I really like songs from musicals and have learnt to play a couple. One issue I’ve come across is that it is very hard to find good tabs for these sorts of songs. I’ve been through the process of learning them by ear, and trying to write my own tabs, but this is very time consuming. Thus, I’m looking at the daunting task of having to learn to read sheet music properly.
I’ve had a little experience with the Treble Clef, but am struggling to read the Bass Clef, let alone, transfer that note onto the fretboard at any sort of speed. I am still in the mindset of ‘This would be F on the treble clef, so move up 2 from that and it would be an A’.
I was just wondering, what is the best way to start off learning the bass clef? Any games or website recommendations, or any habits/easy things that you can do day to make reading Bass Clef and the process of learning it faster/easier.
After that, what is the best way to start applying this note reading. Any recommendations of songs/type of songs to start out on, and any methods to make this bit easier too?
Like you, I experienced confusion reading the bass clef (I came from reading treble clef notation for sax and piano). At first, I tried blunt force immersion and repetition to tackle it, but that didn’t work well. But what DID work was the Talking Bass Simple Steps to Sightreading course by Talking Bass.
This course starts at the most fundamental level, never assuming the student is familiar with the bass clef or the bass fingerboard layout. Its lessons then build logically with simple but increasingly progressive exercises to help you build proficiency as you go.
Its benefits include not only learning to read notation for bass but also learning note locations on the fretboard and being able to play without staring at your fretting hand. It’s an excellent course.
I actually find reading bass class for bass guitar much easier than reading treble clef for guitar (less ledger lines needed).
Also, Hal Leonard’s Bass Method uses only standard notation in the beginning. The material itself shouldn’t be challenging, but this is designed to teach you the notes
Talkingbass Simple Steps to Sightreading is what you should use. I came into this with NO formal music training, having attempted guitar multiple times over the years using tabs. I’m about half way through the sight reading course and can play just about anything off of sheet music at this point. The course is simply amazing.
Whichever method you find or choose - just remember that sight reading will progress when you’re practicing it but - like languages or other skills that aren’t cemented into the bedrock of your brain’s memory banks / native-speaking brain center - it will recede if you stop practicing!
I tell all my students - if you’re interested in sight reading, be consistent and don’t let big gaps go by. It’s as easy to lose as it is to learn when you’re starting out!
Thanks for this recommendation! This is exactly what I needed to be able to practice my bass clef reading on the go! Great app. Bonus points for it being free and not costing hundreds of dollars.
Maybe “sight reading” means something different in the UK than it does here in the US. But if it’s the same, that course is overkill. You don’t need to learn sight reading, you just need to learn to read. As a bass player you only need to sight read if you’re a session bassist, music major, or in some other situation where you have to play music without any time to practice it or look at it beforehand.
Again, the whole “sight reading” definition debate has been done to death here before.
Mark Smith is an acclaimed and accomplished music college instructor and pro musician. In his course, sight reading means being able to read notation and translate it specifically to bass playing, with never having to look at your fretting hand. It does not mean or imply needing to be able to “read and play a piece cold, sight unseen, at tempo.” However, it does empower students to do that as well, if they put in the practice.
It’s a great resource available to those who care to avail themselves of it.
Words do have meaning. I speak for someone who went to college for music and knows what they’re talking about.
I hope Mark is giving you some kick back for as much as you advertise for him on this forum.
There are so many easier ways to read than a $250 course. Strange that’s the first/only thing you recommend. Probably not super helpful to most beginners.
I got my degree in music theory and composition. I have also taken the majority of Mark’s courses, and I find them excellent. Your mileage may vary.
Some who have taken Simple Steps to Sightreading have mentioned that the course should be renamed as it covers and delivers so much more than just the ability to read music. Maybe there’s something to that.
Regardless, the course delivers an amazing amount of knowledge and resulting playing ability to students who absorb and apply what it teaches.
Hear this: I have no financial interest or benefit derived from Talking Bass. I recommend the courses because they are good courses.
And, in case you haven’t been paying attention, this forum’s members run the gamut from newbies to seasoned players with decades of experience. Therefore, interests and abilities span a wide range.
But whatever, man. You do you. I presume you have an axe. Better to show it attention than anything else that proves less edifying to you.
Reading music is about reading music, and figuring out where to play on the fingerboard as some notes can be played in different location and produce slightly different timbre.
Sight reading to me is sitting down and read while you play, it’s ok if you are in that level, most studio pros can do that not because they can read that fast but they already know what notes are coming next there’s only so many theories and chord progressions, after a while it’s just that predictable.
Either way, us mortals won’t be doing this in front of people or real time (live) on a gig. it’s not something people do.
It can be about performance-on-demand, as certain session players and other professionals can be required to do.
