sunburstjazz1967 Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Hi folks my first post! I have been reading threads for a while but only just signed in, I see quite a few people with 5 string basses and quite a few people mention reading music in those threads, I only ever use 4 string basses and cant read english very well never mind music! Should I be exploring either avenues? Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Reading English - yes Reading music -yes this opens up many more areas for you to explore 5 String bass - Only if your music requires it. The reason i now only play 5 string basses is because for the last 30 years from the early 80's synth bass forced us down this route and now many pop numbers are recorded with 5 string parts. But there are lots of Indie bands, country and folf and jazz where you do not need 5 string low bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1448276913' post='2914034'] Should I be exploring either avenues? [/quote] Yes. Try everything and always sound the best you can. Reading music opens up many more playing opportunities and, as always, being good comes down to how much practice time you're willing to put in. My hero, Duck Dunn, spent 60 years only playing a 4 string P bass, but I'd say play the bass you want to play and feel comfortable with. I use 5 string basses because I can play one bass and it will fit in every genre of music. I've played a 5 er in an acoustic duo, covering synth parts in pop covers bands and in a Led Zep tribute band. It doesn't matter what instruments were used to record the originals, the only thing that matters is how you and the bass sound when you're playing the numbers. That's always down to you and not the instrument you're playing. Edited November 23, 2015 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Thanks folks I will see what my local shop has in stock to try, learning to read might take a bit more effort! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 Don't mean to be controversial, but if you plan to start with reading TAB rather than actually reading music 'properly' then I'd advise you to start with a 4-string. Trying to play a 4-string TAB on a 5-string bass can get very confusing! If I had my time over again, I like to think that I would take the trouble to learn to read music 'properly'. Trouble is, if I had my time over again I suspect I'd just do the same things all over again ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I find play a 5, or a 6 in my case, makes sight reading easier, simply because it means I don't have to worry about position shifts, I can concentrate on the chart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted November 23, 2015 Author Share Posted November 23, 2015 Can you get 5 string TAB? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 I still think that this 'reading dots v tab' malarchy is something of a red herring. Reading easy, beginner bass stave is not difficult at all, one gets used to the (few...) note positions very quickly. Things start to get a bit tougher when hot, syncopated rhythms are written, but (and here's the rub...), that's exactly not the information you'll get from a tab, or, at best, just as difficult to decipher..! Using any one of the many 'Reading Music For Bass' books out there, it's a doddle to get started; maybe even too 'boring' for folks to continue to the better stuff. It's certainly no harder than simple tabs. Why faff about with crutches (or, at least, use 'em only to get started...). It's the rhythmic stuff that requires some concentration, and tabs are much worse from that point of view, not easier. It beats me, it really does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) What I find odd, and it's not just with bass players, in fact I think guitarists are worse, is that they don't learn to sight-read from the start. Most players of 'classical instruments' learn reading as they're learning to play. For me, I played violin before I played bass, and learned at read music as I was learning to play. So when I took up bass, even though I was self taught to start with on bass, I automatically learned the notes on the fretboard, and in bass clef. I didn't realise you could play without having to read music. Edited November 23, 2015 by ambient Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1448302066' post='2914293'] What I find odd, and it's not just with bass players, in fact I think guitarists are worse, is that they don't learn to sight-read from the start. Most players of 'classical instruments' learn reading as they're learning to play. For me, I played violin before I played bass, and learned at read music as I was learning to play. So when I took up bass, even though I was self taught to start with on bass, I automatically learned the notes on the fretboard, and in bass clef. I didn't realise you could play without having to read music. [/quote] Indeed, this has a ring to it. I started on drums. Good luck finding tab for drums. The only way forward was learning to read dots (and crosses; percussion has a lot of crosses, too...). When I got to guitar, then bass, tab was useful (still is...), but dots have so much more information, and are no harder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 There is a great resource for learning to read and sight read on this very site. Try a search for the Major's bass boot camp index Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) Ah. Sight-reading. That's a whole different ball game. It takes much practise and work to be able to sight-read dimly-lit 'pit' scores or show and jazz lines, but at least it can be done, if it's really required. I've yet to find anyone able to sight-read tab. Edited November 23, 2015 by Dad3353 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted November 23, 2015 Share Posted November 23, 2015 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1448299917' post='2914276'] Can you get 5 string TAB? [/quote] Yes you can - even books that give the proper dots for every song they contain will also have tab below the notes, and if the bassline is played on a fiver, the tab will be 5-string too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Or write it out as five string tab having revoiced the part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Or write it out as five string tab having revoiced the part Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1448312927' post='2914437'] It takes much practise and work to be able to sight-read dimly-lit 'pit' scores or show and jazz lines, but at least it can be done, if it's really required. [/quote] I can't even see the dots on the side of the neck of my own bass when it's dimly-lit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Yup! Bass necks need tabs, and that seriously is the only exception. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 I have found some tab with six lines but not five, I wonder why six string bass players use it? which way up do you look at it?, I'm left handed by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Check this out. As a lefty, you won't find the fingerboard in the recording of any use, but the tablature is fine whichever hand you use for fretting, because you follow one note at the time. [url="http://www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/how-to-read-bass-tab/"]http://www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/how-to-read-bass-tab/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 And this is an image of 5-string tab: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 The shortcomings of tab is that you have to already know the song before it makes any sense. You can read the dots and play any piece of music even if you've never heard before. That's why tab is a kids bike with stabilisers, while dots are a Trek Emonda. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunburstjazz1967 Posted November 24, 2015 Author Share Posted November 24, 2015 [quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1448360861' post='2914671'] And this is an image of 5-string tab: [/quote] The lines are the fret numbers one to nine then? Sorry if that's dumb but its all new to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chardbass Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 [quote name='sunburstjazz1967' timestamp='1448361211' post='2914675'] The lines are the fret numbers one to nine then? Sorry if that's dumb but its all new to me! [/quote] No they are the bar numbers for reference. In this case a bar has 4 quarter notes (crotchets) in it. The zeros indicate on which fret you would place your fretting hand (LH if you are plucking with your RH) In this example the 0s mean you play open strings- if the numbers were all 1s then you would fret at the first fret. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 What Chardbass says. In this particular instance you have those vertical lines attached to the zeros which are a bit confusing - most tabs don't have them, and only show the number. In your case, and mine, the numbers tell us what fret to press with our right hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted November 24, 2015 Share Posted November 24, 2015 Incidentally, this is a good site for left-handed musicians who don't feel like photoshopping every single damn chord chart and similar to obtain a mirror image: [url="http://www.melbay.com/Products/CategoryCenter/L09/LeftHanded%20Instruction.aspx"]http://www.melbay.com/Products/CategoryCenter/L09/LeftHanded%20Instruction.aspx[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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