Learn to read the dots?

[Oggy]

Hi Basschatters

Now that I've taken the plunge and retired I have time to do what I'd like to do😃. I've been playing bass for a good number of years now and hope to continue until that time when I'm called to account for my sins. Up to this point I've been playing by ear, listen to the track a few times and perhaps download a chord chart then work it out and commit to memory - works fine as long as I play the numbers regularly.

I'd like to spend some time learning to sight read, what suggestions do you guys have to go down this road - books / CD's or perhaps iPad apps or ..............? I'd be really interested to hear from anyone that's learned to read after playing by ear.

Oggy🙂

[JustinBass]

The Hal Leonard bass guitar method by Ed Friedland is a great place to start!

[Grangur]

Help yourself to any of the tunes in this thread. Actually, it's about time I revisited it and added some more.

[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]

[url="http://www.studybass.com"]http://www.Studybass.com[/url] has all the basic information there too.

For books on reading Stuart Clayton has a series of books at [url="https://www.basslinepublishing.com/"]basslinepublishing.com[/url]

For the complete info on theory for bass, you would do well to get
[b] [size=3][url="https://wordery.com/music-theory-for-the-bass-player-ariane-cap-9780996727600?currency=GBP&gtrck=bEFnd0ozQU51WTVKVGxSYmZ6d2xHNnRFRGtDcXVxSzVrb0k1bXJjSmlsZ1F5RlVLYUFqVXFmbVR5TVF4ZGFPUEtFeTNadGtxUFpkT2xIQXArNUtaeWc9PQ&gclid=CNjltZb9rdECFWYq0wodwm8H_w"][b]Music Theory for the Bass Player[/b][/url]: A Comprehensive and Hands-On Guide to Playing with More Confidence and Freedom[/size][/b]
[font=OpenSans, Arial,]
[size=3]A [color=#1C7E8C !important]Paperback[/color] edition by [url="https://wordery.com/ariane-cap-author"]Ariane Cap[/url][/size][/font]



Here's another thread too.
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/71857-the-majors-bass-boot-camp-session-1/page__p__2845811__hl__boot__fromsearch__1#entry2845811"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry2845811[/url]

Edited January 6, 2017 by Grangur

[deepbass5]

Have to say as Justin above the Hal Leonard books are very good, there are lots of bad books out there with household names on, that jump in at a point not obvious to a learner, you need to follow the basic "tune a day" book approach that brass and woodwind players use,
My first two books are still the best i've bought, check if still available. " the Electric bass" by Roger Filiberto, published by Mel Bay volume 1(MB 93234) a pink cover, and vol 2 (MB 93235) blue. These were first published in 1963 and again in 1970 but could have been bought up by someone like Hal leonard and re packaged.



good luck

Edited January 6, 2017 by deepbass5

[pete.young]

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1483717204' post='3209530']
Here's another thread too.
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/71857-the-majors-bass-boot-camp-session-1/page__p__2845811__hl__boot__fromsearch__1#entry2845811"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry2845811[/url]
[/quote]
This is a link to the first posting in Major Minor's Bass Boot Camp thread, which is a mine of valuable information.

The index link is here:

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

A lot of the files appear as .ipb - this is a major fault with the bulletin board software which should have been fixed a decade ago. It's not too serious though - you just need to download the files, re-name them to .pdf and everything will show up in the Adobe viewer.

[Bilbo]

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/215336-learning-to-read-the-dots-sheet-music-to-learn-with/

[Oggy]

Hi Basschatters

Many thanks for the advice and pointers, really appreciated.

Does anyone out there have knowledge of any iPad applications that help with reading or any of the bass tutorial web sites like Scotts Bass Lessons - anything that I should be looking at?

Oggy

[Bilbo]

There are no quick routes to reading. You just have to do it again and again and again and again

[Crawford13]

The mapping tonal harmony app for iPad is a pretty good tool, I think it cost about £8 or so. Scott's Bass Lessons, and videobasslessons.tv are really good learning communities but do cost quite a lot at about 40 dollars a month each. If you are willing to shell out that amount of cash I would recommend getting some proper face to face tuition, and read as much as you can. You will be surprised how quickly you will pick it up once you start reading every day with your bass on your lap. The mistake I made when doing what you are trying to do was I tried learning theory and reading as a separate thing to my playing. Have your bass in front of you as much as you can so that you relate everything to the bass.

[Oggy]

[quote name='Crawford13' timestamp='1484036342' post='3212036']
The mapping tonal harmony app for iPad is a pretty good tool, I think it cost about £8 or so. Scott's Bass Lessons, and videobasslessons.tv are really good learning communities but do cost quite a lot at about 40 dollars a month each. If you are willing to shell out that amount of cash I would recommend getting some proper face to face tuition, and read as much as you can. You will be surprised how quickly you will pick it up once you start reading every day with your bass on your lap. The mistake I made when doing what you are trying to do was I tried learning theory and reading as a separate thing to my playing. Have your bass in front of you as much as you can so that you relate everything to the bass.
[/quote]

Hello Crawford13

Thanks for the 'very positive input' appreciated. I'll have a look at the iPad application to mentioned, £8 isn't much if it helps. I think you're right about getting face to face time with a tutor I'll ask in the community if anyone knows of one reasonably local to where I live (Borehamwood in Hertfordshire) and what cost is involved. I now have several sigh reading tutor books from recommendations provided on the sight and links to help / tutor files on this site.

Oggy

[Grangur]

I've been subscribed to Scott's bass lessons for some time. To my knowledge there's no further anything much on there about reading.

Scott tends to draw all kinds of diagrams to show rhythm without using staves in the conventional sense.

[Burns-bass]

Your best aid here is a blank notepad. Sit down and create a practice plan and find 30 minutes at least a day. This is best spent in chunks.

One of the best ways is to separate the rhythm from the stave. There are two great books I used. One was Joaquin Du Pres Sight Reading for Bass. The other was Modern Reading In 4/4. Both are great.

Then I'd start by picking up a book in the style of music you want. I have one which is called 'Reading Contemporary Bass' which is cheap, and easy and teaches you some good syncopated stuff.

Set some targets, and then make sure you breath and enjoy it.

Oh, and recognise there's a difference between being able to sight read in real-time (i.e. be given sheet music and read the whole thing and play it perfectly at tempo the first run through) and being able to read music. The first is an incredible skill that takes years, the second is easily achievable.

Anyone with a logical mind should be able to understand how to read music, then it's a case of practising to perfection.

Finally, reading music is a useful skill but it won't necessarily improve your musicianship. I know classical players who can read the most complex figures and you'd assume they'd learn as much as they can, but they spend years perfecting a relatively simple Bach Cello Suite. All about the sound!

It's an amazing and fun journey, and you'll make massive leaps very quickly which is brilliant.

[Burns-bass]

I used to teach a professional music qualification and it always depressed/bemused me that sight reading wasn't a key requirement of the course.