On the other hand, the TB Sightreading course is about learning to play music on bass by reading its notation and the notes’ durations. It’s not about reading and playing sheet music on demand, perfectly at first sight.
If a bass student can read music, he/she can practice at whatever tempo is necessary to play cleanly and in time. That’s the goal.
I found that the book “300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises for Bass Guitar” was pretty good and if you have Kindle Unlimited, you can get it for “free”.
Hi there. Bit late to the conversation but I’ll qualify what the title means.
The Simple Steps To Sight Reading name is what the name suggests. Sight Reading is simply the ability to read at sight.
Meaning: ‘really good at reading’.
The ‘Simple Steps’ part of the title lets you know that it’s a slow, progressive journey towards that eventual goal (being good at reading). It’s not a course about sight reading, it’s a course about reading music.
Little background. I learned to read music after a few years of playing simply because I had to (I’d started music college). I very quickly realised there was no exhaustive and complete guide to reading for bass players.
When I started Talkingbass I knew I wanted to rectify that. That’s why the course is so big. It’s not just for learning the basics and getting on your feet. It takes you from absolute reading beginner to the most advanced reading you will ever do (the stuff I’ve had to read on professional sight reading gigs for the last 30 years).
It’s not a quick fix course. But reading is not something you learn overnight anyway. It’s 25 hours of video lessons and over 750 pages of reading exercises. Hence the price. The course will keep you practicing for many years. As an indication of time frames, it took me a good 10 years of playing before I considered myself pretty good at reading (good enough to take basic sight reading gigs in theatre shows/cruise lines etc) but that was just the start. The course could take you 10 to 20 of practice years to reach a level where you can proficiently read the last few exercises. Probably not something people want to hear, but that is the reality of learning an instrument. But, like I said, I wanted to make it a complete guide and that’s what it is.
It’s probably the thing I’m most proud of in my life (after my kids). the other Talkingbass courses are basically the normal bass technique and theory stuff you could find in books and other online courses. But the reading course is unique. If I died tomorrow, I’d be happy knowing I got to make a difference with that course.
It’s not for everybody. Some people want a quick fix or maybe just the absolute basics. But from my experience, learning ‘a little reading’ is almost pointless outside of very specific situations (maybe needing to quickly translate a piece of music someone gave you). Learning the absolute basics of Spanish can help a little with saying hello and reading a menu. But it won’t allow you to converse and certainly won’t help you get a job. Reading music is the same. It’s a long road. But it’s worth it.
I am going to slightly disagree here though. My background is that I learned to read long ago for other instruments and have found this immensely useful when I pick up new ones.
There’s two aspects to reading music - one is being able to understand what notes to play and tempos and so on, to be able to learn a song at all. Then the other is being able to physically connect this to muscle memory to execute it on a given instrument. I would say that in my experience, the first part is always useful, much like tabs are useful, regardless of where you’re at with the second part.
But again, YMMV and I respect your opinion here. You have a lot more experience here than I do.
BTW it was never my intention to suggest your courses aren’t worth the price. From what I’ve heard from people who’ve taken them, and even just considering the amount of material they entail, they’re definitely worth it.
I just think, for beginners, and most of us doing this as a hobby, my first recommendation to someone “wanting to start off learning to read bass clef” wouldn’t be to take a $250 course. That just isn’t doable for a lot of people. Now for someone who’s SERIOUS about learning to read, and wanting to reach a higher level, I think it’s a great suggestion.
@GingerBug don’t take this personally because your comment really just points out something I’ve noticed about some bass players, not specifically you. So hopefully you take this for what it is, just an observation. But, I see so many threads on gear and bass purchases, recommendations, etc. Some folks seem totally ok acquiring multiple instruments, amps, pedals what not but then get stingy when paying for education. This in no way diminishes your point which is beginners may not want to sign up for a $250 1-2 year sight reading course which is a very valid point. I’m taking the route of keeping my gear purchases to a minimum and investing heavily in the education. But…my personal goals are to go deep on music eduction and it just so happens to be on bass. I’ve even considered going back for another college degree but at 58 years old I need to really think that one through, I’ll probably opt for just the Jr College music program which ours has an excellent one that feeds the university (and it’s not tens of thousands of dollars). Don’t get me wrong I’ve got GAS just as much as the next guy and I’m often dreaming of the next bass or amp upgrade and love seeing everyones n+1 gear acquisitions. I’ve just committed currently to spending $$ on education for the time being. Definitely throw this post in my face when you see a Mod Shop Fender P Bass post in show us your basses whenever that happens . Also, definitely not targeting anyone with this so hopefully everyone takes this as just a casual non-judgmental observation. I Iove this forum and the amazing support everyone gives to each other.
. Also, definitely not targeting anyone with this so hopefully everyone takes this as just a casual non-judgmental observation. I Iove this forum and the amazing support everyone gives to each other.