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I've finally knuckled down to playing from notation


polishpaul

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Posted

AAGGHHHH!

 

This is tough!

 

Again, and again, and again, and again.........

 

 

This is what I've always shied away from, because even the simplest piece is difficult when you're in "total discipline" mode. None of that farting about showing off how interestingly my fingers can move, roughly in time to something or other.

 

This is the real deal. Will post when nailed!

 

 

Oh me oh my..................

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Posted

As your forum "friend" :) may I suggest that you stay on track with "tears.." before you become too distracted.

I know, so much to learn, you wanna learn it all. But I think you'd get much more from learning tears 'til you can play it while holding a conversation. Then, the next thing will be so much easier.

Sorry if you have nailed it already.

Just a thought. Trying to help.
:thu:

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Posted

Reading notation is something I've not done for a while, but I really should stop being lazy and start it again:idea:

I find it pretty boring and very hard work on the old brain, and because of that I used to learn an easy composition for 10 to 15 minutes a day as part of my warm up. I found my brain couldn't cope with much longer.

As I say I need to get back to doing it as the benefits are immense, such as timing and it also really helps in learning the fretboard. I'd go as far as saying that the group of notes I can name with no hesitation on the fretboard are the ones on the first 3 frets and that was purely because of the reading practice.

Once I've moved house and stuff I think I'll say hello to Hal Leonards Guitar method once more.:thu:

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Posted

One thing that has really worked for me: Spend time reading music that are interesting to you. That way the process might actually seem rewarding. Beginner Classical Guitar music is a good place to start I think. A big part of it is getting used to the idea that your eyes are on the music, not the guitar.

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At one point in the past I got to the stage of being able to read ahead of what I was playing.

 

Now that makes life easy.

 

All it takes is practice :)

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Posted

As your forum "friend"
:)
may I suggest that you stay on track with "tears.." before you become too distracted.

 

 

I'm still on "Tears", and this is a challenge. I'm having to do things I haven't tried before, like those double-stop slides from the fifth to seventh to fifth, on the top two strings, then from the fourth to sixth to fourth on the G and B strings.

 

I can execute them physically, but nowhere near as smoothly and musically as the man himself. It's coming along though. I'm learning this from that video with the TAB, so I'm spending some time nailing a blues (I posted this up recently - Lake Blues) from the notation. It's very simple, but again takes a lot of effort to play it EXACTLY as written and to make it sound musical.

 

I could whimble through it (that's a new word - meaning to ramble through a piece of music on a whim, instead of being disciplined :)) quite easily, but that doesn't get me to tighten up, timing-wise.

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Posted

At one point in the past I got to the stage of being able to read ahead of what I was playing.


Now that makes life easy.


All it takes is practice
:)

 

Cool indeed!

 

It's important to remember that a lot of music is made up of regular patterns, and these become familiar as one studies a piece. As I understand it, then, a competent sight-reader is not fixing on every symbol all the time.

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Posted

 

Cool indeed!


It's important to remember that a lot of music is made up of regular patterns, and these become familiar as one studies a piece. As I understand it, then, a competent sight-reader is not fixing on every symbol all the time.

True. However, it's important not to take too much for granted! It's easy to misread a rhythm because it looks like a familiar one you've played many times before - but in fact it might be a little different. Same with notes: you can take hints from other things in the music (such as chord symbols or previous phrases) but these can mislead in the same way. Things don't always repeat exactly...

 

But what windmill says about looking ahead is the secret. If you're always looking at the exact note you're playing, it gets frustrating, because the next note is always a surprise! You're in a constant state of mild panic. Imagine walking down the street if you could only see where your feet were at each step, and not even one step ahead. You need to get to the point where the note you're playing (just like each step you take) is accounted for - you already saw that one and planned it a moment ago, your hands are taking care of it - so you can look ahead at what's coming. The best sight readers will probably be looking 2 or 3 bars ahead, perhaps scanning them back and forth quickly - one glance may be enough for simple passages, but they have the time for a few extra scans before they get there if they need it.

