So I decided to learn music theory...

[DeeDeeEntwistle]

I found like 50 something lessons on a website.

right now im learning the very basics of reading music. I'm pretty much starting this thread for when i have questions, just to make sure im doing it right.

so my question, on the staff. the line the bass clef sits on is the g right? and it goes up like g,a,b,c,d,e,f,g right? then to write music you basically use the notes to show how long it last or a rest to show silence, and you put the notes on whatever line or space that represents the note your playing on your instrument?

is this basically right so far?

I feel like a dufus, ive been playing for years but never learned to read music.

thanks guys,

 

[Jim Campbell]

I found like 50 something lessons on a website.

right now im learning the very basics of reading music. I'm pretty much starting this thread for when i have questions, just to make sure im doing it right.

so my question, on the staff. the line the bass clef sits on is the g right? and it goes up like g,a,b,c,d,e,f,g right? then to write music you basically use the notes to show how long it last or a rest to show silence, and you put the notes on whatever line or space that represents the note your playing on your instrument?

is this basically right so far?

I feel like a dufus, ive been playing for years but never learned to read music.

thanks guys,

a hundred guys are going to tell you to find a teacher,and i agree......but for now buy yourself a good method book,and slowly and methodically work through the exercises,and remember to count.....

 

[DeeDeeEntwistle]

yea dont think a teacher is something I will really be able to afford.

is there no way to teach yourself to read?

 

[Jim Campbell]

yea dont think a teacher is something I will really be able to afford.

is there no way to teach yourself to read?

a good method book would be way to go,then check out stumbo's sig,jeff berlin's thread,the tab forum......for dots not tabs......you are on the right track in learning to read

 

[DeeDeeEntwistle]

is what i said in my first post correct, or not at all?

 

[Jim Campbell]

is what i said in my first post correct, or not at all?

yes the staff starts on G....but the scale of G major contains an F#.....the note/rest durations work like you say... even though you know how to play,going back to square one and working through a method will give you all that stuff,and it will be worth the effort

 

[standupright]

yea dont think a teacher is something I will really be able to afford.

is there no way to teach yourself to read?

you could look at your local community college for music classes. alot cheaper than a private teacher.

 

[standupright]

is what i said in my first post correct, or not at all?

pretty much. there is also the time signature that tells you how many beats per measure and what note gets one beat.

 

[DeeDeeEntwistle]

Yea, i got the time sig. I think I understand at least most of what i've mentioned.

how do I know specifically which note it is though. Like if its a e, how do I know which e?

check out this site, tell me if it seems good to use(http://www.8notes.com/theory/). I will definitely be looking into books. but no college, I live in a small town where the college has no major or minor in music.

thanks guys

 

[standupright]

Yea, i got the time sig. I think I understand at least most of what i've mentioned.

how do I know specifically which note it is though. Like if its a e, how do I know which e?

check out this site, tell me if it seems good to use(http://www.8notes.com/theory/). I will definitely be looking into books. but no college, I live in a small town where the college has no major or minor in music.

thanks guys

it starts at the bottom of the staff and works its way up in pitch. so the low open "e" on your bass would be one ledger line below the bottom "g" ledger line of the staff.

 

[DeeDeeEntwistle]

it starts at the bottom of the staff and works its way up in pitch. so the low open "e" on your bass would be one ledger line below the bottom "g" ledger line of the staff.

so the very bottom line would represent the open e, go up f,g,a,b,c,d,and that next e would represent the next pitched e on that same e string?

but wouldn't that make the staff huge in order to represent all the notes being played?

thanks

 

[fearceol]

As others have said, in the absence of a teacher, then a method book would be best. In the mean time this might be of some help.

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/

 

[DeeDeeEntwistle]

As others have said, in the absence of a teacher, then a method book would be best. In the mean time this might be of some help.

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/reading-music/

thanks, any chance you could answer my last post?

thanks again,

 

[Roy Vogt]

The open E (lowest note on a 4 string bass) is one line BELOW the staff (it's called a ledger line). The lowest note ON the staff is a G (the acronym a lot of people use is Good Boys Do Fine Always since the notes on the lines are GBDFA). The lowest space on the staff is A and the acronym is All Cows Eat Grass for ACEG. If you look at the beginning of a piece of music you will see a collection of sharps (#) or flats (b). Those are the key signatures. In the case of the key of G you will see one sharp on the F line, which changes all the Fs to F#s. The G scale is thus G-A-B-C-D-E-F#-G. If you can afford one book David Overthrow's Beginning Electric Bass explains a good bit of this and is about $20.

 

[Schlyder]

so the very bottom line would represent the open e, go up f,g,a,b,c,d,and that next e would represent the next pitched e on that same e string?

but wouldn't that make the staff huge in order to represent all the notes being played?

thanks

yes that is fairly close to how it works. But like others have said, get a book(s) with the basics of music theory, and start reading about it. Read it over many times. Then you will get an idea of the terminology used, and some basic knowledge of the staff and the notes on it. Rythyms, rests, time signatures, etc. All the basic ingredients. Once you have a little more understanding, then seek out a teacher.

