Good way to learn sight reading

KingCrimson · #1 11-17-2008, 11:20 PM

I'd really like to get more proefficient at this, I can read the music its just a matter of getting A LOT better really. I have trouble sight reading in C slow hahah. I bought a book that taught me a good amount of beginner sight reading but i can never pay attention well to it because its quite boring.

Does anybody have any good methods of learning to sight read better/faster?

Kyon` · #2 11-17-2008, 11:36 PM

One I would learn the position of C major scale all around the fretboard, then the relative minor, then dorian mode. Usually the combination of those three will help get you past most songs. I remember back in high school when I came to a passage where I had a hard time reading I would recall those patterns in my mind and see the interval relationships between each note and it just kind of clicked. I also took creative freedom at times where I felt I could get somewhere and keep the feel going, more so on jazz combo stuff(I played trombone for most of high school >,>).

One thing I would look for are community bands or small groups like that. I've found reading was always easier when I got how the line was actually fitting into the song.

metalinthenight · #3 11-17-2008, 11:43 PM

Music is a language and just like any other language, the only way to get better is to keep speaking, reading and writing the language. Reading spanish once in a while and speaking it once a week won't get you very far. I would suggest setting some of your practice time aside and devote it solely to sight reading. Choose a piece in your skill level and then start a metronome at a reasonably slow tempo. Once you feel comfortable, start at a hight tempo and so forth.

mambo4 · #4 11-18-2008, 08:55 AM

Not that i'm an expert by any means, but:

Regular practice is the usual advice. if you spent 30 minutes a day at it for a year you'll improve.

Also, breaking your reading down into rhythm and pitch separately may be helpful. when I don't have my instrument in front of me, i like to just read the rhythms. Like this:
http://www.cliffengel.com/bass_lesso...hythm_studies/

one thing that really gave me a jump in rhythm reading was studying the Latin Bass Book. I feel like I have a strong grasp of eight notes and eight note syncopation now...still working on 16ths..

Jim Campbell · #5 11-18-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingCrimson

I bought a book that taught me a good amount of beginner sight reading but i can never pay attention well to it because its quite boring.

learning what bores you may be a barrier but maybe try the jamerson book and some back issues of guitar rags with transcribed bass lines.............before you sit down to play read thru,note the key,key changes, repeats,hard passages,etc......then count the timing in your head a few times.......if you find parts where the the notes are hard to read try doubling the values,ie sixteenth becomes eighth etc. and work on it that way until you get it....there is really no short cut.....but as with everything else it is usually more fun the better you get at it

Scot · #6 11-18-2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mambo4

Regular practice is the usual advice. if you spent 30 minutes a day at it for a year you'll improve.

Good advice. 30 minutes a day for 1 year working on reading will get you a LONG way.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mambo4

Also, breaking your reading down into rhythm and pitch separately may be helpful. when I don't have my instrument in front of me, i like to just read the rhythms..

Also excellent advice.

Scot · #7 11-18-2008, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

...maybe try the jamerson book and some back issues of guitar rags with transcribed bass lines.............

Good call. Those lines may be a little too difficult for someone starting out with reading but, once you've started making a commitment to doing some regular reading, it's great to grab those Bass Player mags and the Jamerson book as part of your reading studies.

rumblinbass · #8 11-18-2008, 11:32 AM

practice, and if you have trouble focusing maybe trying ridilin (sp?).

Scot · #9 11-18-2008, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingCrimson

I bought a book that taught me a good amount of beginner sight reading but i can never pay attention well to it because its quite boring.

I'm not sure if this is applicable but...keep in mind that the purpose of a good sight reading method is to help you develop the necessary skills to be able to read a passage or piece in real time and without preparation or seeing the music in advance. If it's boring to you then it sounds like you have, at least to some degree, memorized the music.

KingCrimson · #10 11-18-2008, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scot

I'm not sure if this is applicable but...keep in mind that the purpose of a good sight reading method is to help you develop the necessary skills to be able to read a passage or piece in real time and without preparation or seeing the music in advance. If it's boring to you then it sounds like you have, at least to some degree, memorized the music.

thing is i haven't its just really really boring, nothing fun to play really.

thumbslapper · #11 11-18-2008, 02:21 PM

i'm going thru david motto's book:

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Sigh...7042825&sr=8-9

I also took lessons from david for 6 months in oakland,
he is a great teacher...

do one exercise a day, you will pick it up pretty quickly.

btw love your name King Crimson, that is my favorite band...

-carl

Stumbo · #12 11-19-2008, 09:53 AM

I suggest recording your practice and using a metronome.
Make sure you sound as good as you think you do.
Bump up the metronome speed so you have to read whatever music you're studying at different BPM's w/o making a mistake.

Zombbg4 · #13 11-19-2008, 10:04 AM

Try putting yourself in a mock gig situation. Pick a chart, check the key sig, find the more troubling spots and work them quick, as if "everyone else" is still setting up or getting out a different horn ect... set the metronome and run through it. Stumble here and there but keep going, remember you're "at a rehersal/gig", so don't stop to fix it! After making your way though the piece, go back and find spots that caused you to stumble and work on them. That might help you.

BassChuck · #14 11-19-2008, 10:16 AM

another +1 for the David Motto books. I got vol 2 yesterday and its great. Wonderfully laid out. Nice work.

Scot · #15 11-19-2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingCrimson

thing is i haven't its just really really boring, nothing fun to play really.

Sounds like you really need a teacher!

DocBop · #16 11-19-2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingCrimson

Does anybody have any good methods of learning to sight read better/faster?

An very true old saying goes....

To learn a lot of information fast, learn a little information slowly.

That is especially true for SR. The mistake most learning to SR is they treat it like it's one skill, but it isn't. It is both a mental skill and physical skill and needs to be approached that way to develop the SR process.

SR is about training your eyes to see notation the way you see this text as words note individual letters. You need to learn to see the beats and rhythm associated with that beat or beats.

You need to know your fretboard well enough you don't have to stare at it and take your eyes off the music.

Understand positions and fingering again to avoid looking at the neck.

Develop your into clock to keep time working with metronome.

Recognize note names and train eyes to recognizing common scale fragments and chords.

You start you practice without your bass mentally working on the study above. Once comfortable then pick up your bass and play the music slowly and in-time. It does take awhile at first, but as your eyes get used to doing the process it then takes seconds. And same thing studio players do when given new music. They scan it look for unfamiliar or tough parts and mentally play it.

I have documented a practice routine for this many times here on TB so you can search for it. I broke my hand so this is the limit of my typing for next five weeks.

Scot · #17 11-20-2008, 11:31 AM

Another thing that's very helpful in working on sight reading AND ear training is to sight-sing. Grab a piece of music and sing it without your bass.

You want to get to the point where you can look at a passage of music notation and hear it as well as visualize where to play it.

Another aspect of reading is attention to dynamic markings and articulation markings. The ability to read and really nail this stuff is what separates the men/women from the boys/girls.

Yet another aspect is following the road map of the chart. You need to know all those symbols and what they mean so you can properly navigate your way through the chart. In the real world when you're handed a chart that you've never seen before you may not get a chance to scan the chart for and work out difficult passages. You're usually going to have to focus on making sure there are no discrepancies in the road map because, if there are, you will need to resolve that by asking the MD or band leader and, once that's worked out, it's time to play it down.

So, there is a lot of stuff to work on that really should keep you from getting bored for some time. Like my grandmother always used to tell me: smart people don't get bored.