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Posted

I started trying to use the notation in magazine exercises instead of tab, but it's tough not to cheat. Sometimes I have to resort to taping over the tab so I can't see it!

 

 

One thing that has really worked for me: Spend time reading music that are interesting to you. That way the process might actually seem rewarding. Beginner Classical Guitar music is a good place to start I think

That's definitely the case for me. I've really enjoyed going through the Real Book and learning standards - and realizing the melodies aren't really that hard for the most part. The solos make some of those tunes seem intimidating, but in lots of jazz standards the main melodies are pretty easy reading. And it's rewarding to add new songs to your repertoire. I've really been enjoying some Bach Sonatas from the free-scores.com link you sent out the other day polishpaul. Years worth of fun!

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Posted

Here's one to get you started, incorporating all the strings. It's a slow waltz, and it's.......slow. Grab the notation PDF and mp3 of the piece here:

 

http://www.free-scores.com/download-sheet-music.php?pdf=37192#

 

As Jon Finn suggested, try to go through it (not play it, if you're just starting with notation reading) without looking at the fretboard.

 

The following is for fingerpicking:

 

With a left hand finger, find the fret, even if you have to do it by feeling down from the top string with a finger to get to the right string, and then sliding your finger along to the appropriate fret, counting frets by feel, from the nut.

 

With the right hand, place, by feel alone, your thumb on the required string, and locate the right string for the finger you need to use, again by feel alone. Pluck as appropriate. Then hold the position, and make a mental note of what's going on.

 

Move on to the next manoeuvre.

 

This will feel painfully slow, and you'll wonder what on earth you are doing. But do it for as long as you can. Reach a point of exasperation. Then do the following:

 

Place your thumb on the lowest bass string, the E. Place your index finger on the third string G, your middle finger on the second string B, and your ring finger on the top string E. You now have the three fingers sitting on the top three strings

 

Pluck the low E string with the thumb (after the stroke try not to let the thumb fly up away from the string......same with the fingers). Then pluck the G string with your first finger. Pluck the E bass again with the thumb, then the B string with the finger. The E Bass again, then the top string. E Bass then B, E Bass then G. Do this until you've had enough. Keep your right hand steady.....really quite stationary. Aim for making the sound even, in volume and flow. You will be executing "free strokes", in which the finger remains in the air after the pluck. Another technique is the "rest stroke" in which the finger comes to rest on the string below after the pluck.

 

Then continue, but this time plucking the low A string with the thumb. Repeat the exercise with the thumb picking the D string. As soon as you are able, get to a point where you can play the following sequence over and over, without looking. Keep the assigned string finger configuration:

 

E - g - A - b - D - e - A - b - E - g

 

(Bass strings represented by capitals)

 

Use a metronome to keep the beat even, and try to make the notes the same length initially. Later, try varying the note lengths individually, to make it more musical. Get some paper with blank staff (the five lines) and write what you are playing, at each step. It might take you a while, but it's a learning process.......what else would you expect?

 

Then go back to following and playing the notation without looking at the fretboard. Expect to feel frustrated and even irritated at times. Every guitar player has been in the same situation. If you believe you can get through this stage, you WILL! Just stick at it, on a daily basis, and wait for the buzz to come as the day comes when you suddenly realize that you are making headway.

 

Take it from there. Try the exercises with rest strokes, and then figure out myriads of sequences.

 

To make it more challenging, with both the free and rest strokes, try placing the finger which has just plucked back on the string as you execute the next pluck, ready for its next action. And so on.

 

For ages :).

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Posted

I can read, from playing the piano.

 

I started doing sight reading for guitar because I thought it would help me learn the notes on the fretboard.

 

Unfortunately, my mind started cheating, and I couldn't find a way to stop it. I discovered that while sight reading, I read intervals, not notes. So the nursery rhyme "Mary Had A Little Lamb" becomes "Start on A, go down a tone, down a tone, up a tone" etc, instead of A G F G etc So I wasn't learning much in the way of fretboard notes afterall!

