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Reading Music Ain’t That Hard: Part 2
By Kate Grana
Last article we talked about reading notes in the Treble or G clef and I didn’t want to leave all the wannabe bass (pronounced “base”) players out in the cold. So, in this article we will try to introduce the bass notes.
In piano music, the treble clef is for the higher notes played with the right hand and the bass clef is used for the lower notes or the left hand. Bass violins and bass guitar use the bass clef to read their music, too. Remember, as with the treble clef, the musical alphabet runs from A to G in a continuum. That still applies to the bass clef, too. The difference is where those letters are placed.
The musical staff for the bass clef consists of five lines and four spaces just as with the treble clef and staff. So take your pencil and draw five horizontal lines and let’s start labeling the lines and spaces for the bass clef. The lines are G B D F A, counting from the bottom to the top as in a ladder. A great way to remember the letter names for the lines would be to make a sentence out of the words so you can recall them easily. How about Good Birds Don’t Fly Away? The spaces in between each of the lines represent notes, also. The names of the spaces in the bass clef are A C E G. My students loved the spaces because the sentence to remember them was so easy to recall: All Cows Eat Grass.
Each one of these lines or spaces represent a tone that corresponds to either a finger position on the finger board of a bass violin, a fret on a guitar or a note on the piano. Once you know the corresponding place on your instrument, you will begin to read music and a whole new experience and mental challenge will open up for you.
Many people find a great satisfaction and sense of achievement in playing a musical instrument. Once you learn the basics, it might be fun to try to play along with your favorite radio songs. You might try Googling Music Minus One. This is a great series that allows you to have a group of instruments playing along with you as an instrumental accompaniment. Be sure to order for your specific instrument.
Good luck on your new adventure in learning a new skill and be patient with yourself as you are learning a new language, the language of music.
Kate Grana
Kate Grana is a Voice Talent and performs at weddings, funerals and religious ceremonies and services. She also writes jingles and compositions for businesses looking to advertise on radio and television.
Kate maintains a vocal studio in Portsmouth, RI and is a devoted voice teacher and vocal coach. Her strengths lie in teaching correct vocal technique to the beginning student.
Feel free to contact Kate at 508.677.0626 or visit her website at www.KateGrana.com.
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