Rhythmic Reading Practice Video

[RCMJ Bass]

I've uploaded a new video as part of my continuing mission to help bass players learn to read rhythmic notation. There will be more to follow so please come and subscribe if you think you'll find it useful.
This latest video contains most of the basic 8th note rhythmic patterns (at least in terms of placement) you can get across two beats, with each pattern repeated twice.
I've used a pick, which might also help some folks get basic picking patterns together in terms of up and down strokes, but whatever works, you can slap, play finger style or whatever you like.



If you visit my blog on the link below there's a link there which you can follow to the previous YouTube playlist I made with each individual pattern played separately, maybe useful if you need help with a particular rhythm:

http://rcmjbass.blogspot.com/2020/04/8t ... study.html

Feedback appreciated!

 

[RCMJ Bass]

Ok folks, the next in the series:

 

[vindibona1]

I think that's great. I hope you continue to add to your rhythm reading series. IMO reading rhythms are so much harder than reading pitches, especially for bass because we are so often called on not only to play syncopated rhythms but rhythmic offsets, ghost notes etc. Also combined rhythms that have syncopation and ties can be challenging as can unusual meters. Thanks for sharing this. Keep up the good work.

 

[Ekajimmy]

I think that's great. I hope you continue to add to your rhythm reading series. IMO reading rhythms are so much harder than reading pitches, especially for bass because we are so often called on not only to play syncopated rhythms but rhythmic offsets, ghost notes etc. Also combined rhythms that have syncopation and ties can be challenging as can unusual meters. Thanks for sharing this. Keep up the good work.

+1
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[vindibona1]

I had a thought, if you don't mind...
This could be an awesome addition to a grade school math class. In school, kids learn division in the most boring way possible. And while you can apply division to things like cooking, etc, the one thing that reading music adds that nothing else does is MATH over TIME! What else quantifies math over time for youngsters?

Not only that, this can be used to teach youngters the hardest part of beginning to read music (under a different excuse), and with that perhaps take away some of the doubt about learning a musical instrument or perhaps even propel students to look further into playing instruments (as our band programs are being drained by electronics "extras").

Just a thought.

 

[IamGroot]

Today, I sight read "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" cover to cover without an instrument during 3 hours of downtime. Sitting in a car in the shade.

I would highly recommend reading this book for the rhythmic notation challenges.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

That is a really nice visual aid. Good job!

 

[RCMJ Bass]

Today, I sight read "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" cover to cover without an instrument during 3 hours of downtime. Sitting in a car in the shade.

I would highly recommend reading this book for the rhythmic notation challenges.

Yeah! The Standing in the Shadows of Motown book is really, really great for reading practice, so many of those groovy syncopated rhythms to get your head around. My desert Island bass practice books would be that one and then a book of cello studies, Bach or Dotzuaer maybe.

 

[vindibona1]

The SITSOM book sounds great, but it's $30 in paperback. I'm wondering if I can find the notation on Tabs911 in Guitar Pro. According to Amazon's sales blurb the song notations included in the book are:
Ain't No Mountain High Enough * Ain't Nothing like the Real Thing * Ain't That Peculiar * Bernadette * Come 'Round Here (I'm the One You Need) * Darling Dear * Don't Mess with Bill * For Once in My Life * Home Cookin' * How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone * How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) * I Heard It Through the Grapevine * I Was Made to Love Her * I'm Gonna Make You Love Me * My Guy * Nowhere to Run * Reach Out I'll Be There * What's Going On * You Can't Hurry Love *

What else is there? They also allude to backing tracks available in the book. Is this so? Is there a way to access them without the book? TIA

 

[IamGroot]

The SITSOM book sounds great, but it's $30 in paperback. I'm wondering if I can find the notation on Tabs911 in Guitar Pro. According to Amazon's sales blurb the song notations included in the book are:
Ain't No Mountain High Enough * Ain't Nothing like the Real Thing * Ain't That Peculiar * Bernadette * Come 'Round Here (I'm the One You Need) * Darling Dear * Don't Mess with Bill * For Once in My Life * Home Cookin' * How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone * How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) * I Heard It Through the Grapevine * I Was Made to Love Her * I'm Gonna Make You Love Me * My Guy * Nowhere to Run * Reach Out I'll Be There * What's Going On * You Can't Hurry Love *

What else is there? They also allude to backing tracks available in the book. Is this so? Is there a way to access them without the book? TIA

There is a wealth of information on James and Motown in addition to the sheet music.

