The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #76

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    Underemphasized in the replies, I think, is that different guitarists find different things to be obstacles in sightreading. If you determine what specifically is a hurdle for you, you can focus on it and progress much faster. For example, I find many students whose primary problem is reading rhythms are spending their time reading classical studies that, while great, do not contain the syncopations and variety that give them trouble. Or, they keep looking away from the music to look at where their fingers are on the guitar neck and are not even aware they're doing so.

    If your problem is knowing where the notes are on the fretboard, work on exercises for that, and practice playing the same thing on different fret/string combinations.

    If rhythm is an obstacle for you, check out The Rhythm Book - Beginning Sight-Reading by Rory Stuart (and, once that's cool, the Intermediate book).

    If your problem is that you need to look at the fretboard to put your fingers in the right place, practice playing with your eyes closed.

    These are just some of the issues that may hold you back; the key, I think, is to identify what is *your* limiter and work on that.

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  3. #77

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    I'll make a drive-by comment on this old thread: too much is made of how difficult it is to learn to sightread as an adult.

    Is it harder than when you are a little kid? sure. undoubtedly. But, wishing you were younger is like wishing you were taller.

    Sightreading is a skill that can be developed, and you can absolutely learn to read well as an adult, I did, and so did lots of other musicians better than me that needed to for work purposes. There are ways to ineffectively practice sightreading, and ways to effectively practice, like virtually everything. I suspect people that really, really struggle haven't worked out how to practice this skill efficiently.

    Some things that have been effective for me:

    1) Preparation: lots of great sightreaders I know are very good at scanning pieces before the first downbeat, looking for unfamiliar rhythms, odd accidentals, large skips, and instrument range considerations. This can, and should, be practiced. On the Wrecking Crew documentary, Tommy Tedesco mentions that he can't read everything, but knows how to find the important bits.

    2) Reading ahead: again, most great sightreaders I have talked to read fairly far ahead, their eye is ahead of the music. I think after a while this probably becomes unconscious, but I practice this consciously, as I naturally don't have a tendency to read very far ahead. If you are reading a piece that moves quickly, reading ahead is more important.

    3) "Map Reading": knowing the various signs (DC, DS, etc) how to interpret them, and how to navigate a chart in general is super important for virtually all big band situations. The Pat Metheny fake book is a great way to practice all these things, as are reading big band charts.

    4) Keeping your place while other stuff is happening: When I started to be a better reader, I'd notice that I could read things in my practice room fine, but with a big band, I'd get tripped up, because of counterlines and other things going on around me. Make sure you practice reading with other people, or with music playing.

    5) Note recognition: I honestly think writing music helps a lot with note recognition, and writing is an underrated way of practicing note recognition.

  4. #78

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    Here's a tip.

    If you're reading big band charts, particularly if you get stuck with a piano chart, sooner or later you're going to encounter something you can't read.

    Here's the tip:

    Stop playing, but keep counting.

    The key is to not lose your place while you're stumbling over a passage you can't read.

    Much better to omit things rather than get lost in the form.