 

GaJ

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Posted
I'm still on "Tears", and this is a challenge. I'm having to do things I haven't tried before, like those
double-stop slides
from the fifth to seventh to fifth, on the top two strings, then from the fourth to sixth to fourth on the G and B strings.


I can execute them physically, but nowhere near as smoothly and musically as the man himself. It's coming along though. I'm learning this from that video with the TAB, so I'm spending some time nailing a blues (I posted this up recently - Lake Blues) from the notation. It's very simple, but again takes a lot of effort to play it EXACTLY as written and to make it sound musical.


I could whimble through it (that's a new word - meaning to ramble through a piece of music on a whim, instead of being disciplined
:)
) quite easily, but that doesn't get me to tighten up, timing-wise.



It was the same for me. I find it easier if I keep my hand still and do the slides with my fingers. Dig? Now normally I move my entire hand for slides, but in the case of dbl stops, OR quick slide return moves of a fret or two , anchoring helps. Hope that made sense:) I could shoot a quick vid.

I wouldn't let it derail you or stop you from moving on tho. Sure, work on it, but don't give it too much time. I'd just do the verse where he omits the slides.

Cheers

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Posted

 

It was the same for me. I find it easier if I keep my hand still and do the slides with my fingers. Dig? Now normally I move my entire hand for slides, but in the case of dbl stops, OR quick slide return moves of a
fret or two
, anchoring helps. Hope that made sense:) I could shoot a quick vid.


I wouldn't let it derail you or stop you from moving on tho. Sure, work on it, but don't give it too much time. I'd just do the verse where he omits the slides.


Cheers

 

 

I think those slides are one of the highlights of the song, but they are proving difficult. A video? That would be very helpful indeed, for others here too, I'm sure.

 

It would be great to see how you can anchor AND execute a two-fret double-stop slide. In Tears (in the vid I have), the double-stop slides come in at the fifth and fourth frets respectively, after a fingering at the second fret.

 

Now I'm curious, which is good!

 

In return I can do a video of me hoovering the loose hairs from our German Shepherd dog....seriously! He loves this - can't get enough!

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Posted

I think those slides are one of the highlights of the song, but they are proving difficult. A video? That would be very helpful indeed, for others here too, I'm sure.


It would be great to see how you can anchor AND execute a two-fret double-stop slide. In Tears (in the vid I have), the double-stop slides come in at the fifth and fourth frets respectively, after a fingering at the second fret.


Now I'm curious, which is good!


In return I can do a video of me hoovering the loose hairs from our German Shepherd dog....seriously! He loves this - can't get enough
!

 

 

Actually, I would like to see that! But I won't hold you to it.

 

Your very own u2b vid! Exciting,...I know:rolleyes:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7E11HB2DHM

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Posted

Your very own u2b vid! Exciting,...I know:rolleyes:

 

Honored, dude! What can I say?

 

Thanks a lot - it has been a great help. Old dummy fingers here has been doing the first slide using two fingers, middle and ring or ring and pinky. Why have I been doing that? Because I'm pretty dumb at times, that's why.

 

I never thought about simply doing a sliding mini-barre with the one finger. I've been having a lot of trouble getting two fingers quickly and smoothly into the second slide on the second and third strings because of that.

 

I think it goes back to my early learning, when I tried not to "cheat" by doing easier alternatives so I would end up with better overall dexterity. But good dexterity is of no use if it doesn't help one to play.

:).

 

So I take away a LOT from this short lesson. I'll change my attitude.

 

And get the "hoovering a big dog" video up tomorrow :). Could go viral!

 

 

Thanks again!

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Posted

Here you go.......the heartwarming story of a man and his hoover :)!

 

 

We're coming up to the season of goodwill, so please push this one around the web if you have time. A dog, or any animal, is for life and not just for Christmas.

 

After making the video, I spread the contents of the hoover thinly around the forest so any surprised fleas could go find another creature to live on :)!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BwBWx29oXA

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Posted

Awww! Billy likes it! What a sweet doggie.

Nice family Paul. You are a lucky man.

Thanks for that, nice start to my day.

I hope ppl pop in and see this...maybe it should be a thread? Like we could post our pets?

:)

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