The Secret To Unlocking The Bass Fretboard (it’s really obvious!)

In this video I'm going to teach you the secret to unlocking the bass fretboard. And guess what? It's really obvious.
Many bass players want to learn how to play fluently all around the bass guitar fretboard. This usually mean working outside of the common one octave fretboard patterns we all learn when getting started. So today we'll look at a few exercises that should help with playing lines over the entire fretboard. You'll improve your position shifting, your technique and your knowledge of keys.
This exercise is taken from the new TalkingBass book The Cyborg Bassist Volume 1: Scale Mastery For Electric Bass which you can find here:
The Cyborg Bassist Book: members.talkingbass.net/produ...
Lesson Materials: www.talkingbass.net/the-secre...
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:48 What is 'unlocking the fretboard'
2:29 The 'secret' to playing horizontally
3:26 The G Major Scale
4:15 Positions
4:47 G Major Exercise
11:38 Tips
12:16 Variation
13:21 C Major Exercise
16:26 Position Application
17:56 The Cyborg Bassist
Sign up for the TalkingBass membership here: members.talkingbass.net/regis...
#talkingbass #scales #basslessons

[@talkingbasslessons]

The Cyborg Bassist Book: members.talkingbass.net/product/the-cyborg-bassist-volume-1-scale-mastery-for-electric-bass/

[@ThePlaySpace-CurtainCall]

Lol. I'm sure beginners hate you. But, as a bass teacher, I really appreciated this. No BS. No rambling. No dumbing it down. No taking it slow. Just facts.

[@kane6529]

I must say as a converted bassist it’s so much easier to fretboard without having to worry about that pesky high B String on the guitar. The think I love is patterns are the same on bass you don’t have to worry because it’s all tuned in fourths 🤩

[@alexkidd4144]

Amen to this! I have a five string and that B on the bottom doesn’t change a thing

[@vincentwright9143]

Ultimately for me, you’ve confirmed the conclusion that I had already come to about the fretboard. My biggest challenge has been making a way to practice regularly, because I work on the road for 2 months at a stretch. Fret not (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun)! I now have a cheap, under $200 Harley Benton “travel” base that goes wherever I go! Now I can master that fretboard, even if it’s only 15 minutes every day! And I’m also much happier having access to a bass I can grab every day (don’t tell my wife and make her jealous of Harley) ;-) 😊

[@theTrend7]

What's your wife's email?😂😂😂😂😂

[@timjones7743]

I'm not even a bass player but your tutorials always make me think I should try it. Graet demonstration and informative.

[@scottbubb2946]

You should. The world needs more musicians.

[@tribeshift]

Get a bass, dude!

[@jeffreyyyy3052]

​@@scottbubb2946 what the world needs is better people.

[@scottbubb2946]

@@jeffreyyyy3052 Musicians, poets, artists, taco builders, animal shelter volunteers, writers, dreamers... 😀

[@donkeybrains4140]

@@jeffreyyyy3052 So basicly more bass players :P

[@andre.bouchard]

As an ex bass player who started again 3 months ago, after 15 years, this video is precisely scratching that itch like no other video did. Ive watched hundreds of video in the last months. This is great stuff.

[@WDXash]

Playing keyboard helps me to appreciate the ease of ‘patterns’ on a fretboard compared to having remember intervals on a keyboard. That said, knowing musical intervals does help to work out fretboard shapes and learn the notes at the same time. Great tutorial 👍

[@NotThatOneThisOne]

Two things I like to practice along these lines are.... - playing scales/arpeggios on only 2 strings - learning the positions for the major scales starting with my first finger on increasing notes on the scales ( so c major notes starting on D, E, F etc, effectively learning the modes but you don't need their names). Has the benefit of showing the connection between major and the couple of minor scales.

[@kollateralschadensbegrenzu4929]

While I’m relatively new to playing bass I olay guitar for 3 decades and no one ever explained horizontal playing as good as you. Correct me if I missed someone on KZbin but I’m pretty sure no one is as clear and making it a simple thing. Thanks!

[@jamesmathew6236]

This is a very informative lesson, Mark! Thanks for sharing!

[@nicacrush]

Just bought the book. This is exactly what I needed. It gives me something to focus on which is difficult with all of the material out there. Keep up the great work Mark. You're an excellent teacher!

