Day 13.

Lesson IV - Inversions - very useful concept, and Numbers.

Inversions

Definition: inversion: a change of position in respect to intervals (numbers of half-steps), as arises from playing upper notes lower or lower notes higher. Better reread this one slowly and multiple times. Mull it over.

Instead of any music theory about inversions I'd just like to give an example and some numbers.

Play separately on your bass, for example, the three notes of a D chord: D, F# and A. 1st position, 3rd position and 5th position. Play the D note with your middle finger on the fifth fret on the A string. Play the F# note with your first finger on the fourth fret on the D string. And play the A note with your pinky on the seventh fret of the D string. This is an extremely common fingering pattern which may easily be moved higher, lower or across the fret board. This is most desirable because you don't have to keep searching your mind for the correct notes to play in any given situation, you can just rely on fingering patterns which you've already learned and which are easily transposable all over the fingerboard. It's possible simply because you're not using any open strings, which, in general, is a good idea.

So, you've played the D, F# and A notes as above, the 1st, 3rd and 5th positions of the D major scale. Play them a half dozen times using the pattern above. Of course, forwards and backwards.

Now, instead of playing the F# and A notes where you've just played them, in your next sequence of three notes, play the D as above but now play the F# note with your first finger on the second fret of the E string and then play the note, A, with your pinky finger on the fifth fret of the E string. Repeat this pattern a few times switching the D note fingering to your pinky. This second pattern is, for bass players, an 'inversion' of the first pattern. You've inverted both notes, F# and A, 3rd and 5th positions, having played "upper notes lower," see definition, last page.

Play the two patterns back to back. Play this a half-dozen times. Play the variation D, F#, A, F#. Move these 'positional fingerings' to several other locations on your fret board.

Note: always be searching for fingerings which enable you to group all your notes in small areas.

Definition: variation: a transformation of a melody by melodic, harmonic, contrapuntal and/or rhythmic changes

Definition: contrapuntal: counterpoint - point against point, that is, note against note. Adding one or more parts to a given part. The art of combining melodies.

Numbers

In the first pattern, the notes D, F# and A are the 1st, the 3rd and the 5th positions (of the Dmaj scale). That is, usually we visualize the positions as going upwards to higher notes.

In an 'inversion,' as bass players, we often (but not always) visualize the notes as lower than the 1st position or tonic note.

In going upwards, we count positions' numbers: 1 is D, 2 is E (in the D major scale), 3 is F#, 4 is G and 5 is A, and so on . . .

In going downwards, inversions, we count down: 1 is D or the tonic, 2 (downwards) is C# (normally the major 7th position), 3 (downwards) is B (normally the 6th), 4 (down) is A (normally the 5th), 5 (down) is G (normally the 4th) and 6 (down) is F# (normally the 3rd, going upwards).

Note: normally counted positions traveling upwards plus inversion counted positions traveling downwards (or visa versa) add up to 9. A third up (F#) is a sixth down (also F# but an octave lower). To reach the inverted A note, how many down must you count since the usual A note, the 5th position, up, is counted up as 5 ? Answer: 4.

Repeat playing this in the key of E, two frets higher. Try F. Try C, lower.

How is this (inversions) useful? Well, inversions extend your range and choices of notes that you can play and once you get the hang of regular upward moving fingering patterns and then inversions, you won't bother counting any more, you'll just know the 'positional fingerings'. Very important idea !!

Also, inversions help you to play lower notes. It's your job as a bassist to (generally) play the lowest notes possible, to be the support of the music in the ranges above the bass. The bass holds up the band.

End of day 13.