High School band

Stingrayz · #1 08-12-2006, 09:30 PM

Hello all

This year, i enrolled in the High school band, and i plan on playing Bass for the band. anyone care to explain to me what role does the bass usually play in High school bands ? and do they teach you how to read music ? because i cant :P
and its just a regular high school band.. just wondering because im starting to get worried about the bass's role, and the whole reading music thing...

But i think i have a basic idea of theory if that counts for something.,

Thanks

tplyons · #2 08-12-2006, 09:39 PM

In a high school band, at least around here, it's assumed that you can read music going into it.

You're going to have to learn, they don't give you tabs in band.

tez- · #3 08-12-2006, 10:24 PM

Here, as was said, it's assumed you know how to read standard notation. And be prepared for your band director to tell you to turn down even when you're very low. =P

Nick Ioannucci · #4 08-12-2006, 11:04 PM

it depends what kind of music the director chooses, bass is incorporated into only some of the songs at my school. you will probably have to do the pit for marching band as well.

steveb98 · #5 08-12-2006, 11:48 PM

start working on your sight reading NOW! If you don't sight reading I hope your reading chord charts and creating bass lines on the spot is good. Some nice band directors will let you read off the guitar charts chord symbols.

Unless its a Jazz band you will probably be playing tuba parts transposed for bass guitar. If so it should be pretty easy lots of roots and fifths and occasional run. They might have some pop tunes and you'll get to play more familiar bass lines, but they will probably be written out.

You have a good opportunity to improve fast if you put the time in.

Stingrayz · #6 08-13-2006, 12:13 AM

Heyas,

Thanks for the replies all.. do you know any good sites or tricks on how to read music and chord charts ? I dont wanna get dropped from the class, im really excited.

Nick Ioannucci · #7 08-13-2006, 06:19 PM

get urself a super basic upright bass book, i used to have really silly ones in the 5th grade, and they had the notes written in them, so you could learn easily.

steveb98 · #8 08-13-2006, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingrayz

Heyas,

Thanks for the replies all.. do you know any good sites or tricks on how to read music and chord charts ? I dont wanna get dropped from the class, im really excited.

Jim Stinnett has good book for getting into reading check out his site.
http://www.jimstinnett.com/index_flash.html

As for chord charts that is a matter of know basic music theory so you know the notes and scales available. A simpie way to approach it might be to get a book on Walking Bass, most start with learning to walk using chord tones. Ed Friedland's book on Walking Bass is real popular.

bassfastpik · #9 08-13-2006, 09:20 PM

this is when you tell your band director to shut up and let you use tabs lol.

SundanceChile · #10 08-13-2006, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassfastpik

this is when you tell your band director to shut up and let you use tabs lol.

Which will also get you dropped from the class faster then you can say Fender.

Sight reading. That's all there is to it. If it's jazz band, sight reading and improv. Start hitting the woodshed...

KeithBMI · #11 08-13-2006, 11:06 PM

You usually hit the big chord changes and play what the tubas are. Reading is key.

Jazzin' · #12 08-13-2006, 11:14 PM

Yes being able to read is #1.

It is probably a highschool bigband, so you will be at first given a lot of boring charts for basslines. And eventually it will become fun and challenging as you and the band progress and are able to do more advanced tunes. The bass usually gets the easy stuff at the begining and the hardest stuff later on down the road.

Once you can sight read, you will then have to work on walking lines over chord changes which means you must understand chord theory. My highschool music teacher didn't give any input on walking so I had to figure it out on my own, which explains my poor walking.

Stingrayz · #13 08-15-2006, 08:38 PM

I was thinking that I can take the peice of Music home and really try to figure it out and kinda make it into tabs, and if that doesnt work i can ask if i can add my own bass line maybe ?

tplyons · #14 08-15-2006, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingrayz

I was thinking that I can take the peice of Music home and really try to figure it out and kinda make it into tabs, and if that doesnt work i can ask if i can add my own bass line maybe ?

This often will not work in a concert band situation where all parts are really intertwined within each other and any variation often results in trainwrecks. Changing one part is often more difficult than you can imagine, and even moreso in a large band situation.

There is a pyramid of sound, which basically says the bass frequencies need to be loudest to carry, therefore a lot of bands tend to favor being bass heavy, making improvisation even more difficult in such frequencies.

You're going to have to learn to read, one way or another.

My HS band dropped three bassists who couldn't read. I switched from alto/tenor sax to bass for a few songs because I *could* read.

steveb98 · #15 08-15-2006, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stingrayz

I was thinking that I can take the peice of Music home and really try to figure it out and kinda make it into tabs, and if that doesnt work i can ask if i can add my own bass line maybe ?

TAB is bad, no tab, tab bad.

Taking the charts home and working on them is good idea and typically what people do, but don't waste your time writing out tabs. Learn to read it is a necessary skill for the long haul.

Tab is only good for simple way to show a fingering for a passage with transcriptions. Don't try to use tab as a replacement for traditional notation. It may take a little longer to learn, but so much more can be done with it.

Gyoon · #16 08-16-2006, 08:33 AM

Nick, you learned the upright in the fifth grade? That's so cool!

Seriously, learn how to read. You have all the reason in the world to learn how to do it, and no reason in the world to avoid it.

If learning to read music was diffidult, unnecessary, beyond your abilities, the instructional material was unavailable or very expensive, takes forever, etc., then I say don't do it.

But it is not any of these things. Not even close. It will open up opportunites for yo, for the present and for the rest of your musical lifeu. Treat this high school band like a gig. A gig you want to keep.

I'm not sure how fine your teacher would be letting you come up with your own lines, particularly jazz lines. It's not as easy as it sounds.

There is a Mel Bay Bass Book written by someone named Roger Filliberto. It was from the 60's but is still in print today. I learned from this book and have recommended it to my students. Not because it is the best book in the world, or the most comprehensive. It will get you going on the right path. If you have absolutely no musical reading experience, this book presents all that stuff in a very accessible pace. There are others that people will chip in with. I'm sure that they are just as good.

bassist15 · #17 08-19-2006, 09:23 PM

I am a sophmore in high school and I'm now the bass palyer in my high school band. Last year they had another bassist. He was good . Mostly you jsut paly tuba parts. It acually really depends on what instruments your band already has. If they dont have many tuba's you'll prob play that too. Ive heard of bassists reading basson parts too. Your role will be to support and not much else. A humbling experience. At my school we have pit band , which is what we call it when we play at football and basketball games. The song for that are more older recognizable rock songs. Then Concert Band , this is regular band and you play the tuba parts. We Last year I was the bassist for Jazz band and this was my first experience reading bass clef music and play bass at the same time . (I before played the tenor sax which is in treble clef). At first I was really shaky , the director was a real cool guy who gave me ALOT of time to improve . By the middle of the year I was getting it more and more. This summer I kept workin on the music I already had. Now the director of the whole band asked me to start playing bass just like the guy who had graduated did. WE had our first football game last night , I played sax . The director said we werent gonna bring down the bass and drumset down the first game so Ive got another week or so till I make my debut.