The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #76

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    The problem is the mind has to figure out - THINK - three fairly involved things simultaneously: what the notes and symbols are, counting the rhythms and location of the notes. I'm just separating the actions, breaking them down so you can do them before putting it all together. Basics.

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  3. #77

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    Can anyone recommend a great book for learning how go sight-read that includes detailed explanations of time signature?

    In order of most comfortable to least comfortable
    1. Note names and rhythmic values in 4-4 time
    2. Finding the written notes on my instrument
    3. Understanding weird time signatures and rhythmic values on the spot.
    Last edited by Broyale; 07-14-2014 at 05:40 PM.

  4. #78

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    Quote Originally Posted by Broyale
    I know how to read music, but I lack the ability to play unfamiliar music at tempo on first glance. How do I develop this ability?
    Developing strong sight-reading ability on the guitar is not easy. You have to think hard about how much precious time you're willing to devote to something which has questionable utility for a non-pro. I make up for my weak sight-reading by learning most songs by ear and memorizing tunes - I'm pretty sure my jam-mates are happy with the trade-off.

    Still, I devote 10 to 15 minutes a day to sight reading. And I write out lines in notation, which helps my reading.

    Edit: for note names, there is an iPhone app named "Treble Reader" which is very helpful. A good app for when you have a few minutes to kill.

  5. #79

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    Quote Originally Posted by coolvinny
    Developing strong sight-reading ability on the guitar is not easy. You have to think hard about how much precious time you're willing to devote to something which has questionable utility for a non-pro.
    +1 from me.

    Something about my sight-reading experiences:

    I'm a professional guitarist/guitar-teacher for ten years now. There were just 4 situations were I needed sight-reading:

    1. Subbing as a bass-player in a big band. Very much sight reading in bass clef. But almost everything in 4/4.

    2. Subbing as a guitarist in a big band. Sight reading mostly chord-symbols and just occasional unisono-lines. Everything in 4/4

    3. Working in a trio with bass and female-vocal. Sight reading only chord-symbols, but in some strange keys. Again just 4/4.

    4. Accompanying music-school-vocalists. Here I write most of the notes by myself, because the vocal-teachers usually don't create good lead-sheets. So may be this doesn't really count for sight reading. But again just 4/4.

    What I want to tell you with this list, is that reading strange rhythms in strange time signatures is so seldom needed (in my case even never) that you should really think about, if it is necessary for you to practice this. ...at least unless the situation your living in is very different from mine or you want to be the sub for all the prog-metal-bands in your area.

    But nevertheless, being able to sight read is a great tool to have in your arsenal.
    Just follow the tips from all the guys in the thread and see were it will take you.

    Regards
    Christoph

  6. #80

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    I agree with Christoph. Reading tricky time signatures is fairly rare. About as rare as having to read in bass clef or both chefs at the sane time, like a pianist. Well not that rare. But learn to read in 3/4 and 4/4 is essential and it's easy to transition to time signatures after you know the basics.

    I would encourage you to learn to read though. I read on my gigs all the time. 75% of my gigs are reading gigs. Actually much more than that, but i already know most the tunes. Or I can look at the chart, half read it and play the rest without looking. But I do gigs that require reading. Big bands are fantastic training grounds. But most small jazz ensembles require reading too.

  7. #81

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    A fun way to practice rhythms is with a drum practice pad and a couple of drum sticks. I really enjoy doing that.

    I also have the book that I used for college ear training courses called "Sight Singing Complete". This is another good skill to work on to help your sight reading and musicianship in general. That book has a lot of good non-pitched rhythm exercises.

  8. #82

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    This thread is likely dormant, but I have another view on this as a classically trained guitarist when I was a young teen. I learned to sight read the best way - from Day 1. Broyale, I do understand your point - you know how to read notes, but not with the fluency required to handle unfamiliar songs and charts. Well, if it were easy, then anyone could do it.

    But the approach that is most natural involves a couple of options. First, Henry mentioned the issues of integration of reading the pattern of notes on the sheet music and connecting that with execution of the notes on fretboard. I think practicing the Segovia scales in all keys (don't go apoplectic on me, Henry ) are one excellent way of connecting the dots on paper with notes and their fretboard location. This of course assumes that you are fluent on the fretboard and already know it cold, or that you are in the process of achieving that level.