Dr. Licks work to put this together and get James the recognitions he deserved was groundbreaking. Paying for the book in this case is warranted imo.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have had my book for 20+ years and still getting insights. It's a tough book. Good luck with tab if you cant read music, because figuring the fingering is an important part of the process.

 

[vindibona1]

There is a wealth of information on James and Motown in addition to the sheet music.

Dr. Licks work to put this together and get James the recognitions he deserved was groundbreaking. Paying for the book in this case is warranted imo.

Like I mentioned earlier, I have had my book for 20+ years and still getting insights. It's a tough book. Good luck with tab if you cant read music, because figuring the fingering is an important part of the process.

Thanks. I have no problem reading standard notation, but reading tab is like a Spanish speaker trying to read Portugese. I use tab as an adjunct only to standard notation where figuring out fingerings can use some assistance.

 

[IamGroot]

Glad you read! There are isolated bass tracks for some of James' work on YouTube. Dr. Licks transcriptions are very accurate.

 

[consectaneus]

The SITSOM book sounds great, but it's $30 in paperback. I'm wondering if I can find the notation on Tabs911 in Guitar Pro. According to Amazon's sales blurb the song notations included in the book are:
Ain't No Mountain High Enough * Ain't Nothing like the Real Thing * Ain't That Peculiar * Bernadette * Come 'Round Here (I'm the One You Need) * Darling Dear * Don't Mess with Bill * For Once in My Life * Home Cookin' * How Long Has That Evening Train Been Gone * How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) * I Heard It Through the Grapevine * I Was Made to Love Her * I'm Gonna Make You Love Me * My Guy * Nowhere to Run * Reach Out I'll Be There * What's Going On * You Can't Hurry Love *

What else is there? They also allude to backing tracks available in the book. Is this so? Is there a way to access them without the book? TIA

The tracks are played by "modern" players. I don't know if they followed the music strictly as transcribed from the original recording by Dr. Licks. Since the invention of youtube, isolated tracks have become a thing. The most recent Jamerson performance I worked on "Reach Out, I'll Be There" is accurate as far as I can tell comparing the two sources (book transcription, Jamerson isolated bass). Many examples are not full performances--the ones that are more riff based. I personally think this book should be in every bassist's library, but YMMV.

Oh, I was going to add that I vaguely remember that my copy came with cassette tapes and later I found CDs. I could be wrong about that. I don't know what the situation is now.

 

[RCMJ Bass]

OK latest in the series: Dotted eighth patten followed by all the other combinations, each one twice:

 

[vindibona1]

OK latest in the series: Dotted eighth patten followed by all the other combinations, each one twice:

A few thoughts...
This concept could be expanded to a whole series, even to a complete method of learning the fundamentals of bass. You could take these first few easy rhythmic exercises ( time illustrated on the X axis), currently played on one note, then expand to two notes (now expanding into the Y axis of music), alternating when those two notes are played to add just a touch more complexity while not overwhelming someone. While this is great for someone trying to learn to read rhythms it could ultimately be much more than that, reaching people who can play bass (mostly by ear) and teach them to read music. I don't have to tell you how far you could take this if you had the time, patience and inclination to do it.

One thing I want to applaud you on is that these rhythmic demonstrations are extremely accurate in terms of how long each not is held or played. If you ask most music students when a note is supposed to stop, they'll tell you at the end of whatever beat it is that is notated- when experienced musicians know that the note ends (stylistic interpretation aside) when the next note or rest begins, allowing for the feeling of forward motion of the music. I appreciate the spot on demonstrations. Thank you.

 

[RCMJ Bass]

Thanks so much for your detailed (and positive) feedback. I think the expansion into more notes is a great idea...I am planning on doing a lot more of these videos, time permitting, so I'll try a few ideas with extra notes for sure!

 

[RCMJ Bass]

Hi again Folks:
Latest video is now up, another combination practice rhythm study: