One of the Most Important Bass Lessons You'll Ever Learn

I found that there is no lesson of yours that does not bring something new, whether it looks simple or not. Thanks Rich!

Thank you for the inspiration! You are an encouragement to me. I'm dealing with Stage IV Prostate Cancer and your lessons help me focus, exercise my mind and help me with my energy. I apply the techniques while praying and playing to Praise and Worship tracks. You're a blessing to me!

The most important bass lesson you'll ever learn is that the more you learn, the less you know.
PS - knowing theory and rudiments beyond your abilities as an ear player will NEVER hurt. Once you understand better how things work, it becomes an invaluable tool and resource. The most skilled and musical players I've ever know had an amazing ear coupled with a solid foundation and understanding of theory. The more tools you have in your toolbox, the better the home you can build onto the foundation of your structure.

I’m an ear player too and seeing you buckle down and re-approach your instrument this way is inspiring. And also you make it look doable enough that I feel like I could try the same thing without a paralyzing sense of dread, on guitar or bass. So glad you mentioned the connection between the 7th fret and the 5-string bass, which had never dawned on me before. I usually play guitar, banjo, and 4-string bass, and when I play 5-string, to keep from getting too confused I just think of it as a regular 4-string with a bonus lower string. I feel like this will help me level up if I put in the time. Thank you!!

10 years playing bass and after watching this, all of a sudden a light has just switched on in my brain🤘🤘

I've been a bassist for over 30 years and this exercise is much harder than I thought it would be. Thanks Rich

I often motivate myself by watching bass lesson videos on Clip-Share, but I have a hard time keeping up with them because I can't understand English very well , but your lessons are very easy to understand, even for a Japanese person like me, and the lesson content fits my skill level. I know that It is not so easy to get better bass skills , but I am confident that if I continue to learn from you, I will make steady progress.

B R I L L I A N T lesson, my brother!! 🙏

I find that when you're musical intuition(your ear) and you're understanding of the harmonized major and minor scale meet, you'll really feel the confidence grow. Even when you don't know what the song is

Inspiring to see how someone of your level revisits the "weak points" in his playing. Pure gold this lesson!!! Thanks Rich!!!

Usually I don't like clickbait titles but this really is the most important lesson as a bassist and of all the students I've taught over the years, the ones that put the work into this are just simply more successful more quickly. Truth

Thank you Rich, your such a great mellow instructor. No pressure. 😊

As someone who has been playing music since he was 10 (I'm 50 now), I think this is a great idea! I'm checking guitar and bass off my bucket list. I've played several types of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments, some at the National level, but strings never came easily to me. In my later years with small hands, nerve damage, and vision issues, it's a challenge, but,,, challenges are always good, right? I wanted to say that this approach sounds similar to a lot of guitar and theory lessons I've seen. Many jump in, find their way, and just do it. The theory, the notes, the way it all works together-- that's going to open up a whole new world of sound when you understand Major, minor, suspended, etc. I always found theory fun. (Yeah, I am a nerd, but still) Plus, if there are sounds you love, or you love a portion of the song, if you can find the sheet music online (or church if you play at worship services), then you'll have the understanding of how to read it if you combine music notation with learning and memorizing the notes. Plus, you'll be able to take something awesome you dabbled with, write it down, keep it and build upon, write your own songs. It's just a fantastic idea. I look forward to seeing the other videos!

You have a great way of explaining music theory and practice strategy in a straightforward way. This strategy for beginners is just right:)

I agree with the importance of learning every note on the fretboard and believe the best way to do that is to read standard notation, which also provides a comprehensive way to understand rhythmic patterns.

I'm also an ear player, so this was super helpful! Definitely doing this exercise. I find the more I get out of my ear comfort zone, the easier it is for me to be creative, which is what it's all about.

I'm going to do this exercise for 5/10 mins a day. I bet in few weeks I'll be able name the notes much easier. Thanks, Rich.

So simple it's hard to believe how much sense it makes.

