To Read Or Not To Read

its funny, because i have been on both sides of this argument. in fact, i used to argue that music "theory" didn't make sense because its art and its someones interpretation of that art so it shouldnt be boxed up!!! LOL but i see the error of my ways in that thinking. while i still agree with that, having the knowledge can help foster that artsy fartsy party of your playing. i know tht just by learning the scales i can pick apart a song easier and i understand where they were going with it.

I am learning how to read, but it is a slow process. i can't play off notation (well, unless its simple ofcourse) but its getting there! the bottom line is that i am learning to not disregard things before i dive in and learn a bit more about them

My dad was a carpenter - and a very good one. He believed the old axiom "a craftsman is only as good as his tools," but would add the caveat "providing he knows how to use them." It certainly doesn't hurt to have an understanding of theory in your musical toolbox. Without it, you'll find yourself reinventing the wheel - over and over and over again - without even knowing why.

Been working on sight reading ever since watching the Marcus Miller video posted a couple months back. Best decision I've made regarding bass playing. Gotta agree with aksteve and david in that if you're gonna use a tool, why not learn how to use it to its fullest.

It's taken me the best part of a year and now I can, almost automatically, read a bass clef like reading a book. Although my brain is still doing the reading, rather than my fingers, it is definitely coming.

Tonight I transcribed "Shufflin' Along" into Sibelius, typing the notes directly via the keyboard without doing the "bottom line, that's a G" in my head. It was just a G, just like "cat" spells cat.

I understand the attraction of TABs, really I do, just like when I first learned to ride a bike, with stabilisers. I only learned to balance though when my dad took both the stabilisers and the pedals away, so I had to "scoot". At first it was slower and much more frustrating and then, one day, I got the process and the rhythm worked out and suddenly I could fly.....

And I firmly believe that is what reading music feels like.

that is one reason i wanted to play .was to learn to read music. how to to play the songs the way they were written. unfortunately i have had to start over a couple of times.because of health reasons .this last ti me around i suffered a lot of memory loss.but that is ok i will start over and learn to read music and play bass.LOVE;N GOD LIFE& BASS

Some people love paint by number sets. They have no interest in creating their own pieces, they just enjoy painting as a past time and like to have the roadmap drawn out for them, the colors mixed and ready to be brushed into the right places. They pay no attention to why a particular color was used or stuff like that. They just love to sit and paint, following the numbers and eventually they finish and feel fulfilled and proud that they finished it. Those with an interest in being creative and mixing their own colors probably cannot fathom why such a rote task activity could be fun. Different strokes and all that jazz.

I think the same mindset applies to music.

Originally Posted by bassischill

Some people love paint by number sets. They have no interest in creating their own pieces, they just enjoy painting as a past time and like to have the roadmap drawn out for them, the colors mixed and ready to be brushed into the right places. They pay no attention to why a particular color was used or stuff like that. They just love to sit and paint, following the numbers and eventually they finish and feel fulfilled and proud that they finished it. Those with an interest in being creative and mixing their own colors probably cannot fathom why such a rote task activity could be fun. Different strokes and all that jazz.

I think the same mindset applies to music.

I like that!! Where's the like button!! That sounds like me, the paint by numbers part. Well at least in my older days, but was a lot different in the younger days.

Line6bassman

Originally Posted by line6bassman

I like that!! Where's the like button!! That sounds like me, the paint by numbers part. Well at least in my older days, but was a lot different in the younger days.

Line6bassman

Ha. Thanks Line6. I really do see the comparison there. There is an element of brain overload that occurs when one embarks on something and quickly realizes that what looked on the surface as something fun that you can just "do" comes with all kinds of attachments and deeper things that one must navigate to get where they want to go. That can be a turnoff. With tabs, just as with paint by numbers, you just follow the map and you get there. Once you see progress there, the bug will bite and you'll wade deeper until eventually you're out there in the deep water and not feeling intimidated since your path there was a gradual one rather than jumping immediately into the deep end and taking a sink or swim view. Some may do that and that's awesome but I'm not capable of that.

I am a great multi-tasker when I know what I am doing but if you throw a half a dozen tasks at me and ask me to simultaneously learn them, I shut down from overload. This is just how I am wired. When I began to get that feeling during the "bear with me" part of the course, I decided to progress at a pace that was educational and enjoyable at the same time. I put aside the whys for a while and concentrated on the hows. Once the hows are comfortable, inevitably one wants more and can cruise into the why part with the dexterity to handle what's coming.

I'm still in the how stage for the most part, although I do try to recognize what notes I am playing as I go along but it is a slow process. My hands don't go off on their own yet on some of the songs like they do when I sit down to type something. Trying to focus on being in the right place at the right time, muting the other strings and keeping the rhythm push the limit of my ability at this point so that is what I am paying close attention to. As I master these things, I will add another element into the equation and move forward. It is a plan that has worked well for me so far.

Must say in my younger days I had my reading of bass and the treble Clef down pack but depending on how life comes around and the
situation that you are dealt in your playing like me I would have to go back over things again for awhile. But for what I do these days
and for what I've learned in the last 46 years of guitar and bass playing, I've been given just the chords for songs for over 20 years
or so now and use my knowledge of what I've learned over those years and created my own style of playing etc. But I will say this most definitely if your young LEARN HOW TO READ NOW!! Because if you need it in your older days a lot of it will come back to you faster
than never have had done it before. But then again in music learn all you can while you can.
THE METRONOME IS CLICKING AND IT'S GETTING FASTER. (or it could get slower). http://www.metronomeonline.com/

Line6bassman

Learned to read music back in my piano lesson days. Don't really play the piano any more, but did teach my kids for a few years and passed that knowledge on to them.

I'm not often given a score to read, but it sure is useful, when all someone has is a piano score (no chords, no tabs, just notes), to be able to just play it.

Glad I got that under my belt when I was a kid - I think it would be more challenging now. Good luck and hang in there to anyone that is tackling this later in life - it'll be worth it.

Thanks L6B - one beat a minute is pretty hard to hit, even when you are concentrating - very hard.

I will just add something very obvious, but perhaps it’s worth putting it that way for complete newbies. Ideally, one would want to read both music notation and tablature. Tablature is very convenient and easy to learn, but it doesn’t tell you anything about timing and rhythm. In most cases it’s not such a big issue as you’ve probably heard the tune before. However, sheet music is indispensable when you don’t know the tune, or you can’t quite figure it out with your ear.

Both music notation and tablature have their good and bad points. The G note that occupies the top space on the bass clef staff tells you its time value, but that particular G note is always in the same spot on the staff, even though it can be played in several different places on the neck of your bass. Tablature can show you on which string and which fret to play it. Tab is a good supplement to, but not a substitution for, the sheet music.

Originally Posted by bassischill

Some people love paint by number sets. They have no interest in creating their own pieces, they just enjoy painting as a past time and like to have the roadmap drawn out for them, the colors mixed and ready to be brushed into the right places. They pay no attention to why a particular color was used or stuff like that. They just love to sit and paint, following the numbers and eventually they finish and feel fulfilled and proud that they finished it. Those with an interest in being creative and mixing their own colors probably cannot fathom why such a rote task activity could be fun. Different strokes and all that jazz.

I think the same mindset applies to music.

Beautiful way of putting it!!