Purpose of sheet music

[waveofthinking]

For the past couple years i've been learning music by transcribing the Cd and have never had any experience in the use of sheet music. I wanted to know if I'm missing out on anything because of my unfamiliarity with sheet music, especially Jazz. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[elgecko]

Sheet music lets you know exactly what what the writer wants you to play. With sheet music, you can gather a room full of musicians who have never met and may not even speak the same language, plop down some music, and instantly start making music without having to teach this person that one part or waiting for that person to memorize their part. Reading music can teach you about bass playing (i.e. how to handle certain chord progressions, how to play certain rhythms/styles, etc) and can open up lots of opportunities.

 

[elgecko]

...I'm guessing you're actually "learning by ear" (i.e. playing what you hear on CD). "Transcribing" means you're writing down what you hear on the CD. In essence, writing "sheet music" for the bass part.

 

[lowfreq33]

Audio recordings have only been around for about 200 years or so I think? Before that the only way to learn a song was from written music.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

For the past couple years i've been learning music by transcribing the Cd and have never had any experience in the use of sheet music. I wanted to know if I'm missing out on anything because of my unfamiliarity with sheet music, especially Jazz. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

IMO you are doing it the hard way. Transcribing takes a lot more skills than playing from sheet music.

With sheet music the song writer has already worked out how everything should fit together, i.e. melody, harmony and rhythm. All you have to do is read, and then play, what has been written.

IMO, yes, you are missing an opportunity and trying to play the hard way.

Now finding bass clef sheet music on Pop, Rock and Country is not that easy as most of the sheet music musicians pass among themselves, on this style of music, is fake chord or lead sheet, neither of which show the bass clef. So you are left with transcribing note for note how some bassist played the song. And then making your own sheet music from your transcribing. OR...........

........... Fake chord and lead sheet music will give you the chords used in the song all you have to do is learn how to take those chord names into your bass line. See a Cmaj7 chord and know if you play the R-3-5-7 notes of the C major scale you've played the notes of the Cmaj7 chord. Most of the time you probably will only need the R and the 5, but that's another story best done in another post/string.

Good luck.

 

[mambo4]

. I wanted to know if I'm missing out on anything because of my unfamiliarity with sheet music, especially Jazz.

There is no downside to learning notation.

Jazz in particular requires understanding of the underlying theory of the notes being played. I f you are simply parroting the recording, with no awareness of the notes, chords, and harmonic function taking place, then you are missing a great deal.

You can learn the relationships used jazz without being able to read notation, but understanding notation makes certain confusing aspects of theory very clear and easy to see.

 

[Vince Waldon]

If you subscribe to Mr. Wooten's theory of music as language... with the actual "note" only being 1/10 of the language... then sheet music is where you get to see the most descriptive view of what the music's composer had in mind when he/she wrote the "music".

The notes, (often) the chords, the tempo, where to speed up, where to slow down, where to get softer, where to get louder, where to wait with everyone else... the complete picture.

 

[waveofthinking]

Sheet music lets you know exactly what what the writer wants you to play....Reading music can teach you about bass playing (i.e. how to handle certain chord progressions, how to play certain rhythms/styles, etc) and can open up lots of opportunities.

I never thought of it this way.

...I'm guessing you're actually "learning by ear" (i.e. playing what you hear on CD). "Transcribing" means you're writing down what you hear on the CD. In essence, writing "sheet music" for the bass part.

Thanks for pointing that out

Audio recordings have only been around for about 200 years or so I think? Before that the only way to learn a song was from written music.

True!

........... Fake chord and lead sheet music will give you the chords used in the song all you have to do is learn how to take those chord names into your bass line. See a Cmaj7 chord and know if you play the R-3-5-7 notes of the C major scale you've played the notes of the Cmaj7 chord. Most of the time you probably will only need the R and the 5, but that's another story best done in another post/string.

Good luck.

Great explanation, thanks!

. I f you are simply parroting the recording, with no awareness of the notes, chords, and harmonic function taking place, then you are missing a great deal.

That’s kinda scary!

If you subscribe to Mr. Wooten's theory of music as language... with the actual "note" only being 1/10 of the language... then sheet music is where you get to see the most descriptive view of what the music's composer had in mind when he/she wrote the "music".

The notes, (often) the chords, the tempo, where to speed up, where to slow down, where to get softer, where to get louder, where to wait with everyone else... the complete picture. bassist:

Im going to keep my eyes and ears open for this, Thanks!



Thanks everyone for your input, I have learned a great deal of information.

 

[Rotation]

Audio recordings have only been around for about 200 years or so I think? Before that the only way to learn a song was from written music.

People have been making music for thousands of years. Over most of that time, they learned by imitating others. This will always be a perfectly valid way to learn.

Whether learning only by ear is the best way for a player to reach his or her goals is another matter.

IMHO mambo4 pretty much nailed it: learning to read has little downside and plenty of upside.

 

[bass_study]

If you playing in seesion or in a big band, they throw you the chart and you have to play it.

i think the sight reading ability can open more job opportunities for you.

But learning by ear, in some sense, has its advantage over reading music. You learn the articulations and feeling and you are forced to listen more carefully to the players. At the end, music is sound, not notation.

 

[Stumbo]

Here are a few links you may want to check out:

Beginner's Bass Clef tips
1 Learning
Downloadable read "bass clef" software
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
print bass clef flashcards/staff paper
Intro to transcribing
{url=www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/bass-clef-fretboard-notes/bass-clef-notes-fretboard.pdf}Note: paste web address to your search bar to Download this cool doc: clef to fretboard translation. Memorize this!
2
Improving
Practicing
Sight reading source material
Beginner's Bass Clef tips
Transcribe/read transcriptions free online

 

[waveofthinking]

learning to read has little downside and plenty of upside.

I agree , thanks!

But learning by ear, in some sense, has its advantage over reading music. You learn the articulations and feeling and you are forced to listen more carefully to the players.

I like this!

Here are a few links you may want to check out:

Beginner's Bass Clef tips
1 Learning
Downloadable read "bass clef" software
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
print bass clef flashcards/staff paper
Intro to transcribing
{url=www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/bass-clef-fretboard-notes/bass-clef-notes-fretboard.pdf}Note: paste web address to your search bar to Download this cool doc: clef to fretboard translation. Memorize this!
2
Improving
Practicing
Sight reading source material
Beginner's Bass Clef tips
Transcribe/read transcriptions free online

Thanks for the links on reading notation!