[@jimbolia7559]

Always top notch advice on this channel, thanks Mark for continuing to inspire and help create more great bass players in the world.

[@rodoherty1]

Fantastic lesson, Mark. Thank you!!

[@martinmix7464]

Thanks for this video! Now that I'm (finally) taking the time to learn theory (beyond a few scales), this kind of things makes so much more sense to me. I can almost feel it all coming into clarity. Really appreciate all you do to add joy to my, and so many others', playing!

[@morenobordin9617]

Thank you Mark for this valuable lesson. This is exactly what I need in order to improve "horizontally" on my playing!

[@dreamdemolitionfactory1304]

Wow!..Excellent lesson...Breaking the stock positions is melodically and tonally liberating..Big Thanks Mark

[@ElaadBo]

One of the best practice on bass and you teach it AMAZING!

[@McGuire40695]

I've been playing guitar for 15 years and bass for about 4 years, and I completely agree about "learning to play horizontally." In my first year of playing guitar ( so 2008), I learnt the notes of the scale and ent the next 3 years working different positions together to play horizontally. It definitely takes work, but it's worth it. There's definitely no "secret pattern" these advert teachers are trying to sell online. Great video as always, Mark!

[@AlexandarShmex]

I agree, I'm doing the same, playing the bass 1.5 years now and I can say that I can play scales all over the fretboard, major, minor and their pentatonics in all 12 keys. Now, putting it into use situationally is a whole different thing :D But even now, some fills and slides come out of nowhere, so it's working!

[@Nikosi9]

@@AlexandarShmex Etudes are a great way of bringing all those mechanics together musically. Mark's Cyborg book of etudes sounds like it might be useful to you. Also, just playing songs is helpful. You'll see how all those scales and arpeggios fit in real-life music...

[@AlexandarShmex]

@@Nikosi9 Thanks for the tip! I have learned or played through more than 100 songs :) I try to do everything, "boring" technical stuff, songs, ear training, musical theory. I tried to find the book, but I can't, can you link it?

[@nicacrush]

​@@AlexandarShmex there's a link in the description of this video. I just bought it. So worth it.

[@samshrek2739]

Yea Mark! You’re a legend, this vid has helped a lot. Keep up the good work!

[@antnyf13]

Excellent Lesson ! Thank you

[@AdvancedMarketingGro]

Great lesson! Thanks for posting it.

[@horrorchroniclespodcast]

Mark, Thank you so much for this. I love these lessons! I'm an old bass player and I should have made time to learn this stuff when I was younger. Keep on rockin'.

[@MC-qe5qb]

Great vid Mark! Thanks, very useful

[@lioness-kushlumumba8328]

Great teaching here Mark! I am just exploring this as I so want to free myself to travel over the bass neck like a pro!

[@amaridarlington8822]

Learning the 5 shapes of the a minor pentatonic really helped me. You shift the shapes along the fret board in according to the key.

[@dalewatts7059]

Thank you for another excellent lesson. You hsve a wonderful relaxed teaching style---packed with information yet very easy to understand. Your own skill is also a great asset; It is very motivating to see where the techniques lead to when mastered and come easily.

[@maxogesten6928]

Thanks Mark! I've been playing this exercise for years. Now I have to actually call out the notes, not just playing the pattern :)

[@girmaybass68]

Simply the best!

[@malcelinho]

I love to see new uploads of you man

[@rustysmith398]

Thank you, great video!

[@praks007]

Great lesson!

[@eldiabloramon]

Thanks for the advice of playing up and down instead of across! I was focusing on the box positions.

[@douglasguinn1077]

Great explanation!

[@mikestrong4946]

Awesome, I can't wait for the book to come out!

[@Joey0367]

Hi Mark, I look forward to your book coming out. Thanks again for this very informative and beneficial video.

[@NickoDim]

I've been learning bass for a couple of months now. It seems way more natural to play horizontally and bass lines with a more horizontal style seem to be more interesting to me. Couldn't tell why until your video.

[@TM-jo4wz]

Great player and teacher. He always has nice basses!

