Playing Bass Clef?

[wesman2232]

Hi everyone I'm new to the forum but I'm sure I will visit this site alot, so expect me to be on everyday xD (This will be the 5th forum I check everyday :P)

I was just wondering : How do I play bass clef?
I got my bass for Christmas last year, I started playing cause my friend was forming a band and he needed a bassist :P

Before I started playing bass, I have played Alto Saxophone for about 5 years now, and as you know it plays Treble Clef. Now I'm trying to play Bass Clef and I have no idea how to do anything with it D: (I have to use tab T_T)

Is there some easy way or something to learn on how to play Bass Clef? I need help cause I'm only used to Treble Clef :P Thanks for helping

[Dave Muscato]

Middle C is one ledger line above the bass clef (that is, it's right between the treble and bass clefs).

[Dave Muscato]

Here's an older thread with some more info:

Reading the bass clef.

Mostly, it's just practice!

http://teoria.com/exercises/read.htm

[wesman2232]

cool, I believe I can learn Bass Clef after a bit of practice I just wanted to know if there is an easier way to transverse the 2 Clefs :P

[Dave Muscato]

Welcome to Talkbass, by the way! lol

One way to remember it (although this might be harder than just drilling) is to notice that treble and bass clefs are one "off" from one another. In other words, the second space on the treble clef is A, but the first space on the bass clef is A. You can remember it by thinking of the bass as one lower than the guitar, if that helps

I think it's better to just drill until you don't need to use a memory trick. Memory tricks like "Every good boy does fine" or "Good boys do fine always" etc can slow you down, in my experience, versus just memorizing. But, whatever works for ya.

[E2daGGurl]

Yeah - the one-off thing means that, basically, you have to relearn the bass clef - but the principles are exactly the same.

If you google bass clef games, some cool things come up to help you memorize.

[wesman2232]

Thanks
thanks for the tip also, I was noticing that when I was looking through some of the sites in the other thread.
I learned the 2 memory tricks, but I dont use them anymore since I can sight read Treble :P

Ill just have to practice, I especially like the part where bass clef is just 1 down from Treble lol.

Thanks for the help
and thanks to you too E2daGGurl you just posted before I posted this one :P

[Dave Muscato]

Here's a great exercise, courtesy of the Garius Willis illius

http://garywillis.com/pages/lessons/read.html

[Stumbo]

Simple bass clef note memory trainer
http://courses.wcupa.edu/frichmon/us...s/bcnotes.html

[fretlessman71]

Just remember: Great Britain Doesn't Fool Around, and All Cars Eat Gas.

[wesman2232]

lol thanks fretless thats a new one for that. Thats 3 ones I have heard for that :P

I can already read Bass Clef music now thanks to it being 1 space/line down from Treble, the only problem will be me playing the notes :P

Thanks for all your help guys