I want to learn to read music

[TommyK]

Hi. As the title suggests. I play by ear and that's ok... But...

I've decided I need to learn. I'm 37... Where do I start?

Thanks

[bagsieblue]

Right here:

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/74284-the-majors-bass-boot-camp-session-index-1-36/

[ambient]

Find a teacher in your local area, it doesn't haver to be a bass player.

You're never too old to learn to read.

[Dood]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1471811095' post='3116108']
Find a teacher in your local area, it doesn't haver to be a bass player.

You're never too old to learn to read.
[/quote]

Perfect. Never to old!

[zbd1960]

I know plenty of people who have started much later, so no worries on that front. Some people can learn just from books, but that can be 'dry' and some support from a music teacher may be worth considering. The AB Guide to Music by Eric Taylor is in two parts, whic are about £6 each. That covers everything, but is on the 'dry' side. There are plenty of other book sand online resources.

[Grangur]

Studybass.com it's really useful.

Also, I did a thread of music in bass clef that's good for practice. I'll post a link later.


Later: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/215336-learning-to-read-the-dots-sheet-music-to-learn-with/page__fromsearch__1"]http://basschat.co.u...__fromsearch__1[/url]

I started bass at 50

Edited August 21, 2016 by Grangur

[dannybuoy]

I'm 36 and in the same boat and will be starting with this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0996727604/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdl_x_QtIUxbGZSQQC9

[TommyK]

Thanks all. Some great advice and encouragement there and loads of material to get stuck into. 🙂

[louisthebass]

I started at 48 - these are a great series of books to get you going too:
https://www.basslinepublishing.com/bass-essentials.html

[ambient]

One of my students is 79, you are never to old to do anything .

[gapiro]

[quote name='bagsieblue' timestamp='1471807386' post='3116057']
Right here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/74284-the-majors-bass-boot-camp-session-index-1-36/"]http://basschat.co.u...ion-index-1-36/[/url]
[/quote]

+1 to this - start with the ones around number 20 iirc!

[Trueno]

[quote name='louisthebass' timestamp='1471851199' post='3116255']
I started at 48 - these are a great series of books to get you going too:
https://www.basslinepublishing.com/bass-essentials.html
[/quote]

Never seen these before, they look really interesting.

[TommyK]

Right so i've made a start with the above lesson 20.. The good news is; It seems far less daunting than i thought (so far...) The bad; I cant download the MP3's, my computer keeps trying to do it in Adobe same as the PDF's? Any ideas on why technical types?

I've kind of got away with it thus far as MrsTK reads music a bit so she can confirm the notage, but a play along track would be muchly helpful

Thanks

[dustandbarley]

[quote name='TommyK' timestamp='1472131204' post='3118753']
I cant download the MP3's, my computer keeps trying to do it in Adobe same as the PDF's? Any ideas on why technical types?
[/quote]Try changing the file extension from .ipb to .mp3, then it should open with Quicktime etc.

[cb1]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1471811095' post='3116108']
Find a teacher in your local area, it doesn't haver to be a bass player.

You're never too old to learn to read.
[/quote]

It does have to be a bass guitar teacher

[ambient]

[quote name='cb1' timestamp='1472155521' post='3119015']
It does have to be a bass guitar teacher
[/quote]

Not necessarily.

Notes, and rhythm are common to all instruments, pianists, trombone, bassoon, tuba, cello, double bassists would all read bass clef. My second year at uni, my reading class lecturer was a pianist.

In fact it was a violin teacher taught me to read music.

Edited August 25, 2016 by ambient

[cb1]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1472156524' post='3119029']


Not necessarily.

Notes, and rhythm are common to all instruments, pianists, trombone, bassoon, tuba, cello, double bassists would all read bass clef. My second year at uni, my reading class lecturer was a pianist.

In fact it was a violin teacher taught me to read music.
[/quote]

Well true to a certain extent. But a bassoon player will not be able to tell you which is the best position to start in and where there are 2 or 3 ways to play a phrase they won't have a clue. Also with reading on Bass or any other rhythm section instrument interpretation is very important as opposed to being able to read the part 100% accurately - would a trombone player be able to help you with that? I don't think so.

[ambient]

[quote name='cb1' timestamp='1472174611' post='3119182']
Well true to a certain extent. But a bassoon player will not be able to tell you which is the best position to start in and where there are 2 or 3 ways to play a phrase they won't have a clue. Also with reading on Bass or any other rhythm section instrument interpretation is very important as opposed to being able to read the part 100% accurately - would a trombone player be able to help you with that? I don't think so.
[/quote]

We'll agree to disagree, after all where I choose to play a part, you may choose to play it somewhere else. It could be down to the number of strings on the bass for instance. Also the position that you choose to play would vary from piece to piece, depending on what what was happening. You're after all learning to read music, not learning to sight read or play a particular piece. So that's slightly irrelevant.

Notated rhythm is just that, it's notated rhythm. Interpretation is down to the player, in context of what's going in the piece, it's also why you have other marking and text notated, e.g. showing dynamics and articulations, accents, staccato, spiccato, tenuto etc. The note head can be used to show whether the note is actually played, or just felt etc. Hammer-ons and slurs are easy to notate. They're all common, especially to string instruments.

Edited August 26, 2016 by ambient

[TKenrick]

[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1472156524' post='3119029']
Not necessarily.

Notes, and rhythm are common to all instruments, pianists, trombone, bassoon, tuba, cello, double bassists would all read bass clef. My second year at uni, my reading class lecturer was a pianist.

In fact it was a violin teacher taught me to read music.
[/quote]

Whilst I agree with this in principle I'd lean towards getting guidance from a bass player in the early stages as positions aren't immediately intuitive (well they weren't for me, at least). A second year degree sight reading class is, as I understand it, not the same scenario as the OP is describing so it might be worth 'checking in' with a seasoned reading bassist while this stuff is still new. Fretboard knowledge is a vital aspect of sightreading which also affects the number of positional options that you might have for any given part.

FWIW I wholeheartedly endorse studying with non-bassists, as our kind tend to be musically [s]retarded[/s] restricted in many departments (harmony, soloing, ear training, articulation, personal hygiene etc).

Back on the subject of reading... I found it helpful to work on pitch and rhythm separately, otherwise it can be like trying to rub your stomach whilst patting your head. There's a good page on [url="http://garywillis.com/pages/lessons/read.html"]Gary Willis' site for pitch reading[/url], and there are a few rhythm reading books about (I used [url="http://www.freebasstranscriptions.com/2014/11/17/unorthodox-instructionals-part-3-getting-even-with-drummers/"]Louis Bellson's 'Modern Reading in 4/4[/url] - not very exciting but very effective).

[Biglump]

[url="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.networktechnologytutor.musicnotetutorfree&hl=en"]https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.networktechnologytutor.musicnotetutorfree&hl=en[/url]
This is what I'm using.
it's fun and it's free.
Strangely enough, I can now also play a tiny bit of piano.
The double instrument thing isn't such a hurdle as it may at first seem.
Middle C for the purpose of playing the bass cleff piano part is found on the 5th fret of the G string because the bass is a transposing instrument.

[highwayman]

I'm learning via the Hal Leonard Bass Method books - they start you on musical notation, not tab.

[zbd1960]

I've spent some time teaching a few people over the years to read music. One was a complete novice in their 30s, the other was a guitarist. In both cases, I split the pitch and rhythm into separate activities and I focused mostly on getting them to understand rhythm notation and being able to clap or tap it out (people seem reluctant to 'lah' it ). We did the pitch notation separately and I probably spent 2/3 on rhythm and 1/3 on pitch in the first few sessions.

[TommyK]

[quote name='zbd1960' timestamp='1472404984' post='3120882']
I've spent some time teaching a few people over the years to read music. One was a complete novice in their 30s, the other was a guitarist. In both cases, I split the pitch and rhythm into separate activities and I focused mostly on getting them to understand rhythm notation and being able to clap or tap it out (people seem reluctant to 'lah' it ). We did the pitch notation separately and I probably spent 2/3 on rhythm and 1/3 on pitch in the first few sessions.
[/quote]

Thats interesting thanks. It seems logical too from what i've experienced thus far.

We have a brass player at church who i was talking to yesterday and he said more or less the same, the notes bit you pick up pretty quick the rhythm more tricky. Also in the first bit we were playing; me by ear/memory and basic chord charts him from the sheet (thats fun for him too cos he has to transpose depending on what he's playing, Up a fifth or a tone etc!) I was pointing out some bits on his sheet that were confusing and he said "oh yeah that's just cos its written badly, you'll see that all the time"

Thanks all for all the links and resources, it's really helpful and much appreciated BTW

TK

[NickD]

I'm working through the first of the Stuart Clayton books at the minute after numerous book failures. The way it builds up is great and it really seems to be going in. Obviously a tutor is the way to go if you can, but I'm happy with my progress so far.

[visog]

[quote name='bagsieblue' timestamp='1471807386' post='3116057']
Right here:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/74284-the-majors-bass-boot-camp-session-index-1-36/"]http://basschat.co.u...ion-index-1-36/[/url]
[/quote]

IPB files!? Not the PDFs suggested?

Not helpful