Absolutely. I've been an ear player for a long time too.
Lately I've been tearing down all the guitar chords and playing it on bass, but naming the notes out loud like you just did. Makes a huge difference.
A great way to keep things fresh too.
Just found your channel, subscribed.

Thanks for a really effective reminder on how to get to know our beloved fretboards. Nicely done thanks 🙏🏻

I do a similar thing where I pick a scale, start on the low E and ascend 3 notes per string, go up 1 step at the top then descend to the bottom doing the same thing, then going up a step, etc. Sometimes you get some inefficient fingerings, but by saying every note out loud and doing all the keys, you really learn where everything is.

Really an incredible video. I like how laid back and relaxed you are.

Started learning the bass again, and I’m past 40 years old. Loving the vibe!

That was pretty killer. Only thing I might add is instead of counting degrees as 1-2-3-4-etc., I would suggest naming the degrees with their extension names, like so: 1-9-3-11-5-13-7-oct/root, because it will get you thinking about notes in more useful ways, because they imply more complex chord tones. Those is even more the case when using chromatic scales, with a specific root, as well as more exotic scales like Hungarian Minor or Lydian Dominant.
Obviously, this is a gradual process, but it will help you better understand chord tones, modes, and deeper theory, all for the purpose of taking better control of your playing.
The hope is to lock this into the subconscious more and more because at some point, you are there on stage, you throw all this shit out the window, and just play. So sayeth St. John Coltrane, and I not only believe this, but I know it to be true.

Man I really appreciate the lesson on learning the notes. Going to start trying that asap

That's a good lesson. Lots of times I drift into the twilight zone. Great insight and I'm adding this to my practice. Thanks!

I don’t believe in coincidence so I guess I’m ready to receive your knowledge. Thank you for your calm, patient approach to learning the bass; I will let you know if your method works for me🙏🏾🌻

This is good timing for me...I played bass in a garage band 50 some-odd years ago but never learned properly and played by ear and did decently well. Now retired I have bought a Fender Jazz bass and decided to do it correctly this time. Your lesson is what I needed for the transition from ear to notes, thanks.

Rich, you should do a beginner's course playlist. I'm a beginner (but have played acoustic guitar in the past so I might be intermediate beginner) and really enjoy your approach and lessons. They help a lot.

Great video.... I have found it to be one of the best things I have done so far on the instrument.. is to learn all the notes on the bass 🙂

Hey Rich, thank you. Great to have another excellent lesson on getting the basics down. I believe that you can never do the simple things too often. Peace and love.

Man Rich, I've been searching for Clip-Share for several years for bass instructions that actually help. What I've constantly gotten were the same dry, long-winded, boring folks who seem more interested in showing me how "great" they are instead of helping me understand the use of this instrument.
In other words, where have you been???? Thanks for putting things in a language that even I can grasp. New Subscriber for sure.

This lesson was very helpful. I’ve been playing the bass for a little over 10 years and I think the is the best lesson I’ve had.
Thank you for sharing! I’m going to put this lesson to work👍

Definitely going to try this lesson out. Thank you Rich for the lesson ☺️

I've been playing bass for something like 37 years now. As a kid, my focus was speed and precision. I have been able to play fast & complicated stuff for a very long time. For the last decade or so, I've actually been learning theory and how music works.
My biggest gains have come in the last 5 years or so from three things.
#1 Consistent diverse playing. I've got two different projects going, so I've been playing with other people 2+ times a week for years now.
#2 My hard rock band plays a few songs in drop D, and my garage jam project will routinely play songs in different keys depending on who is singing. Practicing transposing like this ALL the time has done fantastic things for my ear and ability to roll with what and where others are playing.
#3 I've been working HARD at chords/triads on the A,D and G strings up around the 11th fret. It is pretty much all I do when jamming by myself these days. This practice is not directly beneficial to my bands, playing bass chords in a mix usually gets lost. But, it has done some absolutely magical things to my playing. First and foremost; I have finally connected my fret board top to bottom. Second; I can now hear minors, majors, dominant 7th chords, inverted chords and all the rest by ear. By being able to play those chords myself rather than just the roots, it has become WAY easier to frame the chords everyone else is playing. Third; I have always been jealous of acoustic guitar guys being able to one man band a song. I've now written a handful of acoustic bass/vocal songs I can bust out when someone sees my bass sitting in the corner and says "play me something".

