Learning to read music: try this?

[Rockin John]

I bought my self the following book:-

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: are you experienced?

ISBN 0-7119-3654-4

Essentially the book is written for bands wanting to play Hendrix numbers. It's written for a 3 piece so has the guitar, drum and bass parts as TAB and as standard notation.

Whilst I like Hendrix, playing his stuff isn't my intention. I bought it (£16.99, UK price) because I hope it can help me learn to read music by using the written bass lines, then (later) play I them to the record.

Perhaps not the purist's method but it seems to be working for me.

Cheers.

John

[dlloyd]

Originally Posted by Rockin John

I bought my self the following book:-

The Jimi Hendrix Experience: are you experienced?

ISBN 0-7119-3654-4

Essentially the book is written for bands wanting to play Hendrix numbers. It's written for a 3 piece so has the guitar, drum and bass parts as TAB and as standard notation.

Whilst I like Hendrix, playing his stuff isn't my intention. I bought it (£16.99, UK price) because I hope it can help me learn to read music by using the written bass lines, then (later) play I them to the record.

Perhaps not the purist's method but it seems to be working for me.

Cheers.

John

Tape paper over the tab if you're trying to learn to read.

[jeff schmidt]

Originally Posted by dlloyd

Tape paper over the tab if you're trying to learn to read.

word.

[5stringDNA]

Yah, good idea. My old bass teacher patented a thing called "tab-blockers". It is a magnetic sheet that goes behind the page and has standard tab sized strips that stick over the tab- it was a cool little thing. Last I heard he was looking for a distrubitor to produce them en masse'.

[Rockin John]

Yes. Thanks guys.

Funnily enough, I've never used TAB. I hate it and when I'm using the Hendrix book I simply ignore it.

Today at my dealer I bought another book that is different but equally useful for my learning, IMHO.

This is a Cello practice book. As cello is also written on the bass staff it's ideal. There are 66 well known short tunes of 30-ish bars, and it covers all sorts: traditional, Bob Dyan, Gershhwin, Bach. There's Pink Panther, Star Wars, etc, etc, plus arpeggios, pentatonic scales, harmonics, intervals, etc, etc. There are short pieces for an ensamble where the BG (in this case) could play the melody or the actual DB part, some with piano accompanyment.

It's all written in a friendly way with hints and tips ay you go along.

Team Strings 2, Cello. Pub International Music Publications Ltd. ISBN 1-84326-220-8. It cost me just £5.99. Brill, IMHO.

I kid you all not, this will turn out to be one of the best £5.99s I've ever spent.

John

[sedgdog]

Cello music is excellent. If you enjoy it also check out trombone music. Try "Melodious Etudes for Trombone". There is I,II,III, & an Introductory book also. Try the Introductory book first. In the Introductory book each Etude is only 8 measures long so you'll have 60+ little songs to work on. I like them a lot because you are actually working a melodic phrase so its very good for your ear too plus different keys, rhythmic patterns. It will also work your middle and upper register also.

All the best,
Tim

[Jace The Bass]

Originally Posted by sedgdog

Cello music is excellent. If you enjoy it also check out trombone music. Try "Melodious Etudes for Trombone". There is I,II,III, & an Introductory book also. Try the Introductory book first. In the Introductory book each Etude is only 8 measures long so you'll have 60+ little songs to work on. I like them a lot because you are actually working a melodic phrase so its very good for your ear too plus different keys, rhythmic patterns. It will also work your middle and upper register also.

All the best,
Tim

If you want to you could even buy some saxophone books
O.K It's in treble but nothings stoppin you from reading it as if it was in bass clef
Theyré pretty cheap too with loads of good reading material
Anyway you could always transpose everything down a minor third if you want the exact pitch written in Bass
But youré on the right track though

Good Luck and Happy Practicing

[metalguy2]

I agree.. Reading treble is just as useful as reading bass clef material.. What if some dude throws a treble clef sheet at you in a recording studio.... and says. "Read from this"

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!

[steve66]

Originally Posted by metalguy2

I agree.. Reading treble is just as useful as reading bass clef material.. What if some dude throws a treble clef sheet at you in a recording studio.... and says. "Read from this"

DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNN!

good point +1