Sight Reading Music For Bass Guitar

[@fistinair1979]

As someone who started on guitar then switched to electric bass about 10 years ago when joining a band, sight reading was never on my radar. Now that I am jumping into it I have really been struggling with not being able to look both at the neck and sheet music at the same time. Add to that the fact that I have rarely ever played much in the open position. Your explanation of the 2nd fret being the "first position" is a revelation for me. This is going to make things so much easier for me!

[@SzamaNi-v7u]

I don't know what to say honestly. That was a perfect lesson. All the basics combined in one straight forward video. Thank You :D

[@KrackDaddy]

absolutely! I'm really trying to take my playing/practice to the next level. Thanks Anthony 😁

[@HotelEdenMusic]

Your point at 23:29 is really helpful, thank you.

[@fenegroni]

A bit late to the party but I found this lesson really good!

[@roshangurung8045]

I have seen so many videos about bass lessons for beginners but could not find the good one. and this is the perfect lesson for me. Thank you for simplified lessons .

[@RasherQuivers]

I already knew the notes, time signature, and so on... What I didn't know is how to practice it to make it fluent, like a second language. This video puts all that stuff I learned throughout the years and helps me put it together practically. Thank you so much. Now I have to learn to turn the notifications off on my phone so that I don't have to listen to all the beeps and dings while I am trying to read the music, lol

[@Basslightning666]

This brings me back to High School Jazz Band... 4 years, and a National trophy, little did they know it was my ear pulling me through....lol. I am enjoying this series, I want to be able to say that I am a fluent sight reader for once in my music career... It will open new doors for me, this I know.....

[@thecrypt5747]

This helped. I'm a guitar player and used to reading treble clef, I'm not really used to bass clef so this helped a lot. Thanks :)

[@samir_bassman9330]

You can't believe how much you helped me! After my Bigband teacher gave me sheet music and I didn't know how to read it while playing I was so frustrated. I just couldn't manage to read it fast enough. Thanks to you I now gained some motivation and progress

[@ddrumcorner4682]

100% the best sight reading tutorial ive seen on the tube

[@bassforkids4504]

I've had a lot of on line bass teachers in the last year and a half but always seem to come back to you to learn something new,which I did in this video.Thank you Mark.

[@dudes8898]

All your videos…. your the teacher i've been looking for so long!! Thank you so much! Sean!

[@neilmoran9988]

Thank you so much for this and all your lessons. Your instruction are to the point with no small talk, or humor. Just how I like it.

[@Vicnsi]

Best & simplest demo & explanation of how to (prepare for and to) sight-read bass music I ever came across. Very Well Done. Fantastic! 👍

[@SimonMSvensson]

Great Mark! This was perfect timing for me, since I just started reading notation for University studies. Thanks!

[@lloyddarbon5034]

I love you, Mark. This video is the springboard into sight reading I need :)

[@SrTubular]

Mark, seems like you described my situation right at the beginning, thanks for this and your many useful lessons.

[@PhilleBlancplaymehard11]

oh yes your a very good teacher .taking the time to explain.thank you

[@helloween76]

Awesome video! Thank you for posting this. Love all the advice you give regarding reading.

[@jovinobunny]

.Excellent timing, Mark. This is exactly what I'm presently struggling with. :)

[@madmat01]

What I've needed for years, thanks. Looking forward to the rest.

[@johnnyFishcake]

Thanks Mark. Great lesson.

[@markbass354]

Much needed Mark , I'm grateful for all your hard work : Thanks'

[@mackymaca]

Thank you for getting me started!

[@Bryce-rh2fp]

Im watching this video the day it came out exactly 7 years later!!

[@vilteprastieniute4692]

thank you so much im going through a similar thing except i only have abt 2 weeks these are basically saving my life

[@sagarthapa3765]

Thank you thank you thank you. I'm waiting for the next video!

