Reading Music

[farmer61]

I've just booked some 30 min lessons to try and finally crack music theory, the aim being to be able to sight read in due course. I've even found somewhere that I can nip out to of a lunchtime, so I get a lunch break aswell, bliss.

So I'm following the Bilbo path, although I suspect Jazz appreciation will not be happening!!!

Edited October 12, 2010 by farmer61

[xilddx]

Good man.

Although in one of my bands, I am the only member who can't read music, which means I get left to create all the bass lines because she can't tell me what to do LOL!

[oldslapper]

[quote name='silddx' post='985727' date='Oct 12 2010, 01:58 PM']Good man.

Although in one of my bands, I am the only member who can't read music, which means I get left to create all the bass lines because she can't tell me what to do LOL![/quote]

Now you know that reading music doesn't mean you can't create your own bass lines you naughty boy!

[Gareth Hughes]

Good luck Farmer61 - and remember that it need not be as boring as it seems. Like yourself, I began learning to read music years after I learned to play the instrument so I found it INCREDIBLY frustrating to mentally fumble my way through patterns that my hands already knew how to play. But the flipside to that is that you already have an advantage in that your hands know the notes on the board - now you just have to sync up your eyes to the notes on the paper. Reading rhythms - that's another thing altogether!!!!

There's plenty of great charts to be found online of tunes you'll know and probably like - so it doesn't all have to be 'Three Blind Mice' in different keys. Lot's of great Aretha Franklin stuff that isn't to hard on the eye but definitely gets you moving along. Enjoy!!!

[Bilbo]

I'm filling up.....

[Doddy]

Yay.

Good man. A whole new world of material beckons.

[JakeBrownBass]

[quote name='Gareth Hughes' post='985740' date='Oct 12 2010, 02:05 PM']There's plenty of great charts to be found online of tunes you'll know and probably like - so it doesn't all have to be 'Three Blind Mice' in different keys. Lot's of great Aretha Franklin stuff that isn't to hard on the eye but definitely gets you moving along. Enjoy!!![/quote]

Theres loads and loads of Aretha Franklin sheets here, [url="http://freebasspart.pv24.pagesperso-orange.fr/Bass_Players.htm"]http://freebasspart.pv24.pagesperso-orange...ass_Players.htm[/url]

I've been using it whilst practicing reading!!

[charic]

Check out powertab. Sheet and tab in one. I can generally sight read most things. I can read music (keyboard player) but I tend to read the tab and just read the rhythm from the score

[Cat Burrito]

I wish I'd learnt when I was younger. The reality currently is between work and all the constraints of life I simply don't have the time. I can see myself learning around retirement age and kicking myself for not having done it sooner. Right now it isn't and can't be a priority.

[Doddy]

[quote name='charic' post='985961' date='Oct 12 2010, 05:37 PM']I can read music (keyboard player) but I tend to read the tab and just read the rhythm from the score [/quote]

Why read two staves when all the information is on one? It's just making the job more difficult.......besides the hardest part
about reading is the rhythms,so if you can already read that it won't take long to suss out the notes.

[xgsjx]

I learned to read music when I was a kid with one of my best friends, it makes it easier when there's 2 of you learning each other (the days of Every Good Boy Deserves Fun & FACE).

In an originals band, I never use my reading skills but the theory side is always used.

[voxpop]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='985968' date='Oct 12 2010, 05:40 PM']I wish I'd learnt when I was younger. The reality currently is between work and all the constraints of life I simply don't have the time. I can see myself learning around retirement age and kicking myself for not having done it sooner. Right now it isn't and can't be a priority.[/quote]


+1 on the above Tim.

Wish I started years ago.....I've just started lessons last month so wont kick myself to hard when I retire.

[BigRedX]

I can read music but can't sight read.

TBH I've never needed to. Most of my musical life I've played original music that I've had a major part in composing so the music just comes out of my head. When I've done covers if we're going to be copying the recorded version I'll listen to the record until I've got the part down, and if we're going to re-interpret it, then I'll work something out that fits the basic melody and take it from there.

IMO reading music is a useful skill only if you interact with other people who use notation to communicate their musical ideas. Otherwise it's as useful as knowing Esperanto.

[Delberthot]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='985746' date='Oct 12 2010, 02:12 PM']I'm filling up..... [/quote]


Are you allowed to use a Blackberry at the petrol station?

[Doddy]

[quote name='BigRedX' post='986283' date='Oct 12 2010, 09:37 PM']I can read music but can't sight read.[/quote]

I've never got this comment (nothing personal,just in general).

I mean,I can read something in French and take ages to work out what it means,but I'd never say that
I can read/speak French.

[charic]

[quote name='Doddy' post='985980' date='Oct 12 2010, 05:48 PM']Why read two staves when all the information is on one? It's just making the job more difficult.......besides the hardest part
about reading is the rhythms,so if you can already read that it won't take long to suss out the notes.[/quote]

Just because generally I can and its Tue easiest way for me. Tab tells me where to play rather than which note so its less to think about. Also I tend to read about 3 to 4 bars ahead of where I am playing so time is not usually an issue.

[charic]

[quote name='Doddy' post='986322' date='Oct 12 2010, 10:08 PM']I've never got this comment (nothing personal,just in general).

I mean,I can read something in French and take ages to work out what it means,but I'd never say that
I can read/speak French.[/quote]

Most consider sight reading meaning being able to read and play whatever you see pretty much correct at first glance as you actually play it through.