Nicely done Rich. I've been meaning to do this for years. The 5-string B trick is great.

Amazing! Seemingly a small improvement to the excercises I'm already doing, but it broadens them vastly and makes so much sense.
Much appreciated, cheers!

Great video, something I’ve been trying to figure out and you laid it out really well, thank you Rich Brown :)

Its so good to mention going up with sharps and down with flats. Even though so commonly we don't say Gb, but its super important. And once you look away from the board and have it layed out in your mind so you can use that and muscle memory to land on a note with your eyes closed and KNOW the note before you play it...

I've been playing for about 3 Months now, starting with learning songs (All things Khrangbin

Good lesson. My music teacher made me learn the note names of the neck twenty-seven years ago. Every bassist should be able to do it. Also, not every 5-string and 6-string basses are tuned to low B. I tune my 5-string from low E to high C, and six-strings from low E to high F.

Thanks, Rich. I'm a six string player keen on adding colorful bass lines into my comping. This video has got me off to a fine start. Much appreciated Sir.🙏🙏🙏🙏

I have struggled with my fretboard since playing I feel like I have mastered the first 5 frets but like you my ear dose all the work above the 5 fret
Thanks for inspiring me to learn this

as an ear player on the bass but a music reader on the trombone (so i can read bass clef, just not bass sheet music) this approach is EXACTLY what i needed. unlocked a lot of possibilities in my head that has already given returns in all my music mediums (keyboard included). this was the first video of yours i found, subscribed for sure, that tone tho on those intro/outro… dope af

Hey Rich, Thank you for a great lesson! This lesson was very important and something as a self-taught bassist that I am just beginning to do as part of my daily practise! It is really hard at first and you feel as if you aren't making any progress but then you are there one day! It would be good to have some suggestions/a lesson on playing in the dark for when you find yourself in a poorly lit space or if suffering from poor eyesight!

Awesome. Even playing the scales sounds cool when it's so smooth

your method of remembering the note names of the frets is a realistic foundation.I sometimes use the chromatic tuner on my bass to see what note I'm playing thinking that eventually I'll become more familiar with the note names by memory.I enjoy playing alongside a drummer and I'm a drummer also but supporting a good guitar player on the bass is what really stokes me so when the guitarist asks me to play a specific note I want to know where it is.
Thank you for your time and I'll be on the lookout for more. ✌️😎

Thank you very much. I've been also almost only guided by ear but developed now after some forty years some kind of sense about where any notes are on the fretboard. Learned it a bit differently by applying the circle of 4th (wouldn't it be great watching a lesson from you about the circle of 6thththsss ;o-) but your method seems a bit easier 😉

Great job. Very nice production. I am a self taught, working, professional, bass player. I am fully aware that there are gaps in my knowledge, so even when I run across "basic" lessons, I pay attention. I don't know how it slipped by me in the past, but what you said about, at the 7th fret, it's like a 5 string bass...boom! I never looked at it that way. Thank you for helping me look at things in a different way.

Thanks you, Rich .... Easy to remember but the knowledge is enormous! You are a great guru🙏

This changes everything!!! so simple yet so genius. Thanks Rich!

I love the intro riff! Would love the tab and the whole song...

That may very be the secret that everyone has been KEEPING TO THEMSELVES! Thank you for this. A very simple approach, but still complex with the naming of the notes. Truly appreciated sir.

Just found you today, Rich. Just so happens to be exactly what I was looking for. Subscribed. Very well described. Thank you.