[@johnamoro3085]

Thanks for being such a wonderful instructor. I'm very impressed on how you articulate all your lessons.Makes it so much easier to comprehend. Great job ! You had mentioned you're coming out with a huge site reading course. If it's out, where would I find it.Really excited to get it. Thanks,Coolbreeze

[@ozzie-sk9dh]

Starts at 6:00

[@alexh3158]

This helped a lot, thank you so much, I've got to tryout for band in like three weeks so ive got three weeks to learn how to read and i feel saved lol, you should make a video for the top half of the staff though man

[@talkingbasslessons]

Thanks a lot. I've done a lot more than just the top half of the staff. The sight reading course (that this is advertising) covers absolutely everything you need to get to professional sight reading standard. There are 23 hours of video!

[@alexh3158]

@@talkingbasslessons Alright I'll check it out thank you

[@grahamearl2181]

Fantastic Mark, thank you

[@GarryBurgess]

Finally something is easy for me because I know note reading from the piano. Although the low E on the bass guitar is correctly written as the 1 ledger line below the bass clef, that actual sound is below the 4th ledger line under the bass clef. The piano has a lower A that is 6.5 ledger lines below the bass clef, so unfortunately that is out of range on the bass guitar. So I'm thinking that if I was translating from a score written for the bass part of the piano, I'd play it as though it was written 1 octave higher on the bass guitar if I wanted it to sound the same. And sometimes the lower staff on piano score is a treble clef, so I'd move it down to the corresponding notes on the bass clef to write some of that music for bass guitar. Some of those notes on the bass guitar are high enough that you could notate them on a treble clef to make it slightly easier, such as the high A on the bass guitar (14th fret 1st string) would be the space above the third ledger line on the bass clef, but that is the same note as the second space on the treble clef.

[@lilanlui]

Its so difficult when I'm used to the standard G clef (Ive played flugelhorn for 10 years) I always mix up the names of the notes but this was very helpful thank you (:

[@drawntothefire]

I often hear that rhythm is the hard part when it comes to reading, but being a former drummer I've always found reading rhythm to be second nature, yet reading pitch can be challenging to me! Especially when reading lines with a larger pitch range that require moving around the neck.

[@locca1]

very good lesson.

[@motobassplayer17]

Great video, very helpful thanks man!

[@MrMjp58]

I’ve noticed that sax and horn players in general, take reading for granted. As a part time guitar/bass teacher myself (in later life), I’ve put literally thousands of hours into trying to read music and then trying to pass that on to others. I’ve achieved a certain competence, but because I didn’t start out by reading, it’s always a struggle, plus I’m not that good at maths etc, which doesn’t help. I don’t know if reading music well makes a musician a much better player than they would be without it, but it suits a ‘session’ style mentality, which I found I had. Strangely, reading classical guitar music, even on quite difficult material, I find easier than general reading of melodies, band parts and rock/jazz stuff. Another odd thing is that I can read piano music quite well, though I play the instrument rather badly.

[@JiviteshKharbandaimanartist]

thank you.:) thanks for ur time. indeed

[@endrankluvsda4loko172]

Thank you! Great info!

[@getright1747]

I'm just getting in to the bass

[@parimalroy928]

Wonderful ❤️

[@TDB97]

Simple and great for whom plays with the tab :D

[@juanjavierm]

Excellent. You have just won a subscriptor.

[@julianvazquez437]

Im a 7 year clarinetist and been reading treble cleft all my life... The transition will be tough seeing that the bass cleft is much more complex

[@PrinceSwaggy]

Bro same its easier reading those ledger lines High F and Cs reading bass clef is like transposing alto to a c instrument so hard

[@xenon8413]

great thanks

[@sarahdop4071]

Thank you!

[@gerardthompson1]

GREAT MARK

[@Gazza61253]

cool mark thank you!

[@KristoLaptalo]

Man...you are legend :))

[@systemoften]

Help... I am an old newbie. I have been learning to sight read notes in the bass clef. I am ready to start applying it to notes on the fret board. There are a couple of songs I would like to learn so I downloaded midi files and looked at the notation. Because they didn't match, I downloaded a few more midi songs and they are all the same. The bass guitar notes are played an octave higher than written. The notation goes down an octave below E on the first ledger below. I figure this is so there are not too many ledger lines above. Do I learn the notes as shown here, or an octave up? I am so confused right now. +TalkingBass - Online Bass Lessons

[@tonymarriott6017]

Hi Mark have done a few of your tutorials and have found them very helpful the only problem I seem to have is stretching fingers do you have any exercises that helps improve this.

