Forum

Forum Folks,
I left a similar post in the recommend a lesson, but felt a forum post would more appropriate. Please pardon the redundancy.
I was just wondering how many of us posting here on the Forum can actually read music (perhaps this should be a poll), and if any here thing a lesson by Neil on some basics about reading music notation would be a worth while endeavor.
I was trying to pick out a new song this weekend, the song was from a music book, and contained the sheet music with the tab included above the notation.
The tab helped with the chords, and strumming, and I picked out the melody by what I remembered by ear. Then I got curious about the music notation and remembering only that F-A-C-E were the spaces and E-G-B-D-F were the line I could pick out a more accurate melody and lead. It took for ever counting, hunting and pecking, and I was never sure which note on the guitar corresponded to the note on the music. (ie A note on the Guitar 3 string 2 fret, A note 5 string open, A note 4 string 7 fret? which of those is the note on the second open space when counting F-A-C-E.
I got really involves trying to figure things out and really got curious when the note on the music sheet went above or below the lines on the sheet music. I could figure out which note they were by counting alphabetically, but wonder where they were on the guitar.
It was a interesting exercise for sure, but took for ever, and I was never certain if what I was playing was what was represented on the sheet music.
So long story long... I was thinking a lesson from Neil on some basic music reading and notation would be helpful, interesting, and educational.
Any thoughts about such a lesson?
Can you currently read music?
Best regard to all
Frybaby

Yes. I can read music. Though I think it's good that one can read music I don't think it really helps one to play.

FWIW none of the Beatles could read music and I believe Tommy Emmanuel doesn't read either!

i read music,,i think your note A is on the third string second fret,,the guitar sounds a octave lower then a piano,,that's why they go nice together i think..

strings 1-2-3 are your melody strings most of the time,,,4-5-6 the basses!!!

Good question Frybaby, I think I read sheet music much like you, its slow and painful, I can generally look at a sheet these days and get the feel for the music. But to read and play simultaneously not a happening thing. I do like to have it though in conjunction with the tab now that works better for me rather than either in isolation.

As someone who was briefly trained in the Mel Bay system learning to play Mary Had a Little Lamb or some such nonsense, I learned to read music. But with tab I've become pretty rusty.

But I do believe it helps, especially with timing. Tab doesn't do nearly the job that standard notation does in timing. There are no dotted 1/4 notes in tab, for example.

The other advantage you already hit on. Many old songs are in standard and if you can read music you can pick out the tune. An example is I really like the song Askoshan Farewell by Jay Ungar but I couldn't find it in tab anywhere (at the time) but I had it in standard. I had no choice really if I wanted to learn the song.

Most guitarists blow off standard notation because "we have tab" but that is short-sighted in my opinion. I think, or hope, we are all musicians first who happen to play the guitar as our means of expression.

Just my 2 cents!

Thanks

I can read music and I can sit down and play single note melodies. But that's about where it ends for me. Anything more complex I have to sit and figure it out.

Tab is great but has no timing information. Combine it with standard notation and you get a much more robust system. That's one of the things I really love about Guitar Pro. Type in the standard and it gives you the tab.

frybaby wrote:

All naturel notes(white key's on the piano) and first(I) position on the guitar..

This is where the Tab Toolkit program or something similar that AcousticAl demoed in his video would be a great help.

[video][/video]

Is there something like this for PC? Does Guitar Pro do this? I have GP6, but haven't had the time to install, yet. Too much time spent practicing.