I used to be able to read some French but it would take me a little time to understand and I definitely would not of been able to write a reply on the spot.

In my case I can sight read treble clef but not bass, however were you transpose a bass score onto a treble clef I still wouldn't be able to sight read it because I do not have the capability to think 'c#' that's here on the neck in a split second. However if a tab tells me e string fret 2 I'm there without thinking.

I know its not right and it limits my playing somewhat but I havnt got around to it yet. However I also find it somewhat liberating not to think about what note I'm playing and rather concentrate on what sounds good to me, as opposed to what should theoretically sound good (trap I fell into on keyboard for a while)

[JakeBrownBass]

[quote name='charic' post='986395' date='Oct 12 2010, 10:59 PM']Most consider sight reading meaning being able to read and play whatever you see pretty much correct at first glance as you actually play it through.

I used to be able to read some French but it would take me a little time to understand and I definitely would not of been able to write a reply on the spot.

In my case I can sight read treble clef but not bass, however were you transpose a bass score onto a treble clef I still wouldn't be able to sight read it because I do not have the capability to think 'c#' that's here on the neck in a split second. However if a tab tells me e string fret 2 I'm there without thinking.

I know its not right and it limits my playing somewhat but I havnt got around to it yet. However I also find it somewhat liberating not to think about what note I'm playing and rather concentrate on what sounds good to me, as opposed to what should theoretically sound good (trap I fell into on keyboard for a while)[/quote]

Honestly dude,

If you try practice sight reading, it makes everything sooo much easier and everything falls into place.

[Doddy]

[quote name='charic' post='986395' date='Oct 12 2010, 10:59 PM']In my case I can sight read treble clef but not bass, however were you transpose a bass score onto a treble clef I still wouldn't be able to sight read it because I do not have the capability to think 'c#' that's here on the neck in a split second. However if a tab tells me e string fret 2 I'm there without thinking.

I know its not right and it limits my playing somewhat but I havnt got around to it yet. However I also find it somewhat liberating not to think about what note I'm playing and rather concentrate on what sounds good to me, as opposed to what should theoretically sound good (trap I fell into on keyboard for a while)[/quote]

If you've already proven that you can read treble,why not take the extra step and learn bass clef? It shouldn't be that much of a problem
for you. If the problem is recognising the notes on the fingerboard,then I think that should be sorted out pretty sharpish.

As has been said in other threads,knowing how to read has nothing to do with 'what should theoretically sound good'. You can read music
to a very high level without understanding the theoretical side.

[Fat Rich]

"The Complete Electric Bassist" by William Perry and Leon White was recommended in the reading thread in Theory and Technique.

It's long out of print but I'm finding it one of the best books for learning to read, there are no shortcuts but a great way to get started.

[xgsjx]

I can understand where you're coming from with reading treble & bass clef. Why did they have to move it a stave? Is that a C or an E?
Also if you started learning on keys then your mind reads score like a keyboard instead of a fretboard (when I look at a fretboard I see black & White notes). My trouble starts with that 8via nonsense! How many lines up???

[charic]

[quote name='Doddy' post='986406' date='Oct 12 2010, 11:13 PM']If you've already proven that you can read treble,why not take the extra step and learn bass clef? It shouldn't be that much of a problem
for you. If the problem is recognising the notes on the fingerboard,then I think that should be sorted out pretty sharpish.

As has been said in other threads,knowing how to read has nothing to do with 'what should theoretically sound good'. You can read music
to a very high level without understanding the theoretical side.[/quote]

I already know the theoretical side tho (to an ok standard, I'm no bilbo ) and I can read bassclef just not sight read it. Also I know the notes on the fretboard but not in a snap second. I have the tools I need to work out anything anyone throws at me tbh. Honestly I doubt I will ever have to sight read bassclef in a rock band so its not an issue and has been said before I don't wnt to end up viewing the neck of my bass as a keyboard.

[lanark]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='986502' date='Oct 13 2010, 01:37 AM']I can understand where you're coming from with reading treble & bass clef. Why did they have to move it a stave? Is that a C or an E?
[b]Also if you started learning on keys then your mind reads score like a keyboard instead of a fretboard[/b] (when I look at a fretboard I see black & White notes). My trouble starts with that 8via nonsense! How many lines up??? [/quote]

That's exactly why I find it frustrating - I know the note, I know where it is on a keyboard, but it takes a second or two to figure out where it is on the fretboard.

It'll come, but it takes a while.

[bassistmike]

When I started lessons on Bass, I had never read Bass Clef before, I knew what the notes were, but not enough to sight read them.My Teacher started straight away with Bass Clef, which was a bit of a shock, but I decided to bite the bullet and learn it and now I am glad I did.

[Doddy]

[quote name='charic' post='986543' date='Oct 13 2010, 07:05 AM']I already know the theoretical side tho (to an ok standard, I'm no bilbo ) and I can read bassclef just not sight read it. Also I know the notes on the fretboard but not in a snap second. I have the tools I need to work out anything anyone throws at me tbh.[/quote]

And I have the tools I need to work out how to cook,but it doesn't make me a good chef

[quote name='charic' post='986543' date='Oct 13 2010, 07:05 AM']Honestly I doubt I will ever have to sight read bassclef in a rock band so its not an issue and has been said before I don't wnt to end up viewing the neck of my bass as a keyboard.[/quote]

I don't get what you mean by that. Why would you not want to fully understand the fingerboard? To me,that is basic stuff.
Oh,and for what it's worth,I've sight read in rock/pop bands,so it could be an issue.