Cheat sheet for theory

[Lefty Geek]

Does anybody know of a good one?

I have been trying to learn standard notation/sight-reading, not because I need to, but I have been trying to pick up a few things by reading some bass books and I thought I might as well learn to read at the same time (the one book I am using now has everything in tab as well).

I'm looking for a one page cheat sheet that I can pull out from time to time to refresh my memory. Most import are the notes on the bass clef. Tired of flipping back to the beginning of the book to find the notes. Also helpful would be a mapping between the sharps/flats at the beginning of the line and what key that stands for.

[Deacon_Blues]

[Lefty Geek]

You can't hotlink to the image, but I still got it. Thanks! I wished it also had which notes are sharp/flat, but I can pencil that in.

I guess I will just make me own cheat sheet once I find a decent version of the notes on the bass clef.

EDIT: the first image you posted actually was better since it has the staff representation on it.

[DocBop]

So don't use cheat sheets, drill yourself by writing out the info once a day, look and you will see ways to check yourself, drill yourself in spare time like when driving, you need to internalize this stuff so answers just pop in your head as you need them without thinking.

I used to drill myself on CoF, chord spellings, key sig's and etc when driving. Spend 21 days drilling this stuff as much as possible then let it go. Then use it in your practice routine to analyze what you play or transcribe, for ET practice and so on.

[Lefty Geek]

Originally Posted by DocBop

So don't use cheat sheets ... you need to internalize this stuff so answers just pop in your head as you need them without thinking.

Uh, that's exactly why I need the cheat sheet.

I can get by without writing things.

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by Lefty Geek

Uh, that's exactly why I need the cheat sheet.

I can get by without writing things.

Just sit and use your book, bass, bass in your head and write out a CoF's. Now write the spelling of all the major triads using same reference material. Write them in order of CoF's you just wrote out.

If you can't do that you don't need a cheat sheet you need a book on basic harmony and theory. You have to know why things are the answer. It's like these people that go to boot camps to study to take certification tests. They learn all the answers and pass the test. They get on the job they are useless because they don't know why the answers are the answers. It's called tactile learning, when you write answer out like making your own cheat sheets, or you have to push yourself to come up with an answer to how to spell a chord the answer sticks. Your brain has an attitude. You just get an answer off a cheat sheet your brain thinks that was easy I will remember it for a little while. You put have to work for an answer, you drill the info in, and then have to think hard to check yourself. The brain goes okay I'll remember that for a long time.

It's all part of what's called Learning Cycles and how we learn things. The 21 day thing is something from Learning Cycles. The more you understand how the mind and body learns things the easier it is to teach and learn.

I'm sure many will point you to cheat sheets, but up to you to ask "why is that the answer????"

[HaVIC5]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

FAIL.

F minor the relative minor of Eb?

[Dogbertday]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

FAIL.

F minor the relative minor of Eb?

Good call... C minor isn't the relative minor of Ab either

[steve66]

This Co5ths is better

http://www.inhispresenceministry.org...s/circhord.gif

[Deacon_Blues]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

FAIL.

F minor the relative minor of Eb?

Whoops... just googled for a Circle of Fifths image and found this. I didn't do an error check on it though...

[lowendisthebest]

Originally Posted by Deacon_Blues

im new to musical theory( i wish i had payed attention in high school band)

[mambo4]

I always got buy with the mnemonics for memorizing Circle o 5ths and bass clef:

circle of fifths:
Cows Get Drunk All Evening Before Falling Down And Eating Blue Fin

Bass clef, lines from bottom to top:
Good Boys Do Fine Allways
Spaces form bottom to top:
All Cows Eat Grass

(there's a ton of these, make up yer own!)

[Bassist4Life]

I wouldn't use a cheat sheet for reading. Reading notation will get easier the more you do it.

Learn your lines: G B D F A
Learn your spaces: A C E G

Go from there and be patient with yourself. You're learning a language, it takes time.

Peace & Music,
Joe

[JimmyM]

There is no cheat sheet for theory. But it's typical of today's generation that wants it all without doing any work. It's like learning how to speak and read a language. You have to internalize it by practicing it and writing it and just plain putting in the hours. No cheat sheet is going to tell you what notes to play when you're playing a chart you don't know. If you're unsure of what to play, are you going to look at your cheat sheet? No offense, but if someone showed up to a jam or gig with a theory cheat sheet, I would think they were either inexperienced or unprofessional. In your case it's currently inexperience, but it sounds like you're on the road to unprofessional when you say things like, "I can get by without writing things." Not with theory, you can't.

It's up to you, but if you want to hang with the best, you have to put in the hours and not look for cheats. This ain't a video game.

[Lefty Geek]

Can we please keep this on topic? I did not ask for opinions, I asked for cheat sheets. Unless you are here to answer my question, please move along. I'm sure there is some topic on TMZ that needs commenting on. Thanks.

Debating the accuracy of material is a perfectly valid comment though.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by Lefty Geek

Can we please keep this on topic? I did not ask for opinions, I asked for cheat sheets. Unless you are here to answer my question, please move along. I'm sure there is some topic on TMZ that needs commenting on. Thanks.

Debating the accuracy of material is a perfectly valid comment though.

Boy, try to help a guy and he bites your head off. Hey, it's your bass. Whatever.

[cbass1]

Originally Posted by Lefty Geek

Can we please keep this on topic? I did not ask for opinions, I asked for cheat sheets. Unless you are here to answer my question, please move along. I'm sure there is some topic on TMZ that needs commenting on. Thanks.

Debating the accuracy of material is a perfectly valid comment though.

+1 to that, JimmyM you were not really "trying to help a guy out" as much as you were ridiculing him. The guy wants a cheat sheet, Nothing wrong with that, I like stuff like this too, it does help when you are composing lines, and frankly we all learn in different ways, I learn like this, to have all the info and reminders on a sheet to learn from while you are learning other stuff is a great way to reinforce this stuff in your brain. And we all have different gigs, not all of us have sessions where we have to compose and lay it down to tape right on the spot.
I am up for any tips and tricks where someone can help me shed the time to get it down is much appreciated.

[HaVIC5]

He does have a good point though with the language thing. It might help a bit early on if you were learning French with a "cheat sheet" of very basic words (circle of fifths). But it sure won't get you far.

[Harro72]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

I wouldn't use a cheat sheet for reading. Reading notation will get easier the more you do it.

Learn your lines: G B D F A
Learn your spaces: A C E G

Go from there and be patient with yourself. You're learning a language, it takes time.

Peace & Music,
Joe

Have a look at this:
http://www.studybass.com/tools/bass-clef-notes/

[cbass1]

super cool site !! thanks for sharing !