How to read Bass Guitar Music

Created by Admin in Music Education 30 Jun 2021

There are two methods used to write bass music. First is the traditional music notation method (using music notes

) and second is tablature . Both are used in this book but you need only use one of these methods. Most people find tablature easier to read, however, it is worthwhile learning to read traditional music notation as well. Nearly all sheet music you buy in a music store is written in traditional notation.

Tablature

Tablature is a method of indicating the position of notes on the fretboard. There are four "tab" lines, each representing one of the four strings of the bass.

When a number is placed on one of the lines, it indicates the fret location of a note, e.g.:

This indicates the 3rd fret of the second string (an F note).

This indicates the 7th fret of the 4th string (a B note).

This indicates the open third string (an A note)

The tablature, as used in this book, does not indicate the time values of the notes, only their position on the fretboard. You can read the time values by following the count written beneath the tablature, e.g.:

In this example, the first note is worth one count, the second and third notes are worth half a count each and the fourth note is worth two counts. The small number in the count is used to indicate where a note is being held or where a rest occurs.

Note readers may need to refer to the tablature to determine the position of an example.