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Sightreading

cwen

New member
Joined
Oct 6, 2002
Messages
61
How many of you all actually know the notes on the fretboard and can sightread? I'm taking a jazz improv class and there's quite a bit of sightreading required, so I was wondering what are some good books/websites to practice sightreading.
 

Bayou Bostick

New member
Joined
Jul 5, 2002
Messages
210
Go back to the old school........

Believe it or not, those old Mel Bay beginner books are a great introduction for sightreading. Mel Bay Guitar Method, Grade 1.

You could probably play everything in the book by ear, but reading is a different thing!
 

nemo

New member
Joined
May 21, 2003
Messages
175
I can read single notes when I play sax with no problem.

I've been trying to teach myself with guitar using William Levitts books from Berklee press. They're pretty good but i'm far away from reading chords fluently.
 

juniorspecial

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
May 6, 2003
Messages
4,232
If you really want to sight read...

Here's the sort of thing I went through to learn to sight read:

Get some sheet music for other instruments, like saxophone, flute, trumpet, etc. That way, you'll be sure to get some things that are not in "guitar friendly" keys. And, any old sheet music will do--these shouldn't be tunes you know, or like! Old crappy show tunes from the 20s that somebody is just throwing away is actually perfect for this!

Anyway, take a piece, and without looking at it at all, decide what position you'll play it in. Just pick something, or draw something out of a hat. So, when you know you're going to play the piece in, say, IVth position, then look at what key it's in. Pick out the notes for that key in that position. Learn the "shape" of the scale in that position.

Then start to play the piece as accurately as you can. Play it all the way through, without stopping for mistakes. Don't stop--keep the music coming! When you finish going through it once, go on to another piece. Play at least three or four different pieces before you go back to the first.

When you go back to the first: CHANGE POSITION! This time play it in VIIth position, or something. But, play it in a different position! Every time you play it.

I'm not kidding. While these exercises may sound difficult--and they are!--you will learn the notes, and the neck better than anybody!

While you are doing this stuff remember that you are not trying to learn to play these pieces beautifully--you're trying to learn to sight-read!

Pretty soon, you'll know all sorts of different fingerings for all sorts of scales, and you'll see how they fit together, and you'll learn the neck, and the keys, and all of this stuff will just be there for you!
 

Phil Sottile

New member
Joined
Feb 4, 2003
Messages
348
The Berklee Method for Guitar (3 Volumes) is a great way to learn to read, also good for harmony/theory and position playing.

:hippy
 

nemo

New member
Joined
May 21, 2003
Messages
175
Phil Sottile said:
The Berklee Method for Guitar (3 Volumes) is a great way to learn to read, also good for harmony/theory and position playing.

:hippy

Thats the one. Great place to start. I'm on to volume 2 myself.
 
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