Bass Lessons - Clim The Neck - Strength & Dexterity Training bass tab

This is something that I do as both a warm up exercise

and a "drill" to increase my finger strength, dexterity,

and familiarity with notes on the neck. It's quick and

easy, and is applicable at most all skill levels.

The key to doing this exercise is use all FOUR of your

fingers on your left hand (or, if you are left handed,

your right hand--either way, the hand you hold the neck

with). For the first part, start with your index finger

on the E string, and end up with your pinky on the G

string. For the second part, you will play this with

your index finger on the G string and your pinky finger

on the E string.

G:----4---5---6---7---8---9---10---11---12-|

D:---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10---11---|

A:--2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10-----|

E:-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9-------|

G:-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9-------|

D:--2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10-----|

A:---3---4---5---6---7---8---9---10---11---|

E:----4---5---6---7---8---9---10---11---12-|

Take your time the first few times through. Then play

it faster. Remember to try to hold keep your fingers

in position on the neck so they support each other;

if you are cramping up your fingers doing this, your

body is sending you a message, your not using your

fingers correctly. So again, use your fingers to

support each other (ie have at least one other finger

on the neck, holding down/ready to play a note) and

try to do what feels natural.

When you feel you've got this down, combine the two.

Again, start slow, give it a few reps all the way

through, and make sure your not cramping up your

fingers.

G:-1-------4-2-------5-3-------6-4-------7-5-------8-|

D:--2-----3---3-----4---4-----5---5-----6---6-----7--|

A:---3---2-----4---3-----5---4-----6---5-----7---6---|

E:----4-1-------5-2-------6-3-------7-4-------8-5----|

(cont.)

G:-6-------9--7--------10--8----------11--9------------12-|

D:--7-----8----8------9-----9-------10-----10--------11---|

A:---8---7------9----8-------10----9---------11----10-----|

E:----9-6--------10-7----------11-8------------12-9-------|

That's all there is to it: run through this until you feel

that you've mastered the concept, you've got your timing

down, you can hold down the E string with your pinky no

problem, and you've trained your fingers to work together.

Now, pick out another tab from there that you haven't been

comfortable with before--you should notice a difference if

you have donw this correctly!

Good Luck!

-Casey