[@markbass354]

very nice video Mark

[@shawnalove5050]

OMG! This is GOLD! Invaluable! You should be charging, Mark!!! Thanks so much! I think one of the great things about this exercise is taking the already well known Gmaj pattern and understanding how the phrase and spacing of the notes are the same. It gets my mind out of that old pattern and thinking about other places on the neck. I've always tried playing the same thing in other areas on the neck, but you really put together something solid and easy to practice here!! Thank you so much!!!!

[@talkingbasslessons]

Thanks. And yes, I pretty much am charging. This exercise is from the new book/course I’ve released on discount until the end of this weekend!

[@jwlewis3661]

Took. Me all day but finally learned the first part in G. Trying not cheat for the C because I have a 6 string and can do the same pattern. Very helpful but now have to learn to apply it. Thanks

[@yveshonore6739]

Thank you for your tutorial . I never acknowledge the horizontal way on the fret . With this new learning , l am gonna be more efficient . THANKS a lot .

[@liquidtensionable]

Thank you so much for this

[@JNeedels]

First time I saw your video, wow impressive, excellent teaching technique, thanks, subscribing now 😊

[@keldrean]

Everything yes, I'm in university now but I'm just learning to read. Playing by ear for twenty years now I feel like a sixth grader. Thank you!

[@wmkennard]

Really sweet thanks you

[@hvelafa2115]

Best teacher ever!

[@emersontanakamotion]

great lesson...hopefully you will write a book including 5 strings bass excercizes!

[@clausm2203]

Great video

[@DogBreakfast]

This is the way, thanks :)

[@oliin]

You have just "yeeted" , at least, one third of Scott's bass lessons. Seriously though, Thanks for consolidating your information, and offering it free to the viewer, instead of trying to sell information that can be had for just a little time/work so you can make monies...

[@thomasfioriglio]

Wow, this was fantastic Mark! I have to confess, I am one of those players who likes the box and gets scared straying. This was well explained and not that scary. I was able to follow along and it made sense. Thank you so much! Now to apply this to other scales! You're the best and congrats on the upcoming book!

[@jdb123ize]

Well said, same for me

[@everettdea]

Lol! I keep coming back to this fella for obvious reasons. Lol. I'm going to buy material right now just because this video. Seriously. Talk about clearing it up. This video really did just that.

[@cvanhetkaar96]

Thank you for these ideas to “play” with, also nice warming-up exercises too! 👍 Just wondering : do you use those higher positions on the lower strings ( so 18th fret and up on the E -string and A-string) also?

[@Book-bz8ns]

TRUTH THe only other thing i know of that rival the world of guitar/bass gadgetry and guru-ology is golf. So much baloney to get through! This channel and a couple others just tell you straight whats up. If I may, I'd like to shout out Rich Brown, Bass Buzz, Scott's Bass Lessons, and Rick Beato. Talking Bass of course, youre here! All EXCELLENT, just slightly different.

[@rachidluildha2676]

Clever stuff!

[@monxyo]

excelent video, can you explain sometime how do you srtup your pbass.... i can hear it has low action and excelent intonation!!

[@truchero11]

Thanks for all you do brother. Scales are good. But arpeggios are what build bass lines. It’s a lot easier to make arpegios sound musical, than to do the same with scales.

[@geraldjohnson9162]

Awesome

[@arthouston7361]

About three years ago, I finally became more focused on learning music, and when you said, "Notes are going to come into play at some point," I had to allow a laugh for the obvious nature of that statement.

[@carollinson]

The clarity of your Northern accent allows me to soak your teaching by osmosis. It's only a Northern song. I'm a Yorkshire lad by the way. Si thi.

[@jdb123ize]

Great lesson is an understatement. You are the best,Mark. What I’ve been look for

[@Inferno5150]

3:48 I swear Mark must be watching me practice somehow 🤣

[@hiphophippy2439]

Nice lesson, what broke the box for me was a simple 4 notes per string scale over 2 octaves repeating the octave note in the middle with an octave jump between strings, good for stretching ;) and VERY interesting patterns happen when using modes (everything after the octave jump is the same as before ;), Hope this helps someone,

[@orenji7266]

could you give an example? :)

[@hiphophippy2439]

@@orenji7266 Start on say G play the major scale first 4 notes on the E string, the next 4 on the A (thats your octave) then play the same G note you finished with on the A string on the D string (same note string jump) and repeat the pattern for the next octave , hope this makes sense, remember to go up and down the scale, using the same idea (4 notes per string) over modes opened up the neck nicely for me ;) Hope this helps.

