpeggio over Cmaj chord), but as I can see it's pretty similar - almost like mirror image - cause' 6th is the lower 3rd ... so now I can start at least from lower and even upper 3rd! Great! But one question: What about playing over dim chords - for example Bdim7 - should I play Gmaj arpeggio (maybe to make that interesting G7) and Dminor7? Would that work?

[@ajadrew]

Cmaj7 (E-7+A-7) - D-7(Fmaj7) - G7 (B-7b5) The chords in brackets are the diatonic substitutes for preceding chord, ie, you can play them in place of.

[@MrFuzzwuzzle]

Very impressive but can you play the major scale dressed at an army major on a set of scales

[@brananherndon6947]

Fuzzwuzzle wrong channel. Lol

[@situationing]

I recon Scoot had to put some time on this breakdown exercise :D

[@skydvr69]

Jaco in a Phillies hat! Wonder if it was a Philly performance...

[@Tracer9GTRider8]

That's great but can he play Runnin' With The Devil?

[@rolandboss9045]

😂 😂 😂

[@pncampbell]

Noone can play runnin with the devil

[@devinparker8530]

No way. Impossible

[@socialismfails]

Too advanced...

[@bass_life]

It ain't what you do but he way that you do it...........

[@ajdayton101]

I love Scott, but most of the dudes in these videos make me feel like a five year old with a plastic instrument Grandma gave me. I guess it's all in what you want to do with the bass that makes you feel accomplished. I play bass in a duo with a singer/acoustic guitar player, and the rest on backing tracks. I'm lucky if our songs have 4 chords instead of three. I like what I do, and the freedom I am given by the simplicity of what we are playing as a whole. These dudes are so damn advanced. I get lost on where to begin with my practicing.

[@bass_life]

It's for jazz guys who want to solo. Not everyone needs or wants to solo on the bass , enjoy what you do and the traditional role of the bass player. All bass players should want to do that not matter how good or "technical " they get.