Fastest/ easiest way to learn how to read...

[Terracite]

I only gave about 10 minutes a day to Ed Friedlands Fast Track#1 -my brain turns to cottage cheese in a hurry when learning new things- but I got through it in 2 months and feel like twice the bassist for having done it. (Yay, double mediocre!)

Before, I could kinda figure out what notes were what frets and what notes are where on the staff. Now I KNOW.

Book one only covers the first 5 frets. But for the cost of a magazine this is good stuff.

Updated shopping list of self improvement products:
1.Deoderant
2.Thighmaster
3.Fast Track Bass book #2

 

[Snarf]

I've been playn bass for 3 years I wanna learn how to read.. What's the fastest and easy way to do this?? I can't afford teacher.. Do I make flash cards?? What do you guys reccomend??

There is no fast or easy way. You just do it, all the time. That's the only way to get better at it.

Diversify your reading material. Get some Bach books. I like the Well Tempered Clavier for this. Read the left hand parts. Also, I suggest getting any Carol Kaye you can find, and also Anthony Vitti's reading books.

 

[pbass888]

http://www.practicesightreading.com/

totally awesome resource for rhythm recognition

thank you just discovered this thanks to your post! much appreciated

 

[MixBass]

Yep, as said by more than one, 10-15 mins a day. A few other things that worked for me:
read anything you can get your hands on, if you always read the same book you start to memorize it even if you're not aware of it.
Also I read the Louis Bellson/Breines rhythm book in 4/4. GREAT stuff where you will see a rhythmic figure all over the bar and begin to recognize it and know it. Once you get to that point you can focus most of your attention on pitch. It's a great book for when you're doing the morning office work, if you get my drift.

 

[dogofgod]

from someone who made it through the rigors of jazz band from middle school through high school...reading is imperative to play highly structured bass lines that work in a complimentary band setting, on the fly. complete immersion in reading for at least an hour a day is a good place to start. by knowing how to read it will help in all the other aspects of your playing.

 

[christoph h.]

Simply do it everyday.

I think you should start learning to read WITHOUT a metronome. The first steps are about note and rhythm recognition, not about "nailing it under pressure".

LATER, when you can read at an "OK" level, you can use a metronome and force you to go on and work on the speed of your reading. (set the speed so that you can get at least 80-90% right).

 

[sammyp]

lot's of great advise here ....i would add this: spend time just clapping or tapping rhythms from notation while apart from your bass........a book of snare etudes is great for this!