This article is written by Toru Hoshino, a jazz bassist and instructor based in Japan who teaches online lessons to students worldwide. In this article, he answers a question from one of his jazz students about how to read note names.
Here’s a question I got from one of my jazz students, along with my answer:
“Should I think of notes by solfège — do-re-mi-fa-sol — or by letter names — C-D-E-F-G?”
Contents
My Answer: Get Comfortable Reading by Letter Names (C-D-E-F-G)
In popular music — rock, pop, jazz, and so on — you’re constantly thinking in terms of chords, so I recommend getting comfortable reading notes as letter names rather than solfège.
One big reason: when you’re writing your own phrases or analyzing a chord progression, thinking in letters links up much more intuitively with the chord symbols you’re already reading.
How to Build the Habit
To get comfortable with letter names, the key is to consciously say the note names to yourself while playing slowly during scale practice and other basics.
For example, while playing a major scale, say “C… D… E… F… G…” in your head as you go. This steadily strengthens the connection between your fingers and the note names.
It’s Fine If You Can’t Keep Up at Faster Tempos
That said, once the tempo picks up, it gets genuinely hard to consciously think “C-D-E-F-G” in your head. This happens to everyone — don’t worry about it.
I still find it hard to consciously track note names once things get fast enough myself.
Even so, practicing with letter names in mind at slower tempos strengthens the connection between phrases and chords over time, which ultimately improves how well you remember and understand phrases.
Early On, the Effort to Stay Conscious of It Matters
When you’re just starting out, consciously tracking note names while also moving your fingers can feel like a lot to juggle.
But building this habit early means that, eventually, the note name will just pop into your head the instant you look at the fretboard.
You don’t need to get there right away. Take it slow and steady.
Building a habit like this on your own can feel slow — but a teacher can usually tell you exactly which exercises will get you there fastest.
Want Personalized Feedback on Your Playing?
This is exactly the kind of thing that’s hard to fix alone — and where having a teacher makes all the difference.
At Line on Bass, I offer an online lesson service where you send me a video of your playing, and I give you specific, detailed feedback — every single day if you want.
Students from around the world are using this to fix exactly these kinds of issues and steadily improve their jazz bass skills.