First time at "notation", does it look right?

[D-gar gets gnar]

So I'm trying to teach myself music theory, note reading, and all the good stuff...

In the past if I wanted to "learn" a song, I'd just tab it out, and play the appropriate frets. However, I now realize that if I ever want to READ music, and understand it I'm gonna have to start "writing out" my music... so this is my first attempt at "writing" my music out. Can someone look it over, and tell me if I'm heading in the right direction with this.



I don't exactly understand timing yet, that's why I'm using o, and o# as markers; instead of quarter notes, whole notes, etc. I know timing is very important, but the 3/4, and 4/4 at the beggining of the measure throws me off!

My bass is in CGCF tuning.

I'm playing

F -----------------------------
C -------0-0------------------
G ---0-1----1-0-1-0-3-1-0----
C -0-----------------------3--

It's part of a Belakiss song called T-1000. They're a Hardcore/Metal (I'm sure you can tell by the tuning) band from Long Island, New York. The song can be found here:

http://www.myspace.com/belakiss

The part I'm trying to play begins at 1:14

I hope I'm doing this right!

Anyhow, thanks for any help, or advice you guys may be able to share with me!

Godbless.

EDIT:

I put this post in the "general instruction" forum instead of the "tab" forum, mainly because the post has to do with notation, and timing issues, not tabbing out a song. If the moderators feel the need to move/remove this thread, please do so. I don't mean to post in the wrong forum, if this is the the wrong forum section.

[AGCurry]

If you know what to play, the only reason to write it down is so others can read it too. Musical notation is a language, and language is pretty much useless if only one person knows it.

I would not be able to play the line based on your notation. Keep trying, and do concentrate on the rhythm aspects of it.

[Bruce Lindfield]

I agree that it's total waste of time "re-inventing the wheel" - we have a perfectly good system of notation - learn it and you will save time in the end!

There is no point in having a system that nobody else can read and which only gives you at most, half the information you need!!

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by D-gar gets gnar

I don't exactly understand timing yet, that's why I'm using o, and o# as markers; instead of quarter notes, whole notes, etc. I know timing is very important, but the 3/4, and 4/4 at the beggining of the measure throws me off!

It's much easier than you're making it seem - 3/4 just means you have 3 quarter notes in a bar and 4/4 means 4 quarter notes in a bar - or any subdivision of that - so 8 8th notes or mixture of quarter and 8th notes etc. etc.

Look at some written music and this particular concept is pretty easy to grasp..

[jadesmar]

Given that this is a metal band, and that they tune their instruments to C.

I would say the song is almost 100% definitely in C-minor.

Three flats in the key signature would be appropriate.

[jadesmar]

I also feel that you may have inadvertantly transcribed it up an octave.

The first C should probably be two ledger lines below the staff.

[Eli M.]

okay everyone, be nice! Although it seems some of the offending posts are gone already...

Anyway, back to the thread: D-gar, that's an admirable first attempt, some of the elements of standard notation are there. Of course it is incomplete - I'd say, look at a book on notation with some simple lines and the rhythmic/timing aspect will make sense pretty quickly.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by Eli Maniscalco

Of course it is incomplete - I'd say, look at a book on notation with some simple lines and the rhythmic/timing aspect will make sense pretty quickly.

Well - that's exactly what I was saying in my last post.

So the point is that you might as well get to know this as soon as possible, as otherwise you are not doing any better than Tab and are just producing an ambiguous result, without rhythm or key information.

[fcleff]

Originally Posted by D-gar gets gnar

So I'm trying to teach myself music theory, note reading, and all the good stuff...


I don't exactly understand timing yet, that's why I'm using o, and o# as markers; instead of quarter notes, whole notes, etc. I know timing is very important, but the 3/4, and 4/4 at the beggining of the measure throws me off!



I hope I'm doing this right!

Anyhow, thanks for any help, or advice you guys may be able to share with me!

Godbless.

EDIT:

I put this post in the "general instruction" forum instead of the "tab" forum, mainly because the post has to do with notation, and timing issues, not tabbing out a song. If the moderators feel the need to move/remove this thread, please do so. I don't mean to post in the wrong forum, if this is the the wrong forum section.

What I see when I read what you posted is nothing but Whole notes. So, no, you aren't doing it right. I think that it would be helpful if you understood how rhythm worked. Also know that an accidental (# or b) will be placed BEFORE the note it is altering and not after.

Start with 4/4 time and understand that a Whole-note is held for 4 beats. This Whole note can be subdivided into two Half-notes, which are held for a duration of two beats each. Half-notes can, in turn, be broken into quarter-notes, etc.

Then get a grasp of dotted rhythms and 3/4 time. The idea of subdividing is the same. You are just working with 3 beats in each bar rather than 4.

It would probably be helpful if you could find a teacher or a book on music fundamentals. You could also try and find a beginning bass method book. You would need to tune G-D-A-E (highest to lowest) in order to read most method books.

I hope that this helps some. Good luck and keep trying to understand this. I believe it will serve you well.

[steveb98]

There is a real good book that would help you ease into reading music and if you can read it you can write it. It's called Simplified Sight-Reading for Bass by Josquin des Pres. It mainly focuses on reading rhythms and has a play along CD with the first example of every page.

[spindizzy]

You might want to do an Internet search for online sight reading instructionals. This one is fairly good for laying the groundwork for both sight reading and theory www.musictheory.net .

I have seen a couple that include online tutorial tests that aid you in applying new sight reading knowledge immediately as you learn various levels.

If I find more I will post but several have been posted here before in previous threads. A search of TB for reading music, standard notation or sight reading for bass may yeild you additional resources.

As to your actual question...yes you are headed in the right direction just not close enough to there yet.