We promised you a full week of bass guitar lessons, and we're going to deliver.
Don't let the headline fool you. Memorizing the notes on the entire bass guitar fretboard is no easy task, but it could be one of the most important things you ever do in learning how to play great bass guitar. This bit of invaluable knowledge comes from master instructor John Falstrom of Mel Bay Bass Sessions, who has over 30 years experience in teaching students the fine points of playing bass guitar.
No doubt, memorizing all the notes on the bass fretboard is a tremendous accomplishment, but there's a fairly easy way to do it. Falstrom suggests taking a picture of the fretboard and then writing all the notes on the appropriate frets. Then you take your picture with you to every practice and every gig. The goal is to memorize all the notes to every song, chord, and arpeggio, so you know exactly what notes you're playing every single time. It takes lots of practice, and a lot of patience, Falstrom says, but it's well worth the effort in the long run.
Click here to read the full text of Falstrom's complete guide to learning every note on the bass fretboard.
And please don't forget to check back tomorrow for yet another killer bass lesson from Gibson Lifestyle.