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Help with (re)learning how to sight read music

bherman

bherman

Gold Supporting Member
Apr 30, 2009
5,702
9,086
Grand Junction, CO
#1
Hi all - I am a returning bass player, after a 20+ year hiatus. Used to be very proficient at sight reading (both electric and string bass classical method) and knew my chord structures and theory pretty well - have started playing again (about 3 months in) and am doing pretty well in my playing ability and getting my ear back, but am appalled at how much I have forgotten and my near-total inability to read music. I've purchased a few books to try and learn but not sure that I am taking the right approach. For example, I have the "standing in shadows of motown" book and don't have too much trouble playing the parts but find the sight-reading very difficult if not impossible at this stage, especially the rythym.

My question is, should I be starting over with a very basic-level instruction book? If so, what can you all recommend for a reasonably proficient player who can no longer read!

I feel kind of what it must be like to stop reading books for 25 years, then to find out that I can still speak english but no longer read it.

I appreciate any suggestions. As a returning newbie, this forum has been a godsend and I thank all of you that participate!
 
#2
Patients!! patients !! patients!! I started playing music around 1963. I have seen many players come and go. Many that have come back remember how good they used to be (and how good their old band was) and get very frustrated that they did not come back to where they left off. My recommendation is just keep doing it. Lessons get you there a bit faster. A good instructor can be a big help bringing you back. Good luck and welcome back.

YMMV
 
#3
The Motown book is one heck of a challenging read purely because of the rhythms. I've just started working through it as well and it's got me tapping and counting one bar at time. Reading has always been my weak point but over the last six months or so it's been improving with the combination of trombone and cello method books. They're not rhythmically challenging but have helped me with reading a constant flow of 8th and 16th notes so I'm learning to recognize the notes immediatly. I've also got some Aebersold play along stuff for trombone, which has backing tracks for standards and the melodies written out in bass clef, which provides a little syncopated reading.

My sight reading is not yet at a level where I can offer much advice aside from reading slowly and not worrying about tempo when looking at something the first few times, then gradually speeding up.
 
#4
believe it or not, sight reading isn't like riding a bicycle ;) you can, and will, forget it if you don't do it regularly. as a matter of fact, i need to get back into it a little harder. i read a lot on my gigs and do a pretty good job sight reading, but the harder stuff does throw me more than it used to.

anyway, quit being so hard on yourself and realize you're going to have to rebuild your sight reading skills and it will take time and effort. it'll happen, though. just take it easy and don't get impatient.
 
#5
bherman said:
Hi all - I am a returning bass player, after a 20+ year hiatus. Used to be very proficient at sight reading (both electric and string bass classical method) and knew my chord structures and theory pretty well - have started playing again (about 3 months in) and am doing pretty well in my playing ability and getting my ear back, but am appalled at how much I have forgotten and my near-total inability to read music. I've purchased a few books to try and learn but not sure that I am taking the right approach. For example, I have the "standing in shadows of motown" book and don't have too much trouble playing the parts but find the sight-reading very difficult if not impossible at this stage, especially the rythym.

My question is, should I be starting over with a very basic-level instruction book? If so, what can you all recommend for a reasonably proficient player who can no longer read!

I feel kind of what it must be like to stop reading books for 25 years, then to find out that I can still speak english but no longer read it.

I appreciate any suggestions. As a returning newbie, this forum has been a godsend and I thank all of you that participate!
Click to expand...

A very famous person offers this advice. Tap out the rythm of the line you are working on, until you have ithe rythm internalized. Then play the notes OUT OF TIME until they fall under your fingers. Then slowly with no metronome put the two together while tapping your foot, out of time if need be but coordinate the fingers to the foot tap.

I have done that, as a mere mortal I also have a lot of sheet music just out of sight reading ability that I read regularly to hone up the reading chops, just take it slowly.
 
#7
bherman said:
Thanks for the replies - all helpful perspectives! Any recommendations on easier books for reading to get me started - I realize now that the motown book was not a good choice from the get-go.
Click to expand...

Try "reading contemporary electric bass" by Rich Appleman. It's main focus is rhythms and starts out simple then progressively get more complex.
 
#8
bherman said:
Thanks for the replies - all helpful perspectives! Any recommendations on easier books for reading to get me started - I realize now that the motown book was not a good choice from the get-go.
Click to expand...
i might disagree with you there. find some of the easier tunes in there to start out with. you don't have to start with bernadette ;)
 
#10
bherman said:
Hi all - I am a returning bass player, after a 20+ year hiatus. Used to be very proficient at sight reading (both electric and string bass classical method) and knew my chord structures and theory pretty well - have started playing again (about 3 months in) and am doing pretty well in my playing ability and getting my ear back, but am appalled at how much I have forgotten and my near-total inability to read music. I've purchased a few books to try and learn but not sure that I am taking the right approach. For example, I have the "standing in shadows of motown" book and don't have too much trouble playing the parts but find the sight-reading very difficult if not impossible at this stage, especially the rythym.

My question is, should I be starting over with a very basic-level instruction book? If so, what can you all recommend for a reasonably proficient player who can no longer read!

I feel kind of what it must be like to stop reading books for 25 years, then to find out that I can still speak english but no longer read it.

I appreciate any suggestions. As a returning newbie, this forum has been a godsend and I thank all of you that participate!
Click to expand...

Hey bherman,

a suggestion would be for you to take a look at "Slap It! Funk Studies for the Electric Bass by Tony Oppenheim". It helped me a lot with my reading.

there´s also an MI book that is very simple and costs less than 10 dollars, but it may help. "Music Reading for Bass - The Complete Guide (Essential Concepts)".

That SITSOM book you´re reading is great. There´s an exercise at the beginning of the book, after the story part (Igor´s Exercise, or sth like that, I can´t quite remember it right now), that could be a nice start. And as JimmyM wrote, there are some easier tunes that you can definitely start out with.

You can also try to read a little bit of the real books and fake books, that wouldn´t harm :)

I have some stuff at home. If you want, send me a PM and I´ll see what I can send you.

good luck and happy to know you´re back playing bass.
 

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