I’m struggling with the note names for the 4th and 5th. After the videos we are able to find the root notes on the fretboard and also find the 4 and 5 from the shape, but this doesn’t help If you get a fixed, written Chord progression an have to do the job of a bassist and build the baseline upon that. Just for a simple example: It will help a lot if you get a progression in C and know: Yea, that G is the fifth, so I can use this or that shape to reach it.
I already know and get a lot from musictheory.net - Exercises but it provides nothing for directly
Are there any specific trainings to get to know the 4th and 5th for a given Key?
The circle of 5ths becomes a lot easier to remember if you start at B and go counterclockwise in fourths (because the circle of 5ths is also the circle of fourths in the other direction.) Then it’s just the bass open strings for a 6 string bass, then F, then repeat in flats for a 5-string bass.
If C is the fourth, isn’t C# the 5th? If so that would make D the 6th. I’m so confused. Does the Nashville number system include half-steps or only whole?
THe pattern that helped me memorize it counter-clockwise (which is 4ths, not 5ths) is that it is: Circle of Fourths (C, F are the first 2), then just BEADG twice. (first one is flat). BEADG is the standard tuning of a 5 string bass…
Another bonus of knowing the order of the circle is that you know how many flats or sharps are in the key. And if you memorize the order of flats, (BEADG again, with CF at the end this time) then knowing how many also tells you which ones they are. Order of sharps is inverted, unfortunately. But one thing at a time
But, the circle is just CF-BEADG-BEADG. (first one’s flat) The 5th of any note is the note before it (5th of F is C, 5th of Bb is F, etc). Don’t know if that helps, but figured I’d throw it out there…
Bass is fourths going up, fifths going down. The circle is the same, and up is counterclockwise. Then, naturally, the open strings match it in both directions, and the rest is just remembering the half step difference for the flat side.
Ya, i mean all that stuff was already stated in the first 3 answers
BEADGCF is the standard tuning for a 7 string bass
You can use the rule of 9 for inverting intervals.
You can use the mnemonic “Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles Father” for the order of flats and “Father Charles Goes Down And Ends Battle” for the order of sharps and that already gives you more than half the circle too.
I always prefer flats though that give you the key of Gb with a Cb in it
I don’t know any shortcuts on this one.
I suppose you could make your own specialized flash card set and give yourself a root and quiz yourself on what the 4 and 5 would be?
This is usually handled in a more holistic way of memorizing the full scales, and all the relationships.
Then pulling out the 4 and 5 become a secondary benefit.
I was always very visual, and just had to imagine the fretboard, and tried to figure out what notes would sit where from what root note.
Sorry I don’t have any concrete thing to point you to.
Is the goal to get away from shapes and be able to utilize different parts of the fretboard for different chord progressions?
Here is a numbered graphic representation of a D major scale on a fretboard.
Notice where the root (D), fourth (G), and fifth (A) scale degrees are relative to each other.
Reading up the strings (from fattest to thinnest), the fourth is located on the same fret as the root, one string up. The fifth is located on the same string as the fourth, but two frets up (that’s ONE WHOLE STEP up).
You’re going to have to memorize things, ultimately.
circle of 4ths/5ths
Scales spelling
Chords spelling
Etc…
Do whatever works for you in terms of memorization. I make my self worksheets and fill them out, and I also recite spelling drills (scales or chord tones) while I’m doing something boring (like on a run or a hike, or trying to go to sleep at night, it also helps you fall asleep).
Play scales or chord tones in every location on the fretboard and say the note names out loud…
I’m confused about what the scenario is that you are struggling with. What is happening? What are you trying to do, but can’t? Where are you getting tripped up?
I’m going to make a best guess at your problem, but I’m not sure I actually understand it. It sounds like:
You know your scales and note names well enough to find root notes on your fretboard.
You know scale shapes well enough to find tones like the 4th and 5th by shape. So if someone says, “Key of [E minor]. 1-4-5-1, two bars of each,” you can follow.
You are getting tripped up because people are saying, “Key of E-minor. E - G - A - E,” and you can’t translate that into the format you know fast enough.
You are trying to learn how to think of chord progressions as note names rather than numbers.
Is that correct?
If so… what I would do (that I suspect would work for you) is:
Take 30 seconds to look at your fretboard
Treat the called notes like root notes, and find them on the fretboard (later ones in higher positions)
Figure out how those letters relate to the position of the root and what number they would be.
Translate into number positions in your head and play that.
Turn the information into the format that works best for you.
