PROS & CONS OF Reading Vs. Improvisation on the Electric Bass

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

TOPIC: PROS & CONS of READING vs. Improvisation on Electric Bass AND Music Educators..What do you think about this?

1-What is the Background Story of Improvisation on the Electric Bass.?

2-How Meaningful is: READING on the Electric Bass?

3-PROS & CONS. of Reading Vs. Improvisation on the Electric Bass.?

4) For Bass player musicians that play & perform and do this for a living...at clubs, concerts, restaurants, churches.....etc...
How Sensitive & Important do you consider these two Factors mentioned....

Music Educators: What do you think about these four questions...perhaps I am missing some key point questions..?

Thanks.

[Kwesi]

There are hardly any considerable cons to being well educated - musically or otherwise.

Also, wrong forum.

[chadds]

Reading allows you to play through reading any form of music that is written.

Improvisation is the ability to create in real time music that is "in concert" with other players or solo. It requires experience with your instrument and hearing lots of music. The more varied the better. Not that you're repeating riffs you've heard and rearranging. Audiences figure that out quick. You listen so you aren't limited by your own belief in what's possible.

Perhaps you may want to compare having a good ear to reading.

[dvh]

The ability to read means you are that much more musically informed and can therefore improvise with that much more knowledge and awareness...

[bassybill]

This is kind of like asking what are the pros and cons of reading a book compared to having a conversation. Or cooking an omelette compared to catching a train to work.

[Snarf]

There are no cons.

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by bassybill

This is kind of like asking what are the pros and cons of reading a book compared to having a conversation. Or cooking an omelette compared to catching a train to work.

I wanted to make this exact point in my post but nixed it because I couldn't word it as succinctly as Bill, here. Nailed it, man. The whole idea of comparing the two as if they're in opposition to each other is ridiculous.

[interp]

Originally Posted by dvh

The ability to read means you are that much more musically informed and can therefore improvise with that much more knowledge and awareness...

Not necessarily true. My mother, a pianist, is 86 years old, has been playing for 80 years, and can flawlessly sight read virtually any piece of music you put in front of her. She has zero ability to improvise. When I asked her what are the three notes in a major triad in the key of C, she had no idea what I was talking about.

[TheBasicBassist]

Hey Bassplayers4him, here's my take on it:

1.) There was improvisation before, and after the electric bass; I, personally, think that looking at some great improvisers may be more important than (specifically) looking at some great electric bass improvisers.

2.) As with my previous statement, reading is equally important on any instrument, though I suppose the emphasis placed on it differs depending on the genre: most gospel cats play by ear (and KILL it,) whereas if you're a theatre musicians you'll have to have great sight reading chops (though there is some room, imo, to improvise.)

3.) There are, in my opinion, no cons to being a great reader or improviser, but there are certainly cons to disregarding one completely in order to excel at another.

4.) I'd say that for bass players that do play music for a living, that reading is EXTREMELY important, but so is having a good ear, and being able to "jam." Right now, I'm in the process of auditioning for the Army band where I'll be doing a TON of reading, but I'll also have to be able to improvise well through chord changes, and off of melodies in styles ranging from pop, latin, and funk, to straight ahead jazz.

I hope this helps, because one really isn't more important than the other. They both really build on each other and being, at the very least, competent at both will land you many more gigs than you'd think.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by dvh

The ability to read means you are that much more musically informed and can therefore improvise with that much more knowledge and awareness...

Its the ability to interprete the information, so it is the brain that does that. Remember reading is just a function, it is not the whole picture, it is just an option for the brain to gather information and then order it for use, the same as listening is.
If it is all about reading, transcribing, etc in preference to listening, it's the quality of the information recieved by the brain. I will give two perfect examples...Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder.

It was not only how and what they learned, but the way they interpreted it into some of the best and most recognised songs and melodies ever written?

I have worked with a number of blind artists and they always amaze me with their abilites in music because it harnesses the ability to hear and play. Blind children are the same because sound is one of their main interactions with the world around them.
Our brain gets a raw deal in music a lot of the time, but we are what we think we are, and what we play is a result of what we think.

In answer to the two questions

1-What is the Background Story of Improvisation on the Electric Bass.?

2-How Meaningful is: READING on the Electric Bass?

Again it is our thinking that will dictate the worth of both develop the skill to carry each one out.

Improve your playing by improving your thinking, then watch the physical skills develop to cope with the thinking.
It should always be the brain leads..... techniques follow.

[Bassmanbob]

To add to those who are in favor of learning to read music, I'll say this:

No matter how good a bass player you are learning by ear alone, you would have been better had you also learned to read music.

Hands down. No questions asked. Do not pass, "Go." Do not collect $200.

Learning how to read music is like learning how to read literature. A child can be taught to speak without learning to read. But teaching the child to read gives him or her the opportunity to improve his or her speech exponentially.

