Good point. I can't even count the number of times I've had to correct tabs. I had a published book of Beatles tabs (for guitar) that was several notes off.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
What is Your Primary Method of Learning Songs?
- Thread starter BassFishingInAmerica
- Start date
wmhill
Inactive
- Aug 20, 2012
- 4,054
- 17,209
- Disclosures
- MTD basses endorsed artist Bartolini pickups emerging artist TECAMP bass players gear endorsed
I find the original on You tube, and learn it by ear...... unless the band leader throws it at me during a gig. Then I really have to learn it by ear & watching his chords!
I just recently downloaded a song speed app...works very well. I'm having to learn some fast horn parts. My ear is accustomed to picking out bass so the horn parts are kinda tricky...and fast. App works well and I should have em down in no time.
It's funny you mentioned horns because they are giving me all sorts of headaches on Jump Jive and wail. Pretty simple bass line but right before the chorus and before the key change there's a small run of notes and, with the horns going, I can't hear what the bass is playing for the life of me. Driving me nuts
By ear with my colleciton or YouTube. But if the chords are really unusual, or hard to hear, sometimes I speed things up by getting the chords online ...if I can get them. And if they're right 
If the bass line is really tricky sometimes I'll loop a section slowed down 10% with the bass boosted, using Audacity
If the bass line is really tricky sometimes I'll loop a section slowed down 10% with the bass boosted, using Audacity
I'd love to do the old fashioned "sit and listen" but time comes at a premium these days. I always learn tunes quickly in a band situation, so I like finding videos on Youtube of people playing tunes. I can listen and see what they're doing, and pick up the tune pretty quickly.
The staff definitely does not represent the number of strings, nor is it limited to stringed instruments. The staff is 5 lines that tells the reader the pitch of the note each line/space is supposed to be, based on the clef. For example, tubas, cellos, bassoons, and basses all (usually, but not always) read in the bass clef. Drums even have their own notation based on the same system.
Edit: I usually use notation and ear, but have used other methods too.
Thank you Sir.
As an Amazon Associate, TalkBass may receive commissions from qualifying purchases made via links on this site.
I use the 'brute force' method. I listen to the song till I want to puke, then listen to it more.
Ear. I listen to it a couple of times, then pickup the bass. If really complicated, I'll take some notes, make my "own" sort of annotations but only for the purpose of learning it. I never take sheets on stage as I hate it. I will look for online tabs also, even if they're not accurate they do help me. Then repeat and repeat and repeat until satisfaction. I don't do note-for-note, I'm taking it real close to the original and as long as it sounds good, I'm all set.
Work with my laptop, Song Surgeon and Mark Studio 2, that's all I need.
Work with my laptop, Song Surgeon and Mark Studio 2, that's all I need.
I do it by ear as well. At times however, what works on the recording does NOT work as well in the band situation, especially if the bass line is a stand up line. IN that case, it's make up your own usually in the "Spirit" of the bass line on the recording.
But basically by ear.
But basically by ear.
Listen to the song, and try to pick out the bass. I've only very recently inadvertently tried some isolated tracks on youtube, but I still look at that as a last resort for more difficult pieces. I prefer to hear the bass in context with the rest of the recorded music. Not a fan of bass for its own sake, I guess.
Since youtube and iphones are now the way of the world, it's really easy to learn songs. Just plug my phone and bass into a mixer, put on headphones, and pick away. I tend to keep several tabs open to whatever songs on youtube in chrome on my phone so I can just plug in and jam whenever I have a few minutes.
I hate tabs (rarely accurate), and am too impatient for charts. I generally can figure out a song by hearing far faster than by sight. Most popular music varies only slightly in form and arrangement, as do most fills/runs and licks, anyway. There's nothing new under the sun.
I will say that the music I play is not the most complex. No jazz, fusion, or math metal. I like music styles that lend themselves to playing by ear. I play what I can hear as much as I can, and then seek out other resources when it's clear listening ain't enough.
Since youtube and iphones are now the way of the world, it's really easy to learn songs. Just plug my phone and bass into a mixer, put on headphones, and pick away. I tend to keep several tabs open to whatever songs on youtube in chrome on my phone so I can just plug in and jam whenever I have a few minutes.
I hate tabs (rarely accurate), and am too impatient for charts. I generally can figure out a song by hearing far faster than by sight. Most popular music varies only slightly in form and arrangement, as do most fills/runs and licks, anyway. There's nothing new under the sun.
