All great points and great advice. I agree reading is important...though quite honestly, I never learned to read to the point where I could read leads from transcription books in real time or even half time. At best I read fairly well in the first and second positions. And I could very SLOWLY read through a classical piece or note-for-not guitar solo transcription - and with LOTS and LOTS of practice, eventually learn it and memorize it. In fact, I found the tablature much faster for the note-for-note rock stuff. But it was always very hard, long and painful for anything of significance.

I think very FEW people reach the level of fluidly reading "leads" to rock songs, played in their correct positions for bends, fingerings, etc. . But knowing the names of the notes at every fret, the chord tones in various scales (major, minor, pentatonic, and a few more biggies), the prorgressions in major, minor scales and their modes - to me that might be more important than being able to fluidly read a solo.

Last edited by Joe V; 06/29/17 10:50 AM.