Music Reading for Guitar: The Complete Method (Essential Concepts)

the book progresses gradually on a step by step basis but it would have really helped to have an accompanying CD to match notated rhythms with audio examples etc. If you're a novice I would take that into account when selecting the right book for you.

Oh - I wish, I wish, I wish ..... (15/15 people found this helpful)

I wish I'd had a book like this all those years ago when the task of learning to read music became such a chore. This really is a remarkable book - I know of no other that teaches the rudiments and more advanced levels of note-reading whilst being at the same aimed squarely at guitarists. There are masses of useful and increasingly interesting exercises, beginning with simple clapping to reinforce the idea of 'attack'.

My only niggle is that although the book is aimed at guitarists with frequent reference to string and fretboard exercises, chord diagrams are not included. Users of this book therefore need either a good working knowledge of chords, or a chord dictionary should be close to hand. Also, guitar tab is not used anywhere in the book- but don't let that worry you. The pace is well thought out and the lack of tab forces you to pay attention to reading the notation.

Apart from that, I can only say that if you play guitar and want to learn to read formal music notation - then look no further. this definitely IS the book you need.

The Practical Approach (22/27 people found this helpful)

I'd guess this is the way most professionals approach playing music - don't learn all the notes in all the positions, play certain keys in certain positions where they are easiest, get the whole picture into a workable form ASAP, and focus your practice. As good as you'll get in one book....but plenty more to work on once you have these basics in the old noggin! This is the place to start but you'll still need plenty of standard notation work to practice on - but that stuff you can get from the library anyway - this is the book that will centre you on what and how in a structured methodology.

I use this as support materials when teaching Guitar as it's the best I've found on the subject. I also like William Leavitt's books on reading and if you can still get it the Arnei Berle one on sight reading that take a much more linear approach and gets you thinking outside of the traditional first 5 frets - but....if you still want a really traditional approach (learn the hell out of the first 5 frets and then move on up) I'd suggest you also use either Mel Bay's Modern Guitar method books (7 in the series - not so modern as they were oringinally written in 1948! but still good for learning music), or William Bay's Mastering the Guitar (5 in the series). Don't bother with the CD versions if your using them to learn music - that's exactly what your trying to get away from (TAB and listening to CDs).

Absolutely brilliant (24/27 people found this helpful)

Takes you from a completely illiterate musician(as most of us guitarists are) to a very advanced standard. Well written with loads of exercises. This book is a MUST for all aspiring guitarists

I can finally read. (31/33 people found this helpful)

This book is an incredible tool for the guitarist that can play but not read. There are tons of exercises and explanations that are all really helpful, and then before you know it, you can competently sightread. I love this book. It rocks. I'd tried tons of "learn to read" books but they're all written for other instruments, or they're written for people that haven't played the instrument before, which bites for people who can play but can't read. Buy it if you can't read music but have played guitar for a while (14 years in my case). Keep on rockin'.

Music Reading for Guitar: The Complete Method (Essential Concepts)

David Oakes

Reader Reviews:

seems very detailed and comprehensive but no CD (1/1 people found this helpful)

Oh - I wish, I wish, I wish ..... (15/15 people found this helpful)

The Practical Approach (22/27 people found this helpful)

Absolutely brilliant (24/27 people found this helpful)

I can finally read. (31/33 people found this helpful)

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