I will say that the music I play is not the most complex. No jazz, fusion, or math metal. I like music styles that lend themselves to playing by ear. I play what I can hear as much as I can, and then seek out other resources when it's clear listening ain't enough.
Mainly by ears. And for complicated chorus or phrases, i use a tool too slow down the musique without changing the pitch.
I spent the first three years of my playing only learning songs off of tabs. I also didn't really take any lessons on music theory, but maybe watched the odd video for bass playing techniques...
After a few years, while I could play 40-odd songs at various difficulties, I still had no idea how chord progressions worked (I didn't even know how to build a chord), and knew none of the chords or progressions in the songs I had learned via tab until I went back to try to figure it out.
I then spent way too much time learning music theory, but not new songs.
Now I'm working on learning songs again, but now mostly by ear. I'm consciously doing this to better my ear's pitch recognition so I can jam better with others, learn songs quicker, and be able to easily duplicate the lines I hear in my mind through my bass. I also find it helps me to understand a song's structure better - the key/time signatures, the chords, progressions, melodies, and how they all fit together.
As for what I use to learn the songs, I'll just try to play it through Audacity and loop parts as needed. I try my best to learn stuff at normal speed, but if a line is particularly busy, I'll use the software to slow it down without altering pitch.
I'm also not in a band right now though, so I don't have to learn songs in a hurry... If I did I would use any means necessary to do it quickly and accurately. For most songs, I would think that a chord chart would suffice.
After a few years, while I could play 40-odd songs at various difficulties, I still had no idea how chord progressions worked (I didn't even know how to build a chord), and knew none of the chords or progressions in the songs I had learned via tab until I went back to try to figure it out.
I then spent way too much time learning music theory, but not new songs.
Now I'm working on learning songs again, but now mostly by ear. I'm consciously doing this to better my ear's pitch recognition so I can jam better with others, learn songs quicker, and be able to easily duplicate the lines I hear in my mind through my bass. I also find it helps me to understand a song's structure better - the key/time signatures, the chords, progressions, melodies, and how they all fit together.
As for what I use to learn the songs, I'll just try to play it through Audacity and loop parts as needed. I try my best to learn stuff at normal speed, but if a line is particularly busy, I'll use the software to slow it down without altering pitch.
I'm also not in a band right now though, so I don't have to learn songs in a hurry... If I did I would use any means necessary to do it quickly and accurately. For most songs, I would think that a chord chart would suffice.
Last edited:
I usually just stand around until the guitar player shows me.......
In all seriousness, I will use any means available. Many can be learned by the "brute force" method mentioned above---listening to it until insanity starts to creep in. I've had to learn tunes that I've never heard before at the last minute. In these cases, I'll cheat and check out the tab if available and follow along while I listen to the song a few times, just to get the general idea under my fingers. I've also used sheet music, chord charts, and Nashville notation ( some actually written on paper napkins).
In all seriousness, I will use any means available. Many can be learned by the "brute force" method mentioned above---listening to it until insanity starts to creep in. I've had to learn tunes that I've never heard before at the last minute. In these cases, I'll cheat and check out the tab if available and follow along while I listen to the song a few times, just to get the general idea under my fingers. I've also used sheet music, chord charts, and Nashville notation ( some actually written on paper napkins).
THIS is why learning to play by ear is so helpful in the long run. Relying solely on tabs, and to an extent charts, can make it difficult to understand the overall feel/groove of music, and how chord progressions and melody all work together in common patterns. The downside for me, however, is that in circumstances where I do need to read to learn or play, I'm severely limited because I have to translate it all in my head. And I actually have a lot of background in theory. It feels like I'm musically dyslexic when trying to play by notation.
Regarding tabs, I always wondered why tabs seemed off for guitar and bass, and now rarely every use because they tend to be more frustrating then helpful. It looks like I'm not alone in that assessment. Apparently they are notorious for being inaccurate. Yet another reason to listen and play.
Big Hoss
Up note, down note, blue note, brown note...
- Sep 5, 2014
- 5,455
- 4,234
- Disclosures
- None
Tough call, I am not very good at figuring out the bass lines full speed on my own, so I typically use an app / online lessons that run me through a song and give me tab or something similar to it. HOWEVER, I have been able to slow down a song in say Windows Media Player, and pick out the bass parts that way, and then bring it up to speed... I am okay with figuring out bass lines full speed when they are pretty simple, but there is a LOT I miss too...