[@yaramyahu9786]

Hello Mark, how do I download the PDF sheet music to print out?

[@phil76414]

Hi, you mention a sight reading course, is this a new separate course you are going to be releasing or is it the Lessons 3 to 5 in module 4 of the Bassics Fundamentals you are referring to? Thanks, Phil.

[@wtfusheeple5383]

can you buy just the sight reading course also does the course include videos

[@maetta]

Yes, the course includes videos. I just started it

[@kaylajohnson5056]

Do you have any tips for me I now going on my third year on the bass in orchestra but I know how to play the electric too and I'm going to be playing electric more.

[@talkingbasslessons]

+Kayla Johnson If you're already playing upright in the orchestra then transitioning to electric should be pretty easy. Have you got any specific problems? If you have just email me and I'll be happy to help out.

[@kaylajohnson5056]

+TalkingBass - Online Bass Lessons thanks

[@joeflyer743]

Kayla Johnson i

[@OstirBass]

Thx master

[@angwejoseph4043]

Very good lesson , however the system goes mute sometimes

[@MarkSmith-so8wf]

Hi, Mark, I was practicing a piece earlier from tablature and decided to write it into notation onto a stave. I have some basic knowledge of music theory. It wasn't a problem writing it out until the piece jumps back and forth between the C on the 3rd fret of the A string and the C on the 8th fret of the E string! I understand that there is another block of notes in that higher position, but find it confusing when songs reciprocate between these positions and trying to write it on the staff is confusing. Is there a convention used in music theory to make this distinction? Ty

[@bignerd7683]

That C i believe is called the middle C its the note in the middle of the bass clef and the treble clef. So if you create a 2 staffs one treble one bass you can combine them and make the transition more natural. Ive looked up videos on transposing between bass and treble to help me with this issue

[@speirsz]

Some very helpful stuff here. Having started in a jazz big band it’s just what I need right now. However I wonder why he doesn’t employ open strings. I get that these fully fretted patterns are more transferable around the board. That’s how I have played for a long time. But open strings have their place too and can aid relaxation. I’m sure there’s logic here. I’d like to know what it is.

[@n2sport1]

My biggest problem is know what string it should be played on. The open E string is a line below a normal staff, so the first open area only 3 notes higher should be the open A string, then 3 more notes it is the open D and just after the F cleff is the Open G. So if this is correct You would only play like 2 frets on each string and only 1 fret on the G string. However playing a c major chord starting on the 3rd fret of the A string you don't really follow this. You play the D on the A, not the Open D. You play the G on the D string, not the open G and of course the B and octave are written above the staff. It would seem to get any higher on the fret board lots of notes would be completely off the staff and how do I know to play the open string or up another fret on the lower string???

[@readysetshrimps2986]

My fingers are too short to be able to press 4 frets. That won't be a problem right. Just more moving up and down which might be more challenging later on. But bassist don't play chords as often as guitarists right so there's not much of a reason to reach far. Anyway I hope I am correct.

[@superwhite2324]

what model is that bass ? it's gorgeous :)

[@JohnDoe-ne4kg]

Fender Jazz innit bruv

[@doxx2427]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, WERE CAN I GET THE REST OF THIS?

[@talkingbasslessons]

+Rashy Doxx The other 2 lessons in this series are in Module 4 of the Bassic Fundamentals course over here: www.talkingbass.net/bassic-fundamentals-course/

[@doxx2427]

+TalkingBass - Online Bass Lessons. Thank you, I'm going there now.

[@sp7ncer]

i never realized how hard it would be to learn bass clef as a trumpet player... i hope i won't get too messed up in treble clef cuz of this lol

[@foreverwewin]

What bass are you using?

