When it comes to learning to read music, guitar players tend to be guilty of passing on this technical skill. This is often because it’s relatively easy to play guitar without ever reading from a staff. This is also why the guitar is the most popular instrument in the world! Yet, it seems that a majority of guitar players would admit they wish they COULD read music. Imagine the opportunities that would open for you as a player!
In his course, Sight Reading For Guitar Players: Level 1, Chris Buono gives you a street-smart approach to quickly learning to translate sheet music into music you play on the guitar.
Here are 10 video guitar sight reading lessons from the course. For the full course, check out Chris Buono’s Sight Reading For Guitar Players: Level 1 on TrueFire!
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Sight Reading Foundations: Course Primer Overview
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Here in Section 1 we delve into your first group of notes – B, C & D – while discovering the “Big Three”. There are three rhythmic values that will serve as the foundation in this course – whole, half and quarter notes. To say they’re “big” is an understatement as this is where it all begins! At the conclusion of this section you will have a solid understanding of these principles helping you establish the ever-important basics of reading music.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Play B, C & D: Lesson 4 Demonstration
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Now it’s time for you to play your first “chart” consisting of multiple notes. You’ll also have your “Big Three” rhythmic values, too. This time you’ll be playing/reading B, C & D on the the B string within quarter, half and whole note values. All aspects of the 4/4 time signature prevail.
The key here is the movement of the pitches. Look at how they relate to each other regarding their placement on the staff. Remember, “line to space” or “space to line” is stepwise or scale step movement. Anything else is a “skip”. These skips are intervals larger than a second. The largest one you’ll see here is a third, which is line to line. These pitch movements have consistent depictions on the staff in any range. Watch for them. Learn them.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Sight Reading Session 7 – Playalong
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In this segment you’re playing sixteen bars of B, C & D in 4/4 with a combination of quarter, half and whole notes along with me playing Brad’s beautiful Taylor. Start with me, finish with me. Look ahead. Don’t stop.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Sight Reading Session 8 – Playalong
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In this final segment of Section 1 you’re playing sixteen bars of B, C & D in 4/4 with a combination of quarter, half and whole notes along with me playing my Downes Guitars signature prototype. The full band track with Steve Jenkins on bass is in full force. You’ve worked hard to get here. Turn it up! And, don’t forget to start with me, finish with me, look ahead and please DO NOT stop.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Playing B, C, D, E, F & G – Lesson 9 Demonstration
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Buckle up because it’s time for you to play your first set of charts consisting of six notes! That’s right, all six notes thus far: B