# Notation question



## TempoGuy (Jun 11, 2021)

Hello folks,

I am working on Bach's cello suite #1 on bass, it is really fun. And hard.

I don't know what the numbers on top of some of the notes mean, such as the 1, 4 and 2 on top of the first 3 notes on bar 7. If anyone can give me any insight I would appreciate it. 

Thanks for reading, this is a great community here!

J


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## Verne (Dec 29, 2018)

Fingering?


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## TempoGuy (Jun 11, 2021)

Hmm, that's interesting Verne thanks for your input.


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

If it was piano music, it would be fingerings (except for the 0). It's not tab -- it wouldn't make sense as tab -- so I'm with Verne that it's suggested fingerings. 0 would be open, 1 would be your index finger etc. But cello is tuned in fifths so these fingerings won't work on a bass.


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## TempoGuy (Jun 11, 2021)

Thanks for chiming in Doug.

I wonder why the double bass is the only orchestral instrument to be tuned in 4ths?


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## mawmow (Nov 14, 2017)

Yep ! Fingering and 0 means opened string


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## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

TempoGuy said:


> Thanks for chiming in Doug.
> 
> I wonder why the double bass is the only orchestral instrument to be tuned in 4ths?


Useful finger-reach with the longer scale.


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## TempoGuy (Jun 11, 2021)

Thanks Mawmow,

It's good to know what it means now, I have been ignoring it, but I kept thinking 'what if it is important?'

I will just continue to ignore it.

Thanks everyone!


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## TempoGuy (Jun 11, 2021)

Oh, cool Doug, thanks!


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