paul_c2

That's kinda a tricky question to answer, unless you can give a specific example (ie, supply the sheet music you have and a recording of the music). So the other answer - it varies - holds true. I'd say in general though, standard notation sheet music is miles ahead of tab and a massive time-saver compared to trying to transcribe something or play by ear. Of course, there's a debate to be had (and has been had, many times) on reading vs not reading, but let me give an example. I depped for a band for a christmas gig; their bass player had previously tried to find a replacement once he knew a gig clashed with work and he was unable to go, however he was unsuccessful. So, I was asked at short notice, but still enough time to do 1 rehearsal on Wednesday then the gig on Saturday. We didn't quite have enough time to go through the whole set on the Wednesday, so for a few of the numbers I was sight reading, in the live performance. I don't think that would have been possible if I were not competent at reading; and the charts were fairly accurate/correct.

Don't forget, the thumb is a finger. Sometime I do it for ease (just on the E string) because if I were to try it with (other) fingers, I'd need to shift up and rest my thumb on the pickup; and if its horizontally not there, I'd need to either find the pickup (to rest on) or float my right hand around in mid-air, guessing. I suppose the correct solution is to buy a 5-string, since they have a 34" long thumb rest built in.

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1507044426' post='3382990'] Whenever I get like this I like to pick up a 5 string guitar and muck about with jazz chords/standards. It allows me to take a break from the bass, but still be actively musical. [/quote] 5 string guitar??? You know you can buy new strings on eBay and from music shops, so if you've snapped a string on a 6-string its not a big problem to buy a replacement and fit it....or is a 5 string guitar something unusual that's passed me by for the majority of my life so far... (Or is it a typo and you meant 6 string?)

Has it seized up? If not, then make sure it doesn't - do you have a pad-saver or just left as is in the case? If its in the case, its probably better left out if ever its played, so it doesn't accumulate water in it. And the linkages would need occasional oiling etc. I am going to guess its lacquered, which is easier to maintain but more difficult to repair if ever it needed it. If its a beginner's model, which it sounds like it is, then its £150-200.

[quote name='bcbass' timestamp='1506271387' post='3377488'] Is it anyone recently imported basses from Japan?How much hassle is now with CITES regulation and the rest,is it worth it at all? Cheers! [/quote] About a month ago, sailed through (rosewood neck) with no problems. I guess its down to luck, since they're basically unable to check each parcel etc internally. Some exporters in Japan do the necessary admin/paperwork though, but mine didn't.

1) its not technically wrong, its just a variation 2) IMHO its not worth unlearning, mainly based on 1

I play in a couple of different groups. In the big band, which despite its name isn't that big, has neither piano nor electric guitar (so its drums, me, saxophones x 7, trumpets x2 and trombones x2). The Jazz bass on flat EQ fills in the rhythm section very nicely. In the other groups, the EQ is a gentle slope down.

I'm not sure if you'll get them exact, but with some EQ, a Jazz bass tone can be made to be very useable in a mix. Just add a bit on bass and roll off the treble slightly, so the graphic eq looks a bit like a gentle downwards slope!

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1504880899' post='3368028'] I've played violin and cello and never seen TABs for either. [/quote] I've seen cello music where a cellist has pencilled-in the names of the notes above the (standard) notation. The reason - because it was on the tenor clef, and they're obviously unfamiliar with it, hence the extra markings to help themselves. However I also know cello players who are quite comfortable with the tenor (and treble) clef, and don't need to pencil in reminders of note names. So it just shows that its not so much one or another system (ie tab vs standard notation) is better, but that players who learn, comprehend and master their instrument get good at what they practice. If you haven't learnt/don't practice reading standard notation, its no surprise that its difficult and also no surprise that its perceived as a mystery to some. But its just an aspect of learning a musical instrument. Its the same with playing by ear, or improvising - classical musicians typically don't (and don't need to) do this, thus these areas are poorly developed. Its recently changing, Trinity (exam board) now have an improvisation section in their graded exams, however ABRSM don't.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1504880109' post='3368022'] Incidentally how does standard notation show quarter tones and the like? [/quote] By using symbols for quarter-tone sharp/flat and threequarter-tone sharp/flat, just like there exists symbols for a semitone sharp or flat, in front of a note.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1504866429' post='3367840'] If you are looking at the score for a transposing instrument what note do you sing, the one your instrument produces when it has transposed it? [/quote] The one your instrument produces once transposed.

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1504794885' post='3367379'] To be honest this is like saying knowledge of maths is dependent on the ability to write arabic numerals. Its not and never has been. [/quote] Perhaps a better word would have been "interlinked" rather than "not independent". I agree that knowledge of intervals is not dependent on knowing standard notation - but that at some stage in learning, you can link up aspects such as intervals, notation, chords, scales etc in a logical manner and so long as you have solidly gained the knowledge, nothing contradicts anything else and in fact helps make it quicker/easier.

[quote name='Nicko' timestamp='1504786487' post='3367288'] knowledge of the notes, intervals and theory is all independent of the ability to read notation which was at least the original question. [/quote] Its not independent, but then it can also be related to tab (which is a representation of shape/position on the fretboard). For some people after, but most people during, I'd say notes, intervals, patterns, shapes on the fretboard, chords etc all interlink in a fairly logical way and can't really be isolated as independent aspects. I'd agree that tab (at least on bass, which is tuned in fourths) has a more direct relationship eg 1 string up and 2 frets back is always going to be a minor third; but those things are also fairly logical when presented as standard notation - with the caveat that funny intervals such as the augmented 2nd (for example C to D#) are enharmonic equivalent to a minor third, etc. But there would be accidentals to alert you to this occurrence.

