3 posts
Developing note reading on the bass works best when broken into three areas: note names on the neck (without hesitation), written range (matching a note on the staff to its location on the neck), and counting and playing rhythms. A strong reader controls all three well enough that the line still grooves and doesn't sound read.
Reading music on the bass breaks into three elements: knowing the note names across the fingerboard, identifying notes on the staff and their possible locations, and counting and playing rhythmic notation. A good reader controls all three well enough that the line being played still grooves and sounds like music, not reading.
Where you feel the pulse directly shapes how your playing feels. For 8th notes and 16th notes to sit correctly in 4/4 time, anchor your internal pulse on the quarter notes. Whether you're running harmonic exercises or laying down a groove, locking to a steady pulse is the first job of the bass.
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