Italian and classical vocabulary

[robby2k56]

I'm 16 and just sitted my gcse music exam (english exams) and most of it was based on alot of western classical music.I surpisingly picked up alot of vocab and heard about some very good composers but do you reckon all the vocab while sitting the course would be any help to a bass player in the future?

[Rick Auricchio]

For those who don't read music, the sheet-music terms are generally meaningless.

Jazz players, most of whom read music, use some of the terms, and they understand the repeat structure on sheet music.

As a non-reader, it's far more useful for me to know the Roman-numeral chord nomenclature (which no doubt has a proper name). You know, I - IV - V and that type of thing. I'll often have someone call out "Go to the four!" or even give hand signals.

[olemah]

The answer would be.......it depends. Some bassists need it, some don't. Easy as that. But it can't hurt to know just a bit about the western classical tradition, as many other genres are inspired by this. Good to hear that you've learned someething from these classes!

[the-bass-man]

I personally use that way of reading music exclusively against anything else. being a classically-trained musician obviously influenced this, as if you were in an orchestra, you'd simply get lost quickly and risk standing out like a sore thumb.

Althoug, in the Big Band I play in, we work off of sheet music, so its useful again. OTOH, Big Band music doesn't have many Italian technical terms anyway...

I do wish I could work simply off of chord symbols, but alas I'm not that skilled, and I haven't had the time to learn.


P.S - it's always handy to have a musical dictionary with you, just in case you come across anything in sheet music you don't understand. I've been reading sheet music for over 10 years and I still keep finding new words!


Oliver

[Rick Auricchio]

Originally Posted by the-bass-man

I do wish I could work simply off of chord symbols, but alas I'm not that skilled, and I haven't had the time to learn.

We're the opposite there. I could decipher a written bass part if I had a couple of days, but I'm fine with a chord chart. Many chord charts, however, include passing chords. I scratch those out, keeping only the basic changes, because I know how to fill between them.

When playing a song I've not played before (sometimes never heard!), I can usually pick up the part by ear before we get to the bridge. (And in the bridge, I just hang on for dear life.)

It also helps tremendously to be able to "read" a guitarist's fretting hand.

[PJSShearer]

I would say it'll come in useful - it certainly did for me. I ended up working in the cabaret/show circuit where you are part of a band playing somebody else's charts and you are expected to be able to read and play "what's on the paper" - and the markings and expressions are often the same as used in "classical" music.

However, you need to be careful - I recall rehearsing a show with an Italian Lady Singer who wanted us to play the song we'd just finished "piano!!, piano!!" so we played the intro to the song again "piano" - quieter. She of course meant "piano" in the modern italian sense - take it easy, slow down.!!

Having a good ear and being able to eyeball a Guitarist's (or even a piano player's) left hand have are also useful skills to have, to be able to play from a chord chart is "taken as read" (sorry) if you are a bass player - anything you can pick up to increase your musical knowledge, skills and experience is useful - even if you later decide you don't need it!!.

[UncleBalsamic]

I think it could come in handy. It's a nice thing to know anyway.