    Second, from day one of lessons from an Richard Pick classical guitar method book, you start with learning the notes in the first position. Progress occurs as learn to recognize the rhythmic patterns with various time values and syncopation starting with simple rhythm patterns evolving into more complex notation. But I think this point is important. In order to read unfamiliar patterns of songs you do not know, you should start with familiar songs so that you will learn the musical note pattern recognition.

    What happens over time is that you don't think in terms of single note recognition so much as pattern recognition. The architecture of certain groupings of notes like a run of four eighth notes barred or a group of quarter notes as triplets. In addition, as you practice your classical major and minor diatonic scales in all keys, you begin to associate the dots on the paper with the intervals on your guitar and in your mind. It is quite analogous to learning to read. When you see the word "guitar" you apprehend it in one gulp, so to speak. If asked, you can break it up into two syllables, as in 'gui-tar', rather than g-u-i-t...etc.

    And finally over time you don't even think about where the notes you are reading are on the FB, as you just hear the notes in your mind and "sing" it on guitar. That last point is pretty important. Try to sing the phrase as you practice. I am more convinced over time that finding your own voice on the guitar means being able to play as fluently as you can sing a melody, once you can read it. The guitar becomes your 'voice'.

    I 'sight read' every day nearly for the past fifty years. One excellent way to make that connection between the dots and music is to work with notation software. Although I have my library of Sibelius transcriptions of standards that I know "by heart" like Stardust, during my practice sessions nightly I play through several of my transcription as 'sets'. While I particularly enjoy practicing both guitar and keyboards with eyes closed (recommended by Chopin and Litzst), I like to 'read' the music as it is reinforcement of pattern recognition. For one thing it is much easier to read the sheet music enlarged on a computer screen than on paper, and the reinforcement of the visual notes with the actual sound of those patterns is so critically helpful. Working with notation software is probably the best thing you can do. There are other reasons as well, but this is getting too long.

    Even after fifty years playing classical music and forty jazz, I still believe that the experienced musical intelligence apprehends by ear much faster than the analytical mind. In other words, with an unfamiliar piece of music, if the composer is around I would much prefer just to hear him play through once or twice. In that context you apprehend the melodies and harmonies in an organic way by ear. Matching the dots with that understanding becomes infinitely easier.

    Jay
    Last edited by targuit; 08-17-2014 at 12:31 AM.

  9. #83

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    Quote Originally Posted by mr. beaumont
    Some of the best "reading" practice for me was writing.

    For me, there was something about having to figure out how to write down a certain tricky syncopation that made me remember it better the next time I saw it.
    I'm probably the "caboose on the train" here, but I just perused all the posts in this thread and with all due respect this is the one that resonated most with me.

    My parents were both jazz musicians and I grew up around horn and piano players who could all read very well. Although I was a late starter (18-19 years old) with a blues/rock background, I had an interest in both jazz and classical music and wanted to work hard to develop my reading ability. Back then (late 60's) there was almost nothing for jazz guitarists to sight-read, so my teacher put me through a series of sax books by Lennie Niehaus. I also used clarinet, trumpet and violin books and probably spent a couple of hours each day working diligently on my reading.

    While I got the weekly pat-on-the-back from my teacher, I still felt intimidated if someone put something in front of me to read on the spot, which was very frustrating after all the study time I had invested.

    What dramatically changed everything for me and instantly accelerated my reading ability was when I began to write what I was hearing. Even to be playing along with someone like B.B. King and writing the simplest blues lick connected all the dots (so to speak) for me. No longer did I have to mentally calculate ledger lines, because playing and hearing something like a high E or G while visualizing both on the fingerboard and the staff meant that the very next time I saw that note on a new score I instantly knew what and where it was without even thinking about it. I made more reading progress in weeks writing for just minutes each day than I had in two years devoting two hours a day to those books. On top of that, I was writing something that was personally meaningful to me, instead of something abstract that I would most likely never play for anyone. Of course, I'm not even addressing Mr. B's other point, which is what it does for your understanding of timing, syncopation, phrasing, etc.

    If I've learned nothing else after teaching guitar/bass for over 40 years, it's that a student makes the most progress when they involve multiple senses (ear, mind, vision, touch, etc) while learning, instead of isolating each one independently. After all, that's ideally what happens when we improvise or compose.

    Anyway, that's my two cents and what has worked so well for me and those I've coached over the years. I highly recommend that anyone having difficulty with reading try writing for even 10-15 minutes a day. I think you'll be amazed at the results.

