Reading Music - Introduction
Author: Justin Sandercoe
Why bother to learn to read music?
Everything is available now in TAB and it is much easier to figure out. It tells you exactly where to put your fingers, and you can listen to the record and figure out how it goes. Fine. Learning to read is not always necessary for guitarists these days. But I believe that you can not be a serious guitarist unless you can read at least to a basic level. Below is my opinion of why you should or should not learn to read music.
If you want to learn to read, for any reason, then give it a go.
If you want to progress to really understanding what you are doing then you need to read.
If you want to knock out your favourite tunes with your mates and do a gig every now and again, then perhaps you do not need to learn to read (maybe you should work on understanding what you are playing and improvisation, if you don't already). Unless you want to, or there is any other reason.
If you want to play Jazz then you really should learn to read (there are very few greats that don't).
If you are a hobby guitar player that wants to strum some songs for fun, then I don't believe that it is necessary to learn to read (perhaps you should work on new songs and riffs, harmony, and perhaps Blues?).
If you want to play Classical guitar then you have to learn to read.
If you really don't want to learn to read then Don't waste your time on it.
If you want to learn to transcribe your favourite songs and solos you need to read.
If you want to do a reading gig, then you need to read (is that a bit obvious?).
Have I convinced you yet?
The Method
Learning to read on the guitar can be a daunting prospect for the new guitarist. Perhaps even more daunting to a competent guitarist, because they know how much there is to learn. Although I have just said that it is not easy, that does not mean it is hard. Remember when you first tried to play a G chord. Remember how hard it was, well it will be like that. Difficult, but if you learn how to do it by starting slowly, and practicing consistently, then you shouldn't have much trouble.
I learnt to read pretty much as I am teaching you here. I have had many students learn this way and it works. The madness behind the method is this (??): It is easier to learn things when you can focus all of your attention on just one area. So when we learn to read we take away all the elements of rhythm and music and focus only on learning the notes. We start small, with just 3 notes to learn, then another 3, etc. until we have covered all the notes in open position (the first 3 frets).
Next we introduce rhythm, but separately. Look at all the different kinds of rhythmic figures and learn to recognize the different patterns. If you do this well then when you go to combine the two skills you should find it quite comfortable. Again expect the little set back everyone gets when you are learning a new thing, this time the new skill is combining existing skills.
At least that is the theory. In practice I have found that you only get back what you put in. Expect to become an good reader in less than a year if you have the motivation and time to practice for 15 minutes a day, most days. You will know the basics in around 2 months, if you take a week on each lesson, which is what I recommend for a beginner player. If you are a more experienced player then you might find that two or three days is enough to fully digest the material. Only you know when it is time to move on to the next lesson. Do not move on until you can play the piece forward and backward without mistakes, and you feel 100% comfortable with it.
If you have a metronome, get it out and blow the dust off, because you need it now. If you do not have a metronome then you need to go and buy one (the old style ones are the the pendulous looking things that go tick, tick, tick at even intervals). These days I recommend using the credit card size battery powered ones. I have been using the same Seiko metronome for the last 10 years and I have not even had to change the batteries, and it has had a work out!!
Follow the instructions on the lesson pages that follow and you'll have no trouble.
Go for it, and good luck.
Click here to go to Sight Reading lesson 1.