[@orenji7266]

@@hiphophippy2439 Yes that does help, thank you!

[@tnvalleyyoga7122]

Couldn't you use the caged system, plus any type of scale to achieve the ability to move up and down the neck?

[@Smoothblue90]

I have been thinking about your comment. I have been thinking that I wanted to tell you that the CAGED system is looking at the neck more like a guitar player. If you look at the bass neck notes as three at a time fingering, where you stay in a box and play three notes per string, using a combination of "spread" and "close" fingering, there are 7 positions instead of the 5 CAGED positions. Spread fingering is where three notes are spread across 5 frets, close fingering is where three notes are spread across 4 frets. So. Then. Inside those 7 positions are spread fingerings and close fingerings. And there are three smaller boxes inside those positions that repeat. One box is across two strings, using six notes, close fingering, using the middle finger. One box is across two strings, using six notes, close fingering, using the ring finger. And then one box is across three strings, using 9 bites spread fingering.

[@MrTravisAl]

@@Smoothblue90 interesting!

[@rickporayko880]

Hi Mark, I have a question. Should a person be practicing bass standing up, or sitting down? I see some very talented and experienced bass players on KZbin that ALWAYS sit, but I notice that you never sit. Do you have any specific opinions about this? Also: this video was great. I’m going to grab my bass and start practising right now!

[@yveshonore6739]

I will make sure l buy your book . Just tell how to get it , Mark .

[@phwhitefly]

Noob here, waiting for my first bass to be delivered and I'm thinking, why wouldn't the major notes be inscribed onto a beginner's practice bass? Maybe it's not needed after a few weeks of practice?

[@jefflg2334]

Patterns with root notes and scale degrees. Know the scale degree your finger is on.

[@JamesDavisakaRemguy]

Hey, I like this new, relaxed, (more ad lib?) version of Mark J. Smith! Did you take a new approach or just not feel like editing all the *fun bits* out for the sake of "Professionalism" (yawn)? I like this new style, I hope you keep it! You really hit the bullseye with this lesson, by addressing the ubiquitous urge - mostly among those who refuse to learn note names, or any music theory whatsoever - to play up and down the fretboard with _obvious_ ease. Why is it bedroom bassists all seem to dream about breaking our their "AXE" in a music store (where the fantasy usually takes place) and _thrilling_ onlookers with their fretboard-kindling licks, fills & solos, plus a few arcane jazz scales (played over your average maj/min7b5#13add9 chord, to be sure) *leaving no fret untouched from 0 right up to number 24 (baby!).*

[@talkingbasslessons]

Nothing’s changed. You’ve probably been looking at vids from 9 years ago. There’s been a gradually evolution (obviously) as I’ve become more experienced with KZbin.

[@CarlJWood]

1:17 sounded weirdly close to the main riff in Tornado of Souls!

[@Aliveinloma]

Is the g major exercise something you made up?

[@talkingbasslessons]

It’s one of the exercises I wrote for the Cyborg Bassist volume 1. There are many more. That said, there is nothing special about this particular exercise. It’s just a scale.

[@Aliveinloma]

@@talkingbasslessons thanks, I am learning it and just wanted to know what I am learning. I started playing bass back in 2010, now I am learning how to play. Lol

[@theCheesemonger]

Just have to go through the pain of working through Simandl...

[@OlettaLiano]

👍👍

[@user-qy1uo7mk8s]

I would like to learn the bass one chord at a time simplify

[@samuelbrainsample]

I don't understand players (and aren't you just a player and not a musician?) who don't want to know the theory/notes. Theory frees you, patterns, while initially are freeing, eventually constrain.

[@MrTravisAl]

Absolutely. Bad habits beget bad evolution. When I learned “how” to skateboard. I didn’t learn the fundamentals. I ended up learning and landing all sorts of flip tricks. ….That I couldn’t perform (and certainly not land) while riding. ..Only while stationary. I then had to go back to riding and cruising then incorporating basic beginner tricks. I stopped skating and can never truly say “I used to skate”. ~ I used to win games of horse. and that’s it. Same thing goes with flashy basketball shots before consistently dribbling down the court at or above half speed. Start over.