Hi Rich! I'm just getting serious about learning to play bass, and this is awesome. I can't wait to practice this exercise and that mode of thinking about the notes on the bass made it so clear for me. Thank you!!

I’m an intermediate. I’ve played small venues and parties. My problem is I’m too mechanical. I never seem to get a smooth flow on the harder songs. Mostly played classic rock that becomes a muscle memory skill rather than really letting loose and flowing all over the fretboard. Glad I found your channel. Really like the way you teach. I’ll be watching a lot more of your videos. Thank you.

Just came across your channel. I’m new, infantile, to the bass and playing music. Our church had been with a bass player for several months. After prayer God answered with a great deal on a 2014 Squire Jazz. Got it in April and countless hours of Clip-Share videos later started playing with our Praise Team in late June. Everyday is a new discovery, the proverbial light bulb goes off in my brain. I like your smooth approach. This video will really help with knowing the fretboard and maybe I can ditch my cheat sheet.

You really made me pick up my bass today after I stopped practicing these last few months, this is exactly what i needed to learn, it’s more fun and enjoyable, and it’s very simple. Thank you sir!

Thank you Rich! I'm new to playing Bass and this lesson is definitely going into my daily practice session.

I’ve never had a lesson, and followed three main steps. Know your fret board, play with drum tracks, turn frustration into opportunities. 20 years later I’m a happy bassist. Tip learn your octaves will help you memorize your fret board.

I'm glad I came from piano to the bass. It's super nice to have a good understanding of harmony and scales. The only issue is knowing how the fretboard is laid out, which this helps with

Thanks, Rich 🙌🏽 Good reminder . It’s a great exercise to understand the fretboard . Cheers!

This is perfect, cannot wait to try implementing this on a regular basis . Cheers !

Your a nice guy and a great teacher! I’m an old dog trying to learn to play the bass. You nailed sir! Gotta learn the fretboard!

Great lesson Rich! I also enjoy playing scales in 3rds, and playing each mode, while saying the names of the notes. Works really well on 5-string.

Fantastic content as always, Rich! So simple yet so very effective.

Great insight about the fingerboard! Very helpful! A BIG high five! 😊🙌🏾🎸

I like the way that you teach. Very calm/low key.

This is not new. Few things in music are. But what it IS for me, is a great reminder of what I SHOULD be studying. I like how you called the area above the 7th fret the mystery area, lol.
Great lesson, thank you!

Yes, I have always played by ear when my basses have been mostly fretless, in my younger years of playing. Many of us spoke with Victor Wooten after a show he did in a small club in my town just a few weeks ago. Totally blew my mind! The first thing he told us was to know every note on the bass and I don't but have been trying to find a comfortable answer as to why i don't and it is videos like this that help.

Great lesson. Just what I need to learn the note names. That you for sharing so much of your time and knowledge! Appreciate you, brother.

Thank you so much bro! This is the practical stuff I need!

Cool exercise! I’m also a ear player you said it perfect, our ears guide us to what we play. It’s like you hear what you want to play a millisecond before our finger get there. I’m definitely gunna use this for my warmup tomorrow! New sub here as well 💪

Been trying to tackle this fret memorization on guitar a while and did pretty good up to the 7th fret. I was trying to figure out how to use the octaves there to make it easy, but I like your idea of picturing a 5-string bass/7-string guitar.
My friend just bought a bass and will begin learning soon. I’ll forward your channel his way!

Excellent!!! There is not another word to describe it!!! Appreciated!!!

Great exercise lesson. I know the notes but tend to struggle finding them when I'm playing to a song. How do you feel about playing songs that may not necessarily include the octaves?

Great video 👍. I came to this realization too. Because I wasn't consciously aware of the notes I am playing I wasn't able to bring my theoretical knowledge to help me play.
I actually found that in practice the 7th through 10th frets are the easiest to "see" the notes because they have a clear pattern across all four strings: BC-D EF-G A-BC D-EF.

