sight reading: got the book, now what

[Hellsgamerz]

I've been wanting to learn how to read standard notation for a while now, and I've had a copy of Note Reading Studies for Bass lying around.

Now, my problem is: if I start with it, I'd think of the notes as being 'this string, this fret'. Somehow this seems wrong because you can find the same note on several places on the neck.

I *think* I should think of the notes as how they relate to something (I just don't know what, the key perhaps?), but I'm not sure. Can anybody help me?

[Tash]

Don't worry too much about that. First get "This line equals this note in your head". Go through excercises not only playing the lines, but singing them as well, this will help you visualize each written note as a pitch with a certain name, not just a space on the fingerboard.

Then move your hand around and try out the excercises in different positions.

[burntgorilla]

Well, you can play the same note in different positions. There's only two places for E on the bass clef, but four below the twelve fret, so you need to guess it a bit.

[Tash]

Guess has nothing to do with it, you need to learn the fingerboard to the point that you know where the Es are, etc. After a while you will gravitate towards spots that are the most comfortable and sound the best for each given tune.