beginner - reading music

[z4knerd]

ive been playing bass for 4 months now, and I have just been reading tabs, I cannot read music. I have only knowledge of the major scales, but nothin more than that. I want to learn to read music but not sure where to start. Any advice? thanks in advance - zak

[Whafrodamus]

Lessons.

[picknslap]

I found a book at my local music shop, called, Music Reading for Bass, it's published through Hal Leonard, and issued by Musicians Institute, it's great.

[Superdave]

Check out this site for a lot of Music Theory info...http://www.pnc.com.au/~beehive/pieces.html#ex It's got plenty of lessons for reading music, and learning more on music theory.

[Jace The Bass]

Originally Posted by TheAverageDave

Check out this site for a lot of Music Theory info...http://www.pnc.com.au/~beehive/pieces.html#ex It's got plenty of lessons for reading music, and learning more on music theory.

Great site thanks for sharing
Here's a useful tip
Since your only starting break your reading practice in two sections
a) Pitch reading- read everything as a single quarter note ( crotchet ) even if the music has different rhythms
b) Rhythm reading- Pick up any sheet of music you can find and practice reading the rhythms not only by what it looks like but what it sounds like
You may have to get a teacher to show you how to count rhythms

[chrismmc]

Modern Reading Text In 4/4 by Louis Bellson(Henry Adler publications)-the best book out there for developing rythm reading skills.There are no notes-so you don't even need your instrument in order to play these(but you can if you want to)

[sedgdog]

Check out www.musicdojo.com The have very good courses. I have not taken the reading course, but have taken several others all of which were very good.

All the best,
Tim

[James S]

z4knerd,

I teach reading for a living and use this book daily. Give it a try. If you have questions don't hesitate to ask.
http://www.jimstinnett.com/books.html#anchorbassclef

[hateater]

If you want to learn to read, get any beginner bass book that you want, and if you run into any problems, ask a local music shop guy if he could help you, or ask in here. Nothing more for anyone to add.

[Whafrodamus]

The Derek Zoolander House for Children Who Can't Read Good

[dlloyd]

Originally Posted by z4knerd

ive been playing bass for 4 months now, and I have just been reading tabs, I cannot read music. I have only knowledge of the major scales, but nothin more than that. I want to learn to read music but not sure where to start. Any advice? thanks in advance - zak

Start out with a basic text like the Hal Leonard book picknslap recommended. Another good book for starting reading is the Chuck Rainey Complete Electric Bass Player.

What you can do, once you've got the basics down, is to use any bass book, transcriptions and the like, and tape a bit of paper over the tab, so you have to read the standard notation. It will take a good few months before it's anywhere near as easy as tab, but once you have it you'll wish the tab wasn't there in the first place.

[z4knerd]

thanks for the tips guys.

yea, i always notice that when i try to read the notation my eyes just kind of glide down to hte tab and i read that instead :[

[dlloyd]

Originally Posted by z4knerd

thanks for the tips guys.

yea, i always notice that when i try to read the notation my eyes just kind of glide down to hte tab and i read that instead :[

Not always a bad thing, but it won't help you to learn to read.

[Chasarms]

Do a google for Sight Reading Challenge. It's it's a quick little game for the PC that basically randomizes the notes on the staff and ledgers and you have to select the right name.

You race against yourself, and you can select the range of a variety of instruments that include both bass and treble clef.

You'll get past its value pretty quick, but it is great starter tool to get you going.

[stephanie]

Originally Posted by z4knerd

...yea, i always notice that when i try to read the notation my eyes just kind of glide down to hte tab and i read that instead :[

If you don't mind doing so take a little white-out to the tabs portion. You can't go wrong.

Anyway, as always, I recommend Mel Bay's "Note Reading Studies For Bass" book. But really, read anything you can get your hands on. I personally enjoy using classical sheet music (like Simandl) for my studies or some jazz transcriptions.

Good luck.

[FenderBender]

What helps me is just start reading and playing any thing and everything you can get your hands on. I've been doing a few classical pieces by Stromm and its great to start noticing things like modality changes etc. the only way to "see it" is when you "Apply it".
It also helps to have an instructor to check up on your progress. If you don't have an instructor find some one who can sight read and play what you've practiced to them and let them critique you. Bad habits are much harder to unlearn than learning good habits off the bat.

[IronYuppie]

Originally Posted by Whafrodamus

The Derek Zoolander House for Children Who Can't Read Good

. . . and want to do other stuff good too. . .