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Bass fretboard tools

Coming in 2024!

We are focused on completing basic ukulele support before adding support for other instuments.

By visiting this page, you have automatically set instrument to bass.
All web app pages will now refer to bass.

Note that support for bass is preliminary only.
Bass Clef is not supported yet, so only Piccolo Bass tuning is supported, and music notation is shown on an Octave Treble clef.

To select a different instrument, use the Home>Instrument menu. (Currently, the only instrument with full support is ukulele.)

Practical music theory and tools for bass

Dobro bass neck
Learn pinched chart

"Uke Music Notation"by FolsomNatural is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Chord families: chord diagrams, for all diatonic chords in a key.

Extended Chord families: include non-diatonic chords. (Jazz, blues, etc.)

Scale degrees: Study chords, and how they relate to key and scales.

Create

Chord diagrams Build your own SVG Chord diagrams, with color-coding, scale degree, etc.

Chords are not often played on the bass, but knowing their shapes will help you in building a solid bass line. It helps to know all the notes available in each chord, in order to plan a smooth transition.

Scale diagrams A tool for creating fretboard diagrams with scales, multiple chord inversions, etc.

Play: Fretboard games book tabs

"20140317-123941-iphone-vasile-IMG_2132" by vasile23 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Games for fretboard familiarization


Here's a cool way to remember key signatures, using your bass as a reference:


The first string is G. Key of G has 1 sharp.
The second string is D. Key of D has 2 sharps.
The third string is A. Key of A has 3 sharps.
The fourth string is E. Key of E has 4 sharps.

Now Place a bar across the first fret. We normally count strings from the first string, nearest the floor, up. Let's reverse that for this excercise.
On the #1, top string (E string), you're playing an F at fret #1. Key of F has 1 flat.
#2, the next string down is A. You're playing a B♭ on the A string. Key of B♭ has 2 flats.
#3, the next string is D. You're playing E♭. Key of E♭ has 3 flats.
#4, the bottom string is G. You're playing A♭. Key of A♭ has 4 flats.


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Pono uke fretboard