Reading

[bassnutj]

Hey Janek-
Question for you regarding reading music. What level of reading would you say is mandatory going into a session or gig, be it pop, jazz, or whatever? For example, on a pop session, would you say you're expected to sight read something you haven't seen before perfectly on first take, or do you get a minute or more to look it over, or do you get multiple takes, or what?
Could you give specific examples? Maybe something like "You need to be able to read Jamerson's line on I Was Made To Love Her at 100 bpm perfectly first take" or whatever. Maybe that's an extreme example, maybe not. This is where I'd like to hear from you since you've been involved in this sort of thing for a while.
Thanks alot.

[Snarf]

My own take on this is to never be satisfied. Be able to read lines like that Jamerson line top to bottom, move on to harder and harder stuff, just for the sake of being able to do it and making everything else that much easier.

[reitedasc]

+1 Snarf

I'm not a good sight reader, but my teacher always told me to 1) practice 2) join a big band.

[janekbass]

when it comes to reading in the studio there are only a few types of session that will require it normally.

Those are mainly film scoring sessions where you have to play with an orchestra maybe, and you have to play with a conductor who's also watching the movie as you record on a huge screen in the studio. Big band sessions, not that there are many of those around. And then session where someone has written original music. In a session like that it will depend on how hard the music is as to how good your reading needs to be.

On a film session you will never have seen the music before, will get one run through if you're lucky but normally not, and then you'll be expected to nail it in one take. That's the way it is.

with pop sessions, if there's an orchestra or some big production involved then you might have to read some stuff down. But those sessions are few and far between and you can count the number of bass players doing them on one hand. And that count won't include you or I on any regular basis. If it's a band thing, or you've been hired to come in and play some bass on a pop record, you'll rarely have to read anything. Maybe a few chord changes, maybe not. They might dictate the chords to you verbally before you do the session, or you might get a CD of a demo to listen to and learn the song beforehand. More than likely you'll be in someone's bedroom staring at a small pro tools rig and there will be very little pressure, and plenty of chances to repair takes or just do it again.

I read very well in four clefs as I come from a background in Classical guitar (for the treble clef), I've been playing bass for 12 years (for the bass clef) and I did get bored one year and start to learn the tenor and alto clefs. I haven't used those for a while, and would have to brush up on it a bit. It was more of an exercise than a study for practical application. I might do three or four reading gigs a year, maybe two or three film things, and perhaps one big production where I have to read a few footballs with an orchestra for a pop thing. Everything else is by ear. For tours you'll never have to read if the tour is for any length of time. And quite frankly if you have to play the same music every night you'll know it in no time at all.

Easy,

Janek