[@cskeise]

💙👊😎

[@rubbadubdub6543]

So ‘horizontal’ is moving up and down the fretboard, ‘vertical’ is moving across??

[@janromanoff6221]

J

[@tomwright9904]

Learn all the modes?

[@talkingbasslessons]

Modes are great to learn....eventually. Don't get caught in the trap of thinking modes have anything to do with moving around the fretboard. That's not what they are.

[@bryanholder6409]

Learn Nashville numbers

[@bryanholder6409]

Bro say less

[@barbarapiercy4312]

Sorry to say but you move WAY too fast. I find myself constantly rewinding over and over again. That’s okay, I’m sure that’s expected. The problem is you put the music and tab in the lower right hand part of the screen. If I pause your lesson to practice I cannot see the music. It is blocked by the progress bar and ad’s for other videos. Is there any chance you can place the music/tab in the upper left of right hand side of the screen? That way when I pause it to practice I can see the music. I love your channel and lessons keep up the good work. Thanks

[@barbarapiercy4312]

PS. Found a solution!! I just grabbed my manuscript book and wrote it down!! I I don’t find your face distracting 😂. You’re quite handsome and I’m willing to bet your partner thinks so too. 😊

[@kaiopotefilms.1457]

man i love David Fincher

[@MauriceBoone-jm2xu]

Did I somehow miss what the secret is?????

[@theloniouscoltrane3778]

LEARN HORIZONTAL BASS LINES!

[@ReyBanYAHUAH]

Repent of sin (breaking The Law YAHUAH The Father gave through Moses) & believe on YAHUSHA Messiah!

[@davidvitale9338]

This is the difference between a bass player and a song player. If all you do is learn songs, they can almost always be played in a box pattern - and then keep you there.

[@barbarapiercy4312]

That’s been my Achilles heel. I’m stuck in a box and desperately trying to get out. This lesson is going to help. Very inspiring.

[@jerryg2757]

Booze?

[@grantharrismusic]

Learn everything with a metronome.

[@bluekron]

nice, thanks! PS- your bass looks really greasy lol, eggs and bacon for breakfast?

[@davidbalan6571]

I think you better playing rhythms liked System Of A Down and Limp Bizkit lyrics ' My Generation ' . It's awesome much better than that's .

[@fireman6788]

Meh. Just pick it up and play. This guy isn't making anything easier with these lessons.

[@talkingbasslessons]

It’s not ‘this guy’. His name was Robert Paulson.

[@Nikosi9]

Suggestion: Since this is a tutorial about fretboard navigation, I would suggest that the fretboard be more prominently displayed. All we really need is the fretboard, your fingers and your voice (disembodied preferred). Also, may I suggest that for tutorials, you set up a bass with contrasting colors between the board, your fingers, and the strings. The more contrast between these elements, the better. I am not singling you out. Most YT teachers are guilty of the same things. Facial expressions and extra body movements are a distraction (unless you are teaching dance or acting). Good lesson!

[@frostriver4547]

You do it 🙄

[@mrbungle7586]

Seriously? Mark's given you everything you need to succeed here. Tabs, walk and talk through etc. Now it's time for you to put your big boy boots on and put in the work. No facial expressions, its destracting and I suggest this and that. Your not singling Mark out, just every KZbinr. Lol, a bit ungrateful and very needy I suggest you start your own YT bass channel and provide FREE videos with tons of RESOURCES at your DISPOSAL, OR. Maybe bass just isn't for you. If this is too difficult to understand. Maybe you need to go back to beginner basics or your a begginer and need to hold off on this till you are a little more advanced. And one final tip and you won't like it. Go get some lessons, 1 on 1. Yep that's right, it's going to mean PAYING for it. Opening your wallet and dusting out the cobwebs. Good luck with your future endeavours. 🤔

[@richardrichard5409]

😂😂😂🍉

[@OlandoMcCall]

​@@mrbungle7586 show him how it's done then.. 🙄🙄🙄. You just want him to give a full lesson for free? Plus he's a do the work type of guy. Clearly you're lazy..

[@mrbungle7586]

@@OlandoMcCall what planet are you from? How am I lazy or asking for a free lesson?