  10. #84

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    Been practicing my sightreading everyday since I started this thread. The thing that clicked for me was realizing the reason I had trouble learning to read was I never had a strategy for doing it. I learned that to read well. it means
    daily practice with a metronome,

    reading things only as fast as I can play them accurately,

    looking a measure ahead,

    not stopping when I make a mistake,

    not looking at my hands,

    singing the pitch of the note while counting the rhythm

    I've been using Michael Kravchuk's book to work from. If I keep this up, I know I will get better at reading.
    Thanks for all the advice, fellas.

  11. #85

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    Hi,

    I am curious to hear how some of you go about sight-reading on guitar.
    1- When it comes to single note lines, do you think of each sharp/flat or do you approach it differently? What about busy key signatures (more than 3 sharps/flats)?
    2- I find chords to be the most challenging to decipher. How do you approach those?

    For the context, I should add that hardly any indication is provided: fingerings are not indicated but let's assume you have a vague idea of the position(s) to play the notes in.

    Actually, I really mean reading (with a little time to prepare, but not enough to write all sorts of reminders on the staff) more so than sight-reading.

    Thanks.
    Last edited by pinbridge; 09-19-2015 at 11:28 AM.

  12. #86

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    I haven't sight read in years. One piece of advice I would give though, as practice, is to visualize your fingers on the fretboard when reading music. Do this away from the instrument. Get things straight in your mind and your fingers will follow. This is something you can do on a bus journey, in a canteen, whatever. Speeds up the whole process of familiarising yourself with the fingerboard.
    Last edited by GuitarGerry; 09-19-2015 at 12:35 PM.

  13. #87

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    P.S. A lot of notated chords are shapes that we're all familiar with, so often its only the top note or two that you need to read.

  14. #88

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    I'm not a great sight reader by any stretch but when you sight read a piece recognize what key you're in as this will outline the majority of the notes ( except for incidentals ) and you won't be concerned about the number of sharps or flats so much. For example a major piece with 3 sharps you'll be looking at the majority of the notes being from the A major scale. Looking at the highest and lowest notes of the piece will give you the range you'll encounter and hence you can decide where on the fretboard to play it. This is assuming you know your scales.

    Chords can be tough on the fly especially with alterations and the different inversions. I need to figure these out before playing but as with anything the more you encounter it the more you'll recognize it for what it is. I'd be curious if someone has an easier way to recognize these also.

    My 2 cents!

  15. #89

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    Quote Originally Posted by pinbridge
    1- When it comes to single note lines, do you think of each sharp/flat or do you approach it differently? What about busy key signatures (more than 3 sharps/flats)?
    Certain positions on the fretboard lend themselves to certain keys. For example, third position is a good place to play in the key of Eb. The Bb, Eb and Ab will be right under your fingers. Of course, when it comes to accidentals you're on your own.

    It's not always as simple as playing in one position, so you really need to scan the chart before you read it and look for surprises.

    Quote Originally Posted by pinbridge
    2- I find chords to be the most challenging to decipher. How do you approach those?
    Again, thinking in positions helps, but there's no substitute for just getting used to it. Playing classical guitar exercises can also help. You need to find lots of chordal material to read and keep plowing through it. Also, keep in mind that some of the chords they write out for guitar are really unplayable on guitar, but the pianist/arranger doesn't realize it. Be prepared to alter the voicing to something that works.

    Having a good teacher who's a good reader can really help with reading in general. There are all kinds of little tips and tricks he can show you. He can point out when you don't have the rhythm quite right. He can point you to sight reading materials. It's hard to overstate how helpful the right teacher can be.

    Finally, you really have to read fresh material all the time if you want to get good at reading. You can't read the same stuff over and over. There are a bunch of books by Bugs Bower and Charles Colin that are great for sight reading jazz phrases. Rhythms Complete is a good one to start with, but you really need several to keep going through.

    Hope this helps, and I hope you get where you want to go.
    Last edited by Jonathan0996; 09-19-2015 at 04:21 PM.

  16. #90

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    Another thing to add. Get hold of Louie Bellson's Modern Reading text in 4/4. Work from it every day, clapping out the rhythms to a metronome click. By learning to read rhythm in all its written forms, without even having to think about it, you'll have eliminated one part of the equation when it comes to cracking sight-reading. Glancing at a phrase and knowing in advance how it's going to sound rhythmically, frees you to concentrate on pitches.

