Two Quick Questions

[silver bass]

1) OK so I've been trying to read standard notation for awhile now I just need to practice. Is there any sites with free easy sheet music out there?

2) I also want to learn to transcribe off of albums instead of just looking up the tabs like I've done been doing forever. If any one has any song suggestions with simple and easy to hear basslines that would be great.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by silver bass

1) OK so I've been trying to read standard notation for awhile now I just need to practice. Is there any sites with free easy sheet music out there?

2) I also want to learn to transcribe off of albums instead of just looking up the tabs like I've done been doing forever. If any one has any song suggestions with simple and easy to hear basslines that would be great.

Start transcribing rock 'n' roll lines. Due to there nature of depicting simple chord tones you will see how they work and recognise there structure and relation to how they sound. Blues will give you the same with some good variations. After that just develop your transcription to its logical conclussion in the areas you are interested in. This will change as you go along the more you learn the more you want, its like reading good books, you just seek them out. If you are not going to use a teacher to help you get some good notation software that allows you to
a/ write so you can see what you have written
b/play it back so you can see and hear what you have written.

This way you will learn to identify certain aspects of notation when you see it and know how to play it rhythmicly so all you do is add the pitches (notes). Remember notation gives you so much information, so if you can tap out the rhythm of any notation, then all you have to do is fill in the other side of it, the pitches of the notes.

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by Fergie Fulton

Remember notation gives you so much information, so if you can tap out the rhythm of any notation, then all you have to do is fill in the other side of it, the pitches of the notes.

Never thought about tapping out the rhythm - to get a feel for the song. I've always relied upon the vocals for that. Thanks I'll try that.

To read standard notation, my instructor had me using flash cards. When I could identify and verbalize the note in the same amount of time it took me to say my name - then and only then would I be ready to start reading and playing at the same time.

Bass clef is a little hard to find on the Internet, however, Google or your favorite search engine should be able to help you find sheet music.

Rust develops, so read music with and with out your instrument - keep some sheets of music in your brief case, by your easy chair, etc.

Good luck.

[Fergie Fulton]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

Never thought about tapping out the rhythm - to get a feel for the song. I've always relied upon the vocals for that. Thanks I'll try that.

To read standard notation, my instructor had me using flash cards. When I could identify and verbalize the note in the same amount of time it took me to say my name - then and only then would I be ready to start reading and playing at the same time.

Bass clef is a little hard to find on the Internet, however, Google or your favorite search engine should be able to help you find sheet music.

Rust develops, so read music with and with out your instrument - keep some sheets of music in your brief case, by your easy chair, etc.

Good luck.

Its a simple logical premise. Learn what they feel like, see the groups of notes like words if you will, because these groups will always re-occur in music, and when you see them you know how the feel.
So a phrase of mixed 16th and 8th notes for example, because you know how the feel you only have to work on the pitch. The time sig. will give you the reference to how they will be grouped and tied to form say a 4/4. The key sig will give you a reference to the pitches used.
Each tied group will be one beat as a rule, so they will be grouped to show this as a rule, but not always because of ties, rests and ornamentation. But it gives you the ability to look for similar phrases or groups with half the work done, leaving you free to concentrate on the pitch and relate that to the playing of it