With the numbers of members who have recently left, is it possible to "do a Sugababes"?

If it matters it can be accommodated in standard notation by a small note saying which string to play a particular note on. I know it will sound different, the question is, 1) does it sound different enough to require every single note to also nominate the string it must be played on, 2) could/would a composer/arranger trust that the person playing the instrument can adequately interpret is such that the "tone" will be correct, thus not requiring the detail and 3) how do you know the tab has the notes sounded on the correct strings and doesn't contain an error? Based on evidence I'd say it were 1 no, 2 yes, 3 you don't.

I believe (not 100% sure) the seller will get a "strike" from eBay if a sale is unfulfilled after a normal auction. Too many strikes, and they will be unable to use eBay (unless they create another account, etc). eBay doesn't like it either because they want the extra fees off of a reserve price auction etc, but they can't force the item to be sold.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1504702472' post='3366713'] Trouble is it relies on your association of two abstract things through learning those associations. Tab shows you. [/quote] Most instruments rely on the person playing that instrument to learn 'abstract' (its not an abstract thing..) things about how to play it, without needing to be told/reminded of the precise mechanism by which the note is sounded correctly. Its part of learning and playing. Tab lets you bypass this, whether its a good or bad thing I don't really have a view on. [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1504701877' post='3366699'] But that only works if that part of the score is written expressly for the bass guitar, otherwise there are three different ways to do it. [/quote] Yep - but does it really matter which of those three ways are chosen, since they all sound the same pitch/note? Plenty of other instruments have alternate fingerings for notes, eg saxophone, clarinet, flute, bassoon, trumpet, french horn, etc etc. The basic notation shows the duration and pitch and doesn't pretend to show anything else - there's other markings for dynamics, timbre, etc etc

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1504696733' post='3366622'] Tablature can be better for understanding certain passages, such as harmonics played on certain frets. Try reading the score for "High speed on ice" by Talas (or probably any Talas score). Knowing how to play those harmonics is gonna take a lot of trial & error. Tab shows the string & where the hand should be. With harmonics, it can be written as 3 1/4, 3 3/4 etc. You get good TAB, just as you get good score. Anyone who only stays with either tab or score is holding themselves back & not making the most of their musical ability. [/quote] There is a convention for notating harmonics in standard notation - no trial and error needed, can be read & played first time.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1504695556' post='3366599'] Score does not. [/quote] Yes it does. Simple example: There's one way to do it on the (4 string) bass.....its as clear as a bell.

I'd say if we did a survey of the accuracy of a representitive sample of (say) 100 scores, the tab would be about 20/100 and standard notation would be about 95/100. Obviously it depends somewhat on the genre of music, some genres are predominantly written in one or the other method etc etc.

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1504686146' post='3366499'] I don't agree. [/quote] I thought I'd adequately explained this - standard notation shows the pitch, from which you can deduce the fret and string (from knowing your instrument). It won't tell you exactly which string/fret it is (there may be a choice, depending on the pitch, ie notes below G#/Ab on a 4 string bass, there's a choice of 1....) but then it is often the case that tab doesn't have the best position, simply [i]a [/i]position that the tab-writer thinks is the best one.

Without listening to it its impossible to diagnose, but I wonder if its some kind of electrical/earthing issue? Or conversely, the inevitible acoustic noise/sound a bass makes when a note is fretted? Imagine a strong hammer-on, the bass is able to sound the note without the right hand because the hammer-on imparts energy to the string, in the same way the other "half" of the string (okay it might not be half...in fact it will never be half, imagine playing at 12th fret, the other 'half' is from the nut to fret 11) similarly acoustically sounds, resulting in (if purely acoustic) 2 notes sounded a semitone apart. My other thought it that the luthier is basically rubbish and hasn't identified an obvious issue such as a maladjusted neck, or a fret not level, or a warped neck etc. Or a simple electrical issue.

I suppose if you're paralysed by indecision then it offers a solution.

Is it still possible to break a string if its 1) stretched during fitting and 2) not 10 years old?

I struggle with tab, but can read music perfectly adequately. To those who say that tab shows you where to put your fingers.....so does standard notation! If you use tab then you're 100% relying on the writer of the tab to have determined the correct position to play in (if you're not, then you're effectively transposing their numbers by adding or subtracting 5.....). And, you can have the equivalent of it on standard notation anyway, simply by making a written note of the position; or the string a note is played on. Regarding rhythm, 99% of the tab I've seen is devoid of rhythm and the other 1% relies on lettering/numbers like q Q e a 2 etc - which again, is much slower (for me) to read than the rather elegant and logical way rhythm can be expressed in standard notation. I guess its one of those things "you get good at what you practice". If you are accustomed to reading standard notation then after having done so for 10000 hours, the 10001st hour of reading music isn't difficult. I guess if I needed to, I could force myself to become better at reading tab (and hunting around for the song in audio form, repeatedly listening to it, annotating the rhythm for it, then printing out the tab and doing a bunch of corrections and changes for wrong notes and different positions I prefer etc etc) but I think there's real limits on how quickly it can be interpreted - just as semiquavers in real music in tempos over (say) 100bpm are a struggle to interpret 1st time reading it.