[Russell L]

Originally Posted by dvh

The ability to read means you are that much more musically informed and can therefore improvise with that much more knowledge and awareness...

Bam!!! +1000!!!

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

Originally Posted by TheBasicBassist

Hey Bassplayers4him, here's my take on it:

1.) There was improvisation before, and after the electric bass; I, personally, think that looking at some great improvisers may be more important than (specifically) looking at some great electric bass improvisers.

2.) As with my previous statement, reading is equally important on any instrument, though I suppose the emphasis placed on it differs depending on the genre: most gospel cats play by ear (and KILL it,) whereas if you're a theatre musicians you'll have to have great sight reading chops (though there is some room, imo, to improvise.)

3.) There are, in my opinion, no cons to being a great reader or improviser, but there are certainly cons to disregarding one completely in order to excel at another.

4.) I'd say that for bass players that do play music for a living, that reading is EXTREMELY important, but so is having a good ear, and being able to "jam." Right now, I'm in the process of auditioning for the Army band where I'll be doing a TON of reading, but I'll also have to be able to improvise well through chord changes, and off of melodies in styles ranging from pop, latin, and funk, to straight ahead jazz.

I hope this helps, because one really isn't more important than the other. They both really build on each other and being, at the very least, competent at both will land you many more gigs than you'd think.

This is a Great and Good explanation.

Thanks.

I have noticed and have friends who are Good readers, but lack and have difficulties when it comes to improvising...
I wonder and ask myself How and Why is this Possible?

Please reply back. Thanks

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

There are hardly any considerable cons to being well educated - musically or otherwise.

Also, wrong forum.

Got it friend..!
Thanks

[thudfromafar]

Hi.

For bass, here's my opinion. Most players wont be playing classical OR jazz pickup gigs. So, reading skills are not nearly as important as improvisation.

They are both important but improv is much more important in terms of being able to play with others. Most music groups dont read music.

It's still a useful skill to learn, and theres not much downside to learning how to read except that it takes a -little- bit of time and effort, and most bass players wont get into situations where they'll need it.

Being a classical or jazz working musician is a diff story but most bass players arent those things.

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Its the ability to interprete the information, so it is the brain that does that. Remember reading is just a function, it is not the whole picture, it is just an option for the brain to gather information and then order it for use, the same as listening is.
If it is all about reading, transcribing, etc in preference to listening, it's the quality of the information recieved by the brain. I will give two perfect examples...Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder.

It was not only how and what they learned, but the way they interpreted it into some of the best and most recognised songs and melodies ever written?

I have worked with a number of blind artists and they always amaze me with their abilites in music because it harnesses the ability to hear and play. Blind children are the same because sound is one of their main interactions with the world around them.
Our brain gets a raw deal in music a lot of the time, but we are what we think we are, and what we play is a result of what we think.

In answer to the two questions


Again it is our thinking that will dictate the worth of both develop the skill to carry each one out.

Improve your playing by improving your thinking, then watch the physical skills develop to cope with the thinking.
It should always be the brain leads..... techniques follow.

Thank you for information, it's very helpful.

[TheBasicBassist]

Originally Posted by BASSPLAYERS4HIM

This is a Great and Good explanation.

Thanks.

I have noticed and have friends who are Good readers, but lack and have difficulties when it comes to improvising...
I wonder and ask myself How and Why is this Possible?

Please reply back. Thanks

A lot of my students, when first coming to me don't realize that improvising requires practice (I don't know if they figure that they can just "recycle" the material that they read or..,) and on top of that a lot of teachers don't know how to teach improvisation. I've been lucky enough to study with a handful of NYC's most gifted.

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

Originally Posted by thudfromafar

Hi.

For bass, here's my opinion. Most players wont be playing classical OR jazz pickup gigs. So, reading skills are not nearly as important as improvisation.

They are both important but improv is much more important in terms of being able to play with others. Most music groups dont read music.

It's still a useful skill to learn, and theres not much downside to learning how to read except that it takes a -little- bit of time and effort, and most bass players wont get into situations where they'll need it.

Being a classical or jazz working musician is a diff story but most bass players arent those things.

What about the jazz players...don't they start through a classical pattern that requires reading then?

Thanks
Pm

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

Originally Posted by dvh

The ability to read means you are that much more musically informed and can therefore improvise with that much more knowledge and awareness...

I am sorry but I have not read Victor Wooten's book.....Does he know how to read....?

[BASSPLAYERS4HIM]

Originally Posted by TheBasicBassist

A lot of my students, when first coming to me don't realize that improvising requires practice (I don't know if they figure that they can just "recycle" the material that they read or..,) and on top of that a lot of teachers don't know how to teach improvisation. I've been lucky enough to study with a handful of NYC's most gifted.

I loved your explanation, thank you sir.