  17. #91

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    People who sight read well can look at music and hear it in there head at the same time. I never learned how to do that. As an example I've seen people identify songs from just reading a couple of bars. I always had to play it on my instrument to actually hear it. Singers can do this. Not too many guitarists I know can do this.
    Last edited by Eddie Charles; 09-19-2015 at 05:57 PM.

  18. #92

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  19. #93

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Charles
    People who sight read well can look at music and hear it in there head at the same time. I never learned how to do that. As an example I've seen people identify songs from just reading a couple of bars. I always had to play it on my instrument to actually hear it. Singers can do this. Not too many guitarists I know can do this.
    It's just a basic requirement. Guitarists must be able to do this just like any other instrumentalists. I knew kids in school bands who played horns who could do that without thinking much of it. To identify or sing a simple tune from a sheet music is a norm, there is no way around it.

  20. #94

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    Quote Originally Posted by Eddie Charles
    People who sight read well can look at music and hear it in there head at the same time. I never learned how to do that. As an example I've seen people identify songs from just reading a couple of bars. I always had to play it on my instrument to actually hear it. Singers can do this. Not too many guitarists I know can do this.
    Get this book

    http://www.amazon.com/Sight-Sing-Mel.../dp/1575605147

    It's not hard

  21. #95

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    I think the answer to these questions would depend very much on what type of music you are "sight-reading".

    Complexity, key, familiarity with the music in terms of melody and harmony. Another example is whether or not chords are written out above the melody line ( "Dm7b5" ) or not. Key in reading notated music is to focus on the melody within the key and chord progression. Most of the time in a band situation you are playing a part or comping. If you are playing a solo 'chord-melody' version of a standard, you can exploit the sheet music in many ways. For example, recognizing that if the harmony is written out as block chords, you use virtually any note in that chord as a part of your improv. Or if you are really sticking to playing the melody, I like to focus on just key destination notes, as I can synch what I'm playing with what I hear in my head.

    And yes, if you read well, you can essentially "hear" the notes in your head if you are just reading the piece. That is because with experience you associate the melody and chords as written notation just as you would when you read a story in the paper. The tones and the notes are associated in your mind - you just apprehend the chord usually. But if it is written out above the melody, that is also usually very helpful.

  22. #96

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    I've said it before but for getting the basics down for sight reading I separate it into three different categories:

    1) Notes and all the symbols on the staff.
    2) counting the rhythms
    3) locating the notes on the guitar.

    I get the student to drill all of these things one at a time. I have drills for just calling out the notes, no acknowledgement of rhythms. As a matter of fact my drills just have note heads with no stems. Then I have drills for clapping out the rhythms, like the Bellson book only simpler to complex. Then I have drills for just locating the notes in various positions on the neck with no attention to rhythm.

    Gradually these three things become easier and you can begin doing them all at once. But I recommend not trying to do all three at one time. Those are three very distinct activities. Simplify!

    The Method!

  23. #97

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    There should be a big distinction made between reading music and sight reading. Many musicians that can read music well, cannot sight read at all.

  24. #98

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    Quote Originally Posted by cosmic gumbo
    There should be a big distinction made between reading music and sight reading. Many musicians that can read music well, cannot sight read at all.
    Exactly right. But I think of those that read music very well can sight read. I don't know the distinction there.

  25. #99

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    I'm taking a college piano class. The teacher has one cardinal rule: take a few seconds to look at your fingers and finger positions; then, when ready, look at ONLY the sheet music, i.e., the bass and treble clefs under no conditions when working out the music are you to look at your hands. Go as slow as you need ( rubato ) initially to read and find the notes without looking at your fingers. If you're making mistakes, you're going too fast. Only look at the sheet music, even if you are struggling with the tactile memory of configuring where your fingers need to go.

    It reminded me that I should've applied this advice to the guitar.

  26. #100

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    Quote Originally Posted by henryrobinett
    Exactly right. But I think of those that read music very well can sight read. I don't know the distinction there.
    Yeah, that makes sense right? If you are a good reader, it means you can read fast, then it means, all of a sudden, you are sight-reading, and good at it! If you are a slower reader, it means you are sight- reading slow... Not a good sight-reader! Then, sight-reading means a higher level of reading? I would think so! Personally, Im only decent at reading guitar method books, and jazz fake books. Put some Big Band or show tunes arrangements in front of me, and Ill be lost fast!