This is the exact video I was looking for. I am primarily a drummer but I have the gift of being able to pick up an instrument and play it by ear. I have always known I had it but I never applied it towards anything until I decided to pickup a bass. Now I am hooked and playing it everyday. I don't know much when it comes to technique but I try to watch people play and imitate how they play. I don't know anything about music theory or even what note is what other than the open strings so your video really switched on the light for me and gives me some useful things to work on to improve my playing. Im sure glad I stumbled across your channel. P.S. I just hit that subscribe button and am looking forward to more of your videos! Aloha!

YES!! A simple way to learn your notes. This has helped me memorize the fingerboard....especially when coming up with basslines for guitar rips. I've used my ears the whole time I played. The notes didn't matter back then. They matter now. Rock is not as simple and easy as I thought. Feeling the pressure. LOL Thanks for easing my pains. :)

Simple, clear, and very important skills, thanks Rich

Very Helpful! I wish I had started this exercise a long time ago!

Good lesson, thanks. I'll be practicing these methods as part of my warm up!

Player of 45+ years...I absolutely am in the same place you mention about playing by ear; I have always attributed it to having arpeggios drilled down my throat incessantly in school band. :) Wonderful lesson my friend. I'll take this one to heart ;)

Hi. I am a beginner (3 months in) and find this lesson to be beginner friendly. However, I get intimidated by the inability to scale as you do here(stiff fingers). I will give it a try thou. Lesson much appreciated.

This is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you good sir!! I’m a new player trying to fill a hole in a band, picking root notes and smiling.😂

This is a brilliant way to view and explain the fretboard. Thank you for this new knowledge and your excellent pedagogical skills.

Great lesson! Big stuff can be daunting and this is a great lesson that shows how to start at the beginning and build so that the difficult stuff becomes much more manageable.

I drew out on a graph paper all the notes like a workbook a long time ago. I color coded all the different notes. I do the same for the scales. I'm a visual and kinetic learner, so that stuck with me.

Thanks Rich, great lesson. I always have practiced chromatically but never looked at it that way !👍 awesome stuff 🎸

Hey Rich, just discovered your channel via, this lesson. Thank you for posting this. Been playing bass 6 months, self-taught here, but struggling at practice. Yes, as Alen Iverson said back in 03 "we talking about PRACTICE. Not the game, not the game. We talking about practice man." Every time I sit down to practice, so much comes to mind at once then I just start "noodling." and I can't seem to get out of it. #thestruggleisreal

Thank you sir I just started my music class ❤

This video has read my mind. I've been playing bass for 15 years and have always played by ear. I need to step my game up

Rich, I haven't picked up my bass in decades, and have been trying for the last decade to pick it back up. I haven't touched it yet, but watching this, just once, mind you has clarified so many things for me.
I can't thank you enough.

This is only the second video of yours that I've watched--and man, your delivery is so comfortable and easy-going--and intuitive. I'm chomping at the bit to try these exercises... (subscribed!)

Love the way you teach sir, so simple to understand

Very awesome lesson - many thanks Rich!

This is good stuff! My own experience is that I spent years trying to learn the notes in isolation (find every F#, etc.), but I never really made progress with it until I tried something different: simply sight-reading music. Specifically, Jeff Berlin's reading etudes. Just having to find the notes in the course of playing what is on the page has accelerated me knowing my neck like nothing else before it. It's almost like magic.
I really like how you singled out the 6th fret here. It's something else I never realized before sight reading. Reading in the keys of Bb & Eb major, which make heavy use of the 6th fret notes, has helped to break open that "no man's land" middle part of the neck in a way I'd never experienced before.
I love what you say about starting in different positions and identifying scale degrees - I will work on that!

I am actually relearning from the ground up how to play bass and stumbled on your channel. Thank you.

Hey Rich , thanks a lot . You are a good instructor. At 67 years old l am still learning how to become a better player. And l learn a lot from your lessons. As an ear player that will help me very much .

Awesome. I still have a lesson from you coming from SBL academy. Happy new year 2023, thanks for this channel I just found. My new lessons source for this year!