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Reading help


AlexDelores
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Hi All,

The time has come, after ignoring the fact i cant read music for years I've finally decided i want to learn.

Can anyone recommend a book or site i can look for to get me started. I've seen a few people mention the Stuart Clayton books for beginners but i cant seem to find anywhere that stocks them other than for a Kindle (which i don't own)

Any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks
Alex

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[quote name='AlexDelores' timestamp='1445537936' post='2892301']
Hi All,

The time has come, after ignoring the fact i cant read music for years I've finally decided i want to learn.

Can anyone recommend a book or site i can look for to get me started. I've seen a few people mention the Stuart Clayton books for beginners but i cant seem to find anywhere that stocks them other than for a Kindle (which i don't own)

Any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks
Alex
[/quote]

You can get Stuart's books direct from here in ringbound form: www.basslinepublishing.com Good books - part of the way through book 2!

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Guest bassman7755

Worth looking at some phone apps too.I find this one very useful [url="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=es.virtualcode.musictutor.sightread&hl=en"]https://play.google....sightread&hl=en[/url] - ideal for making use of otherwise dead time such as commuting or a boring meeting/presentation to hone your reading skills.

Edited by bassman7755
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One small thing that I found useful (and still do) is reading without a bass. I sit on buses, in my office etc with a chart in front of me, reading the rhythms. The discipline I find hardest to develop is not knowing which dot means which note but reading lines in real time, concentrating on the lines and reading the whole part. The skill can, at least in part, be pracised away from the bass.

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[quote name='Dread Bass' timestamp='1445946199' post='2895565']
I bought Ed friedlands complete bass method he covers reading from the beginning and I've found it great. I would recommend trying to read daily even if only for 10 mins.
[/quote]

Have it as well. Great book, which starts from scratch and forces you to read music, as tabs are only introduced in book 2.

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Thanks all, went for Ed friedlands book and started it this evening, good stuff so far, im pretty much self taught and its really nice going back to the beginning with everything and going over technique aswell as starting to learn to read.

Thanks for everyones help 😁

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Ed is great I started on bass with Mel Bay which maybe who publishes Ed's books anyway. These are like the tune a day books brass players have, starts simple you know 'home on the range' and 'twinkle little star' etc. The secret is start slow it is a life long journey I started at 9 that's 50 years ago and just got through another hurdle and off running again. and it goes like that you hit a wall and think I'm never gonna do this and you apply yourself, lots of shedding and bang you are through and then race up to the next brick wall.

Here is my last mountain https://youtu.be/xvxCMrdROYE
240 bpm and a bass/vocal solo

good luck

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Sounds like you have the right approach, I have also wasted many years due to picking up my bass and twiddling the same ole phrases and fills. The reason for posting that link was that 10 days ago I didn't think I stood a chance of playing that. The gig was last night and I think I got away with it :blush:. But what it did do was make me practice all the other numbers with renewed vigor. Some complex Mr Buble' arrangements.
So the result is today I feel great and I know that the hours i put in last week will stay with me and have made me a better player.
The next step is for you to get good enough to have the confidence to join a local band where you can read regularly to maintain your reading skills.

All the best

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  • 2 weeks later...

I'd recommend Louis Bellson's Modern Reading Text in 4/4. It has every possible permutation of rhythms in 4/4 from the very basic quavers and crotchets up to highly syncopated semi-quaver rhythms. In my experience you learn the notes pretty quickly, but learning to play rhythms at a glance takes much more practice. I also read somewhere that you can fluff the notes/pitch and most people won't notice but if you get the rhythm wrong everyone will notice.

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[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1446021212' post='2896153']
One small thing that I found useful (and still do) is reading without a bass. I sit on buses, in my office etc with a chart in front of me, reading the rhythms. The discipline I find hardest to develop is not knowing which dot means which note but reading lines in real time, concentrating on the lines and reading the whole part. The skill can, at least in part, be pracised away from the bass.
[/quote]as bassist Lewis suggested 'modern reading text in 4/4 and there's one in odd times too.

Funny it's called modern reading text, and I supposed in context of the whole of music history it is, but in my 20's, (now in my 60's)
The Lousis Bellson book was on my lap riding the London Tube daily as I was working regularly as a session guy.
That book made and saved my career as a bassist..

As someone else quoted here too, do it every day. It's a language and and daily use helps build a vocabulary.

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  • 1 month later...

Love this thread cause this is exactly my situation too.

Played for decades, tried a few times but unable to read a dot until recently when it dawned on me that I'd had it with pub bands and the same old R&R.
Started off with Stu Claytons Crash Bass...not easy but Im trying...Did a search for easy bass pieces on Google, one site has all those first yr school pieces which is a really good way to learn whilst actually playing real tunes.
Agree with all the above...you've gotta learn the simple 4/4, 1/4 note stuff till it hurts then move to the next level.
Ha..wish I'd never quit the violin when I turned 16..

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Just ordered a copy of Louis Bellson's Modern Reading Text in 4/4. Thanks Guys. Reading coplex rythmes has always been my weak point never seemed to have had any formal training on it, well not for 40 years. My sight reading is pretty good but if anything will trip me up it's runs of semi's tied and dotted intermingled with rests :blush:

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+1

I'm just starting with 8th notes and rests...seems just when you think you've figured it all out you turn the page and more and more difficulty is heaped on top...but it certainly feels good when it comes together.
Checkout a German guy on the Tube called Tom Bornemann he seems to have a knack of writing easy melodic eight note rythms which are just a delight to play...Ive found his stuff a huge help.

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