[@Finnvbot]

+Jon Surya You probably know it by now but it's an Enfield Lionheart. It's a one versatile beast. ;) And the other one is a Fender Marcus Miller signature Jazz Bass.

[@lefantomeband]

I wish I could get lessons from you. Ive tried lessons in my city and every one of them has had this vibe like they were the shit and I dont get that vibe from you

[@JackMoran_76]

You can try playing it backwards if you start to memorise it :)

[@gj9665]

It's like he read my fkin mind and told me how to solve every problem

[@-dash]

Lol while going from the E to F, I had trouble not messing around in Phrygian. Focus. Focus.

[@danielbrown7115]

Looks like my fingers are too short to play the bass.

[@Kianquenseda]

You have to be awake to do this

[@rudeusdoto]

14:33 my fingers are not long enough

[@yeetmeintotheabyss2893]

Unless you have a condition you will be able to stretch out 4 frets. I mean, I need to buy small women's gloves and I can still do that stretch. Try stretching as far as you can with your pinky on your highest fret seeing how far down you can go with your index. After that 1 finger per fret becomes easy. Another great stretching exercise is going diagonally across the fretboard up and down. The notes: F B F(octave up) B(octave up) and down Ab E C Ab moving that pattern up chromatically

[@renecoutoesilva5901]

glenn gould was not blind

[@talkingbasslessons]

+Renê Couto e Silva I know. I realised I'd said that after the recording.

[@ktrock77]

Not to be lazy or anything but won't we see music in tablature more often than sheet music?

[@talkingbasslessons]

Ken Trock on gigs? I've never in nearly 30 years of gigging had anyone hand me a sheet of tab.

[@ktrock77]

TalkingBass - Online Bass Lessons Yes, gigs or open mics. I always thought they were looking at tab on thier favorite sites but I'll ask around 👍

[@aTROLLwithBlades]

ahhh august 2015.... if only I were as ignorant as I was then

[@bradwillard8009]

the bess

[@imuwuing5372]

Stæf

[@chrispeters1918]

Any buddy wanna sum up some key points for me? 28 minutes seems like quite a commitment right now.

[@heraldosurpriz7059]

+Chris Peters If 28min is too long you might wanna rework your commitment to the craft.

[@chrispeters1918]

Or practice bass and sight reading for 28 minutes.... lol "commitment to the craft" I love practicing bass, but if you think watching a 28 minute video is gonna help you sight read, than we clearly have different epidemiological beliefs.

[@talkingbasslessons]

+Chris Peters Don't want to get involved in any arguments but I need to point out this is the first lesson of a huge Sight Reading course. So, no. You won't learn to sight read in 28 minutes. But, it could possibly be the first step on a journey. In that sense, it might very well 'help you sight read'. When I first began learning to read I needed some decent direction and help because nobody had any advice worth listening to. That is what I try to provide here.

[@chrispeters1918]

Thanks for being kind enough to take the time and write that. Sight-reading is sincerely something I struggle with and want to get better at. I truly am thankful for videos and series like yours which make learning so accessible. Sorry, Heraldo Surpriz if my previous comment came off as rude.

[@LearnerChess]

Mark, I'm very grateful that you make your videos lengthy and detailed. Personally, I've never believed there was a "quick and easy" way to learn anything. I've heard, and would like to believe it's true, that at Ninja school, when teaching archery, it's three years before they let the student put an arrow in the bow.

[@MrPanjeaMusic]

Tooooo much talking ...... blah blah blah.....👎

[@mainframer1959]

Now I know why its called Talking Bass..Krike get to the lesson man!

[@merjemje8652]

Not certain about the points made but ,if anyone else is searching for best online christian guitar lessons try Fezervin Teeth System Coach (just google it ) ? Ive heard some great things about it and my cousin got amazing success with it.

[@effreymrespicio8073]

To much talking man. Wasting time.

[@thrashislife2654]

bla bla bla

[@jaywells5283]

Do you realize you squawked through 90% of this “lesson” and went over nothing that is showing me anything new

[@bradwillard8009]

jay wells then this might not be the best lesson for you