rocketman Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 So I was reading an article about a baritone guitar and how the studio artist had to read bass clef music to play the part. This got me thinking. I started on piano so I'm very comfortable playing music using either clef. But I was wondering if you pure guitarists out there know how to read music from bass clef? For those who do, what made you learn it? Bass players are obviously different. I'd like to hear from those who just play the guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I started out learning bass guitar years before I really got into guitar. It was something I had to do very early on if I wanted to play songs from the Rush Anthology, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Yes as well as any bass leson books I could get my hands on. So yeah, I wouldn't be the guitarist I am today if I didn't start reading bass cleff. Great question Rocketman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McDuff Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I just began my foray into a Bachelors in music which put me in entry level theory classes filled with people who have a lot of different music backgrounds. It would seem that most people who identify them selves as guitar players (guitar is their primary instrument) can't read music at all. The class has since covered how to read Treble, Bass and even C clef but I myself am still not able to do more than transcribe the music back into tabs. I will become a musician a few years down the road but for the moment I am still far more comfortable with chord charts and tabs than actual music, much less bass clef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lungimsam Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I can read some bass clef. Not very fast though. Â When I was a classical guitarist circa 1990, I started transcribing some Chopin piano music for guitar, and had to learn it there. I might have done some lute music with bass clef too. Hard to remember. Â Lately, as a bassist, I need to read from time to time, but am in no way proficient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Yeppers  If you played baritone in marching band or wind ensemble, most pieces are in bass clef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandro Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 When I was learning guitar my teacher taught me bass clef too, and even a bit of the other clefs, to make me understand how different clef worked. I'm still able to read in violin and bass clef, but forgot all the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexri Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I don't read music at all. Â Never been a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 When I joined this forum in late 2007 I had just bought a Gibson Les Paul Classic from Guitar Center but had no idea how to play it. Now I'm playing in band and learning songs and getting by. I told my guitar teacher that I was in a rush to learn technique first as I am not a younster. Now that I am able to play a bit I'm getting into theory and actually starting to understand whats going on. Next step will be learning to read sheet music... I know I'm doing it butt backwards but it's working for me. Thank God I have lots of good music ability from my early days as a drummer and a good ear from being a Sound Engineer and producing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Interesting post....  IMO a big issue here is the many 1000x more music available in treble clef than bass clef  So for instruments like trombone/euphonium...reading both treble and bass clef maximises the amount of accessible music  Reading a piano score can be useful to a guitarist on occasion  Guitar music is written one octave higher than true pitch to facilitate the use of one 'convenient' clef (treble)  At true pitch it would extend well down into the bass clef....  V  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogsPart2 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Trombone player and bass player, so no problem. Â Although I am a bit rusty these days since switching to guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfox14 Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I play both bass and guitar so I am comfotable reading either treble or bass clef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Truth be told, guitarists SHOULD be reading bass clef, or a modified version there of, somewhat akin to a "C" clef used for violas and other middling (baritone/alto) instruments. A guitar, since it is a tenor instrument with two bass strings, is a transposing instrument. What most guitarists read, then play, on the treble clef is actually being voiced by the guitar an octave lower, beginning below the bass clef. For convenience,though, the normal treble clef is used. The correct clef for a guitar is a treble clef with a number '8' written below to indicate it is played an octave lower. Â Having learned the piano at a young age, then forgotten how to play, then playing a sousaphone in high school, a bass clef is not a stretch for me. Â If playing a baritone guitar while reading a bass clef is a problem, transpose it onto a treble clef an octave higher, just play it an octave lower. Â My sister played the baritone horn (like a euphonium). I remember that her music would sometimes jump between bass and treble clef. A baritone guitar probably does the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buliwyf Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 Like a couple other people I started learning to play bass before I learned 6 string so the first thing my teacher taught me was to read bass clef.I'm sure i'm slow and rusty it's been like 30 years since.I do like that he used Beatles/Paul McCartney songs to teach me,Dam was Paul adventurous on that Hofner fretboard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 While I'm much more fluid reading Treble Clef, I can read Bass Clef. I had a few songs on the Valve Trombone and Sousaphone as a Junior in High School. Also read Drum Music, full kit and marching score. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 It's been a while since Band, but aren't the notes on a bass clef two notes down from a treble? I.E a C on a treble is an E on a Bass? I didn't think there was anything to it really? I've been wrong before though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted February 1, 2012 Author Share Posted February 1, 2012 Yep that's it. But if you're not used to it I can see how it could cause problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.