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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Jan 2010
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After 40+ years on the guitar I am finally convinced that learning tunes would often be easier If i could read sheet music better.
So, short of paying the local piano lady to teach me how to play the "Volga Boatman" in first position, can anyone point me to a decent online guitar sight reading method.
I guess it could be an IOS app also.
Thanks
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Dec 2003
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My site reading exercises consist of this: 1-a fake book 2-Norton's music fake book disc for BiaB http://nortonmusic.com/3-open fake book 4-open BiaB load Norton backing tracks for song selected 5-play and read from fake book This has been very beneficial for me on guitar and wind controller. YMMV
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Jul 2007
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Sight reading for Guitar can be a challenge. It is only certain genres of music that call for it principally classical, possibly some folk and some flamenco, then band and orchestral settings.
Some types of music benefit little from being notated (think of Jimi Hendrix) because much of what is being delivered either cannot be written (e.g. feedback bends), or would be highly complex to write down. That's why the guitar books of the high street sound so lame. They are more simple guides (and are often highly inaccurate.
This does not mean that sight reading is not a useful, even an essential skill. It can also teach you harmony ad theory, for example and its usually the best thing for jotting an idea down, along with tab.
If I were to learn it again, I would probably start by writing out my own chart for VERY simple songs, such as folk tunes - three blind mice, silent night, amazing grace etc.
This approach helps you realise what is going on, and after a few months gets easier and easier.
I have a problem with developing sight reading. I am fluent on a number of instruments, but on the Piano I memorise everything by habit, phase by phrase, this means after a couple of runs through a tune I am not sight reading, and I don't need the chart.
This is of course a good thing in many ways, but it also means I cant easily practice sight reading, as I need a flow of new material.
Many advanced 'classical players' fall over when they cant see the page. This can be a real handicap many cant improvise only read. A concert standard pianist does not need a manuscript except in the early stages.
If you want to develop your musical memory for charts, the key, the secret, to doing this is in fact simple. You set yourself the goal of memorising every phrase, when you first read it - not moving on until you can play the phrase without looking at the music too, then you treat the next phrase the same way and and then marry them. This may seem a huge burden and unnecessary at first, but if it is built in to your reading style right way from day 1 with no exceptions, then after a few months its habit. Lastly, good readers read ahead of the notes they are playing, they scan the notes of the next few bars and prepare themselves for the difficult bits, whilst playing the current bars. That skill really helps fluency and is twinned with the memorisation skill.
Of course this is only my take, but you might want to pick bits out of it.
Z
Win 11 64, Asus Rog Strix z390 mobo, 64 gig RAM, 8700k
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Jan 2010
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OP
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Mostly its about quickly being able to capture a head in my brain. Once I get the melody "straight" i'm ready to bend it however I see fit.I don't see my future in front of a pile of sheet music, certainly not at a gig.
After years of playing "near" the melody I'd like to be able to quickly read a piece, assimilate a generally accepted version of the song in my playing and go on.
My deficiencies are note recognition and fret location (above open position) but mostly meter. Dotted notes & ties for example. I'm not ready for a real book and Norton. I could play the chord chart no problem, just not the head.
By the way Mario D, which ewi do you use?
biab2026(Mac) Latest Build
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Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram
Logic Pro (latest or pretty close)
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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........
By the way Mario D, which ewi do you use?
I have the EWI-USB wind controller.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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i like the price of the ewi usb.
as i undertand one must have a pc/mac hooked up for it to work.
no ios or "untethered" use of the thing?
makes performing with it a bit of a pain (lugging the pc out)
ios would be fine. sounds are only garritan right now?
i'm on the fence for now - i do like the ewi5000 for its standalone capability. just not at twice the price of the usb.
such is life.
biab2026(Mac) Latest Build
Mac OS (Latest)
Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram
Logic Pro (latest or pretty close)
Blue and White Sea Star
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Dec 2003
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i like the price of the ewi usb.
as i undertand one must have a pc/mac hooked up for it to work.
no ios or "untethered" use of the thing? Yes you must have something that has a MIDI input such as a computer or a tone generator and yes you need to connect it via an USB cable.
makes performing with it a bit of a pain (lugging the pc out)
ios would be fine. sounds are only garritan right now?
i'm on the fence for now - i do like the ewi5000 for its standalone capability. just not at twice the price of the usb.
such is life.
It comes with Garritan sounds but it is not limited to them. Any sound source that accepts MIDI can be used such as VSTis (with a computer host) and a tone generator, i.e. hard wired synth. Be sure to note that the 5000 is only cable free when used with its internal sounds. All other sounds require an USB cable.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 892
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OP
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thanks for the info.
so one could buy the ewi usb and a roland sound canvas (for example) and be ready to perform without hauling the macbook to the gig?
That's about the same $$$ and you get a good sound module.
I wonder who has the best woodwind patches.
biab2026(Mac) Latest Build
Mac OS (Latest)
Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram
Logic Pro (latest or pretty close)
Blue and White Sea Star
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Joined: Dec 2003
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thanks for the info.
so one could buy the ewi usb and a roland sound canvas (for example) and be ready to perform without hauling the macbook to the gig?
That's about the same $$$ and you get a good sound module.
I wonder who has the best woodwind patches.
Yes. If your synth does not have an USB in then you will need a 5 pin MIDI to USB cable. You may need to also purchase a male to female USB extension cable. Both of these are pretty inexpensive. The absolute best woodwind patches are from Samplemodeling.com However they do cost! All of my sax sounds are from them. I hope this helps.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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Woodshedding - Learning to Play!
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I wonder who has the best woodwind patches.
A lot of people are really happy with WIVI Band by Wallander Instruments. It's responsive to the breath controller, and lightweight enough to run on an old netbook.
-- David Cuny My virtual singer development blogVocal control, you say. Never heard of it. Is that some kind of ProTools thing?BiaB 2025 | Windows 11 | Reaper | Way too many VSTis.
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