Sites for reading Music???

iplaybassguitar · #1 10-13-2006, 06:24 PM

i already know how to read music...as far as the rules and knowledge goes...i just want more practice, but dont have any sheet music to practice on...does anyone here know of any good sites with maybe some jazz bass solos or walking lines or anything really...written in standard notation...that i could look at just for practice?

thanks

Bassist4Life · #2 10-13-2006, 07:51 PM

http://www.lucaspickford.com/transbass.htm

Enjoy,
Joe

Bassist4Life · #3 10-13-2006, 07:52 PM

This is one of my favorites. I love the way this website it setup. You can hear the music while looking at the transcription!

http://www.jazztrumpetsolos.com/

Joe

iplaybassguitar · #4 10-16-2006, 01:05 PM

thank you both.

thats exactly what i was looking for...if anyone else knows of any more though, feel free to keep suggesting

u2Fletch · #5 10-18-2006, 10:29 AM

You may want to check out a program called Smartmusic Studio. (www,smartmusic.com) It has a bunch of jazz standards (among lots of other stuff) with the music on screen. You can view the actual bass transcription, or just the lead sheet, etc. The music that accompanies you is also not MIDI, but very high quality audio that you can adjust tempo to wherever your ability allows. If you really want to work on your technique, you can check out the whole Suszuki string program books that it contains. Play all the cello and bass stuff and you'll be a bass wizard!

The download is free (500 megs!) and to unlock the complete library of music involves a subscription. For a student you can get it for $25 a year.

I originally used this program with my clarinet playing. It has hundreds of exercises that you can use with any instrument, scales, arpeggioes, "twisters" that you can play in any key. If you plug in a mic, or an aux out from your bass, it will listen to you and show you the wrong notes.

This program is fairly new, and they keep expanding the music catalogs, so I think it is definitely worth checking out. Guys I play with are generally shocked when they find out I've only been playing bass for about a year. I give a lot of credit to this software. It really motivates you to practice because it is like having your own band on call.

Hope this helps,

Jeff

iplaybassguitar · #6 10-18-2006, 01:41 PM

you said to get the complete library is 25 a year or something...does that mean you can get and use a limited version for free?

u2Fletch · #7 10-18-2006, 09:12 PM

Yes, the download has a very limited selection of exercises, songs, and music on screen samples. Everything else is fully functional. It has a very nice tuner built in as well. Basically, you get enough to evaluate how the program works, and then decide whether you need to unlock the whole library. The free download never expires, so you can use it for as long as you like.

Oh, it also works with Finale software. If you have a song written in Finale, you can import the song into Smartmusic and it will play just like all the other library pieces.

Jeff

steveb98 · #8 10-23-2006, 12:14 AM

The thing that is tough for most is getting used to reading rhythms. The classic book for decades is "Modern Reading Text in 4/4" by Louis Bellson. It is a book of rhythm reading exercise of increasing difficulty.

Now what I do to make it fun is put on a CD of some band or musician you like and clap the rhythm in the book to the CD. It force you to keep up with the tempo, and also playing one rhythm against another. Also you have to start putting the music's feel to the rhythms. I was using it this weekend to some Victor Wooten tunes. I was having to clap the Bellson book with a swing 16th feel.

Toneonbass · #9 10-23-2006, 08:48 PM

I have been studing "standing in the shadows of motown" Jamerson
songs. figure the best way is to get my feet wet. of course I have guidence from a teacher and cheat sheets, etc...