# Foundations

Four thick strings, **E A D G** (octave below guitar’s bottom four). Shared harmony: [/theory/western/](/theory/western/). Click frets for electric-bass samples ([credits](samples/bass/CREDITS.md)); synth is fallback only.

## Parts and hold

Long scale, neck slightly up. Fretting: one finger per fret, thumb behind the neck. Plucking: fingers near neck/pickups. Match strap height sitting and standing.

## Setup & ergonomics

Reasonable action and intonation matter. Warm hands; stop on pain. Stamina is daily minutes, not marathon sessions.

## Tuning

E1 · A1 · D2 · G2. Check fretted 5ths against open strings. See [tunings.md](tunings.md) for Drop D / 5-string.

## TAB

G on top, E at bottom. Numbers = frets. Prefer a click over guessing rhythm from spacing.

## Left-hand mechanics

Press just behind the fret wire. Mute idle strings. Chromatic 1–2–3–4 box as a seed.

## Right-hand overview

i/m alternation, contact point for tone, optional rest stroke. Deep dive: [fingerstyle.md](fingerstyle.md).

## Bass-only craft

Pocket with kick, fingerstyle, slap, ghosts, gallop, lead-bass, harmonics. Guitar/ukulele help fretting — they do not replace pocket.

## Common faults

Buzz, sympathetic ring, floating timing, death grip, ignoring the plucking hand.

## Practice ladder

Open strings → root–fifth wholes → mute → eighths → ghosts/gallop.

## 4-week plan

1) Open strings + root–fifth  2) Muting + ghosts  3) Gallop seeds  4) Melody + harmonics.

## What good sounds like

Clean attack, controlled silence, singable rhythm, warm not painful hands.

## Daily start
Tune → open i–m → root–fifth → prove silence.