AGH! What do these numbers mean? (bass, Tabla)

Caya13 · 01-14-2007, 06:34 PM

I must be some kind of string instrument imbecile because I can't make this out. I am learning to play the bass and my book uses notes, then I go activebass.com to check out music there and I see number instead of notes. What do they mean?

tdoc210 · 01-14-2007, 06:38 PM

fret number

swim · 01-14-2007, 06:46 PM

Your book uses sheet music? I guess it tells you how to read music as well?
The numbers are fret numbers.
everytime you go up a fret you go up a semitone.
there are 12 semitones in an octave
the semitiones for each string are
E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, E
A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A
D, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D
G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, E, F, F#/Gb, G,

the first is 0 the last is 12.

I hope that wasn't jibberish.

Caya13 · 01-14-2007, 06:58 PM

Oh no, I already know how to read music, I was just confused about the numbers. I looked at the tablature guide on the web site and figured it out. Thanks all.

01-14-2007, 06:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
Caya13 Groupie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: WNY Posts: 5	AGH! What do these numbers mean? I must be some kind of string instrument imbecile because I can't make this out. I am learning to play the bass and my book uses notes, then I go activebass.com to check out music there and I see number instead of notes. What do they mean?

01-14-2007, 06:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
tdoc210 ashes against the grain Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: new hampsha Posts: 2,617	fret number __________________ We went back there and they had come and hacked off every inoculated arm. There they were in a pile. A pile of little arms. And I remember... I... I... I cried. I wept like some grandmother. I wanted to tear my teeth out. I didn't know what I wanted to do. And I want to remember it. I never want to forget it. I never want to forget. And then I realized... like I was shot... like I was shot with a diamond... a diamond bullet right through my forehead. And I thought: My God... the genius of that.

01-14-2007, 06:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
swim dontcareaboutyou Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: North Carolina Posts: 5,188	Your book uses sheet music? I guess it tells you how to read music as well? The numbers are fret numbers. everytime you go up a fret you go up a semitone. there are 12 semitones in an octave the semitiones for each string are E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, E A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A D, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D G, G#/Ab, A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, E, F, F#/Gb, G, the first is 0 the last is 12. I hope that wasn't jibberish. __________________ http://nakednaps.bandcamp.com/

01-14-2007, 06:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
Caya13 Groupie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: WNY Posts: 5	Oh no, I already know how to read music, I was just confused about the numbers. I looked at the tablature guide on the web site and figured it out. Thanks all.