 

[oldscarrow]

yea dont think a teacher is something I will really be able to afford.

is there no way to teach yourself to read?

If you want to send me an email address, I will send you a pdf file. Music Theory, you can teach yourself to read music, as long as you have access to a computer.
It is set out into an easy to understand format.....

 

[DeeDeeEntwistle]

If you want to send me an email address, I will send you a pdf file. Music Theory, you can teach yourself to read music, as long as you have access to a computer.
It is set out into an easy to understand format.....

yea, thanks alot man.

I sent you a pm.

 

[kr0n]

I found like 50 something lessons on a website.

right now im learning the very basics of reading music. I'm pretty much starting this thread for when i have questions, just to make sure im doing it right.

so my question, on the staff. the line the bass clef sits on is the g right? and it goes up like g,a,b,c,d,e,f,g right? then to write music you basically use the notes to show how long it last or a rest to show silence, and you put the notes on whatever line or space that represents the note your playing on your instrument?

is this basically right so far?

I feel like a dufus, ive been playing for years but never learned to read music.

thanks guys,

http://www.studybass.com/

Check that out, there's a section for reading music and a bass clef quiz. 5-10 minutes every day during a break does wonders. Next step is to incorporate the notes to fretboard. So memorizing fretboard is essential.

Bass clef is F-clef, so it marks the spot for the F note. Dots are on E and G and the twirl ends up on the F note line.

so the very bottom line would represent the open e, go up f,g,a,b,c,d,and that next e would represent the next pitched e on that same e string?

but wouldn't that make the staff huge in order to represent all the notes being played?

thanks

First bottom ledger line is E so just below the first line is F and first line is G.
So the spaces that go A C E G, E being on the third space is the same E that's on D string, 2nd fret, 12th of the E string or 7th of the A string.

There's a marking called '8va' which basically means, play one octave higher than written. So no, you don't have to have 10 ledger lines above the clef.

There's plenty of sites that cover reading and standard notation, software (EarMaster for example) that tutors you a bit.

I'm still a noob in reading but I hear that in order to become a good sight reader, you have to practice it every day. Concider it as a language that you hear with your eyes and speak with your hands.

 

[Rudreax]

I find it funny how everyone here is telling the OP about the G scale, when he never even asked about it. He only asked if the first line of the staff (what what I can understand) is G, and if he got the correct pitches above it. No need to give more info than what is needed, you'll overwhelm someone that way.

I'd suggest you go to this site:

http://www.musictheory.net

There you can find a lot of info on basic music theory (non-instrument specific, which IMO is the way to go for basics), note reading trainers, interval/eat trainers and much more. Once you get through EVERYTHING on that site, go to this one:

http://www.teoria.com

One more thing; something as simple as reading (seems hard now, but trust me; in the grand scheme of things it isn't) can be easily done by yourself, without a teacher. If you have the drive, you can also teach yourself all the stuff on the sites I posted and the others posted; just know how to find examples of everything you learn, as well as how to apply them and test them in practical situations.

For more info.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes most are missing the point of his question.

How to read standard notation.

This site is specifically for bass guitar http://www.cyberfretbass.com/reading/primer/standard/index.php
That will help with your question about the staff and what a sheet of music looks like. Plus it gets into where the notes are found on your fretboard. It's written specifically for bass guitar.

Suggest you take this in two steps. Let's first be able to look at some sheet music and know what the notes are (A, B, C, etc.) -- then we will worry with where the notes are on our fretboard next. We gotta know the note name first - then go find where it is on our fretboard. Sound like a plan? Yep take it in steps.

Go to a music story that sells pianos and purchase a set of standard notation flash cards. Cost less than $5. They will show you the note on the staff on one side and then identify what it is on the back side of the card plus show you where it is on the piano. Be neat if they had flash cards for bass guitar - good luck I've never seen any. Why flash cards? You can take them with you and get some study time in whenever you have a spare moment. To learn how to read standard notation you gotta read a lot of standard notation. Remember Dick and Jane, or perhaps, green ham I am?

When you can flash a card and verbalize it's name in the same amount of time it would take you to say your name -- then and only then are you ready to start reading and playing from standard notation. Once you can identify the note's name quickly -- then it's time to start learning where the notes are on your instrument. http://www.cyberfretbass.com/reading/primer/standard/index.php will help you do that.

No you do not need a teacher to learn how to read standard notation. There are many sites on the Internet that can help, the one I gave you and then both of those given by Rudreax http://www.teoria.com/ looks like a good choice and http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/html/id10_en.html has value. Once you understand the fundamentals the rest is just you reading a lot of sheet music.

Hint - Keep some sheet music by your easy chair - during the TV commercials - get some reading time in.

Good luck.