New to DB, a few questions

[BKBassDude]

Hey guys, long time lurker, first time poster. My Upton Blonde Hybrid is a few weeks from delivery and I'm trying to figure out the best way to approach playing it well.

I've played EB for 15 years, with some levels of proffesional training. I was basically self taught other than a handful of lessons at the outset. Went 10 years just playing with others, including a band who had minor success touring the east coast. Studied for two years at Berklee. Always focused on EB, but yearned for DB. Bought a CCB and was never satisfied with it, as well as the handful of EUBs I tried out. Then I broke my right hand 6 years ago and basically was unable to play for 6-8 months. This really got me out of the game.

In the past year I've felt comfortable enough to start playing with some close friends again and really want to get back in the mix with some gusto. I've found myself a bit lackluster in desiring to play EB. I don't know what it is, maybe the time off or something. So to give myself a kick in the pants, I decided to do what I couldn't when I bought my first DB (cause I was 17) and buy something of good quality. I never received any lessons on DB (though I plan to this time), and that brings me to my conundrum/question. My reading skills were always very poor. I basically have played by ear for my whole career, even at Berklee. I can play through a chart fine, and generally can fumble through some easy heads, mostly through knowledge of the song. I'm not trying to become a top flight session player or orchestra king, but I'd like to be trained in proper DB technique.
Do you feel that a teacher would be willing to work with me through these issues? I have attempted many times to work on my reading, and I've just never "gotten it". I really would just like a teacher who would show me technique and allow me to use my ear to do the rest. I don't want to come off as pompous saying I have an amazing ear, but it's gotten me by this far, and I think it's good enough to get me where I want, which is just a weekend warrior type player (for now at least).
Would a classical teacher scoff at me? I'd love to use arco techniques to enhance the jazz and rock groups that I play in. Would it really even be possible without reading the classical works?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

PS, I'm in the NYC area, if anyone knows a teacher who might fit the bill, I'd be interested. I've got some connections to the NYU jazz program, but it's mainly through a trombonist, and I didn't want to bother him with my nonsense.

[Andrew McGregor]

Well, I wouldn't give up on learning to read... but even if you don't, you should be able to find someone who can give you what you want.

Reading is tough, but it can be taught, especially if you have a good ear. That is easier with a teacher... yet again one of those things that is hard to teach yourself if you're not a natural at it (I am, but I'm well aware that not everyone is... yet they can still learn it). There was a time when more people could read music than could read text...

Arco will be easier to get right if you do learn to read, but again, not impossible. Some teachers might scoff, just ignore them and fine one who won't.

[wineaux]

BK,

You will have no problem finding a teacher to help you accomplish what you are looking to accomplish. But I, too, would urge you to give reading another try.

I couldn't read a note when I started, but I worked it every week as part of my practice routine. I'm not the fasted reader in the world -- and don't need to be to play bluegrass -- but I've found that reading -- even at my level -- does help in my jazz studies.

Congrats on the bass, and good luck on the journey.

[Freddels]

Definitely get a teacher. Santi Debriano is back in NYC. I studied with him and thought he was great.

[Bass Barrister]

While you can certainly play "by ear" and do pretty wll by doing so, you are ultimately limiting yourself.

It does not have to be that hard. Grab one of the basic DB string method books used by kids in grade school string classes (Essential Elements, All for Strings, ABC of Strings, etc.). These are written assuming no prior knowlede. Work through the book. As an adult with some actual playing experience, you should progress fairly fast.

Working with a teacher is also imprtant, at least to get the fundamentals of playing down cold.

[EggyToast]

about 3.5 years ago, I picked up an electric upright bass (a stick) without having played any instrument in school, being unable to read music (having only taken a single music theory class in college, which focused on treble clef stuff anyway), and having no basis for even knowing how to tune a bass.

So my first lessons were remarkably sad. I mean, they did a lot of good for me, but it was a lot of "ok, let's do repeated bow strokes to get you to keep your bow even, and let's work on how you hold the thing." And then a lot of left hand technique stuff.

After about a year and a half, when my teacher moved away for school, I was getting decent but still had difficulty actually sight reading. I didn't practice enough, though.

Last summer I sold the stick and got an actual double bass, and over the fall I started to get more serious about it. In January of this year I started to really kick my butt and reading notation came incredibly quickly, because I was practicing for about 45 minutes a day. Since I was teacherless, I only had the sheets and etudes from before, and had forgotten a lot of the memorized bits. And my new bass didn't have any dots on the neck.

Being able to play by ear is nice, but it also puts you in the lurch if you don't have a reference point. A teacher is going to send you through some exercises that probably are not available on iTunes or in a cd store, because they emphasize technique.

I'm almost 30 and don't have any aspirations to be in a band or an orchestra, but I know that reading music is just another tool in becoming a great player. Which is ultimately my goal -- to be very good at playing double bass. It's a lot easier when you just sit down and do it, playing what you see rather than trying to study notation as if it were for a test.

[fingerbun]

Hi, your experience sound very similar to mine.

It's easy to get some sounds out of a double if you are experienced on electric, but a whole other thing to play it properly - the differences in proper technique are huge.

I have a teacher (for the discipline, a very serious old-school Simandl-style teacher) and play in an orchestra (to make it real). I was lucky enough to find myself paired with a very experienced orchestral player (hi Fred if you're reading this) who provides valuable mentoring as well.

I find this helps all of my playing (my other gigs are jazz, gospel, blues and some rock) and is a lot of fun.

Reading is hard work, but opens doors, even if you are mediocre at it, so I would say persist.

[CamMcIntyre]

Originally Posted by Bass Barrister

While you can certainly play "by ear" and do pretty wll by doing so, you are ultimately limiting yourself.

It does not have to be that hard. Grab one of the basic DB string method books used by kids in grade school string classes (Essential Elements, All for Strings, ABC of Strings, etc.). These are written assuming no prior knowlede. Work through the book. As an adult with some actual playing experience, you should progress fairly fast.

I agree with you.

I have the 3 Essential Elements Books that Bob G sells. I also have several other method books. OP, Book 1 of this series gives you a great way to start learning to read music.

I've just started lessons (BG) with someone who is the same way. He has a great ear and can play some lines, but is a very poor reader. Another approach that I am taking is showing him the written out version of songs that he already knows.

The right teacher will make your transition/learning DB a lot easier. I'm looking forward to taking lessons again, because I progress so much faster than working alone.

[Square Bear]

learning to read music is much easier than learning to play the DB well. i can empathize in that my ear and memory are far better than my sight reading skill, but even a rudimentary knowledge of reading will only be enhanced by your strong qualities, so it's definitely worth investing the energy into if you're looking for more musical "completeness" so to speak. either way, you should have no trouble finding a teacher who will help you get where you want to be, just find someone you want to play like or who you click with or who inspires you. music teachers are actually really nice people who love working with motivated individuals. good luck!