Notes of the Neck (for 4-string basses)

Here are a few basic concepts which will help us when we move on to scales, chords, and theory. Here
are the natural notes of the bass neck from the open notes up to the 12th fret (assume that your bass is
laying on a table in front of you and you're looking down on it):

G|
D|
A|
E| F
0 1

| A |
| B | C |
| E | F |
| G |
| B | C |
| D |
|
| G |
| A |
2
3
4
5
6

|
|
|
|

D
A
E
B
7

|
| E | F |
|
|
| B | C |
|
| F |
| G |
|
| C |
| D |
|
8
9
10 11

G |
D |
A |
E |
12

(G string)
(D string)
(A string)
(E string)
(fret number)

The E string is the thickest string on your bass (assuming you have a four-string bass). It is the string
closest to your face when you are playing. The zero (given as a fret number) indicates the note you get
when you play a string open (i.e. without fretting a note).You will notice that I've left some blank
spaces on our chart (like the one at the second fret of the E string, between F and G. The notes which
are in between the natural notes are called accidentals, and each can be named two ways. The note
between F and G can be called F# (F sharp), meaning that it is one half-step (one fret) higher in pitch
than F. We could also name it Gb (G flat) meaning that it is one half-step lower in pitch than G. There
is a long tradition in music which determines whether a given note will be notated as a flatted or
sharped note, but if you're just trying to communicate with a friend, you can use either term and he or
she will understand you.Starting at the 12th fret, our entire diagram starts over. Notice that the notes at
the 12th fret are the same as the notes of the open strings. This principle applies for every fret above the
12th (13th fret = 1st fret, 14th fret = 2nd fret, etc.).If you look closely at the chart, you'll notice a few
more things. First, that the letters go from A up to G and then start over with A again. The musical
alphabet goes A-G. You probably knew that already. But you might not have known that most of the
notes are a whole step apart (that is, they have a blank fret between, as F and G do above) but two
combinations of notes are only a half-step apart (i.e. they have no fret between them). These two
combinations are B-C and E-F. Because there is no note between B and C, we do not generally refer to
B# or Cb (even though B#, according to our rules, would be C and Cb would be B). Likewise, we don't
refer generally to E# (i.e. F) or Fb (i.e. E). These are just a few of the many conventions of talking
about music.Here are two more neck diagrams--one showing all the accidentals named as sharps, and
one showing all the accidentals named as flats. I'll trust you to remember that F# and Gb are the same
note (i.e. produce the same sound), regardless of what name we give them.
G|
D|
A|
E|
0

G#|
D#|
A#|
F |
1

A |
E |
B |
F#|
2

A#|
F |
C |
G |
3

B |
F#|
C#|
G#|
4

C
G
D
A
5

|
|
|
|

C#|
G#|
D#|
A#|
6

D
A
E
B
7

|
|
|
|

D#|
A#|
F |
C |
8

E |
B |
F#|
C#|
9

F |
C |
G |
D |
10

F#|
C#|
G#|
D#|
11

G |
D |
A |
E |
12

(G string)
(D string)
(A string)
(E string)
(fret number)

A| Ab| A | Bb| B | C | Db| D | Eb| E | F | Gb| G | (G string)

G| Eb| E | F | Gb| G | Ab| A | Bb| B | C | Db| D | (D string)

F| Bb| B | C | Db| D | Eb| E | F | Gb| G | Ab| A | (A string)

E| F | Gb| G | Ab| A | Bb| B | C | Db| D | Eb| E | (E string)
0 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 11 12 (fret number)

Notes of the Neck (for five strings with low B)

If you're fortunate enough to have a five string bass (or if you're at all curious about them) here's a
diagram including the notes on the low B string (I'll trust you to fill in the sharps and flats for
yourself).

G|
| A
D|
| E
A|
| B
E| F |
B| C |
0 1
2

|
|
|
|
|

F
C
G
D
3

| B | C |
|
| G |
|
| D |
|
| A |
|
| E | F
4
5
6

|
|
|
|
|

D
A
E
B

|
| E | F |
|
|
| B | C |
|
| F |
| G |
|
| C |
| D |
|
| G |
| A |
|
7
8
9
10 11

G |
D |
A |
E |
B |
12

(G string)
(D string)
(A string)
(E string)
(B string)
(fret number)

Notes of the Neck (for five string with high C)

It's considerably less common, but some players (e.g. Steve Swallow)
prefer to string their fives with

a high C instead of a low B.

Here's what that tuning looks like:

C|
G|
D|
A|
E| F
0 1

|
|
|
|
|

D
A
E
B

|
| E | F |
|
| B | C |
| F |
| G |
| C |
| D |
| G |
| A |
2
3
4
5
6

|
|
|
|
|

G
D
A
E
B
7

|
|
|
|
|
|
| F |
| C |
8

A |
| B | C | (C string)
E | F |
| G | (G string)
B | C |
| D | (D string)
| G |
| A | (A string)
| D |
| E | (E string)
9
10 11 12 (fret number)

Notes of the Neck (for six string with low B and high C)
Since the mid 1980s the six string bass guitar, sometimes called the "contrabass guitar," has become an
increasingly popular instrument. It is generally strung like the five string but with a high C in addition
to the low B, so it has the advantage of an increased high range and an increased low range (the only
real disadvantage is the necessarily wider neck to accomadate both and the occasional sneers you'll get
from certain old-school bassists).
C|
| D
G|
| A
D|
| E
A|
| B
E| F |
B| C |
0 1
2

|
|
|
|
|
|

F
C
G
D
3

| E | F |
| B | C |
|
| G |
|
| D |
|
| A |
|
| E | F
4
5
6

|
|
|
|
|
|

G
D
A
E
B

|
|
|
|
|
|
| F |
| C |
| G |
7
8

A |
| B | C | (C string)
E | F |
| G | (G string)
B | C |
| D | (D string)
| G |
| A | (A string)
| D |
| E | (E string)
| A |
| B | (B string)
9
10 11 12 (fret number)

I've also heard of six string players who skip the low B in order to add a high C and a high F. This is an
exceedingly rare practice, but it might be a lot of fun for anyone who likes chords on the bass. Conklin
Guitars currently produces a seven-string bass which facilitates this extended high range while still

keeping the low B string (i.e. B, E, A, D, G, C, F).

BEAD Tuning on the Four String
Quite a few players who want access to the low notes usually found only on five and six string basses
but who prefer the feel of a four string (and don't much care for the upper register anyway) eventually
try the BEAD tuning, which is identical to the tuning of the lowest four strings on a typical five or six
string bass:
D|
| E
A|
| B
E| F |
B| C |
0 1
2

|
|
|
|

F
C
G
D
3

|
|
|
|

|
|
|
|
4

G
D
A
E
5

|
|
|
| F
6

| A |
| B | C |
|
| E | F |
| G |
|
| B | C |
| D |
|
|
| G |
| A |
|
7
8
9
10 11

D |
A |
E |
B |
12

(D string)
(A string)
(E string)
(B string)
(fret number)

Using this tuning may require you to increase the width of the string slots in your nut and does require
that you buy strings designed for a five string. You'll probably have to intonate you bass too if you
intend to use this tuning extensively. Many players fear that adding the thicker B string will hurt the
neck of their four-string bass. This is not true. The B string, strangely enough, exerts less pressure on
the neck than the E string. So the total pull on your neck will be less. But since it definately will
change, a truss rod adjustment is surely a necessity. The bassist from Tool popularized this tuning. I
tried it once and liked it but missed the high range too much.
An odd alternative: BEGC
Finally, here's a tuning that was suggested to me by a person at ActiveBass. For those of you who want the
extended high and low range of the six-string bass but who, for whatever reason, prefer to play a four-string
instrument, you can try this rather strange but useful tuning, which leaves out the A and D strings of a
typical six-string configuration.
C|
| D
G|
| A
E| F |
B| C |
0 1
2

|
| E | F |
|
| B | C |
| G |
| A |
| D |
| E | F
3
4
5
6

| G |
| A |
| B |
| D |
| E | F |
|
| B | C |
| D |
|
|
| G |
| A |
|
7
8
9
10 11

C |
G |
E |
B |
12

(C string)
(G string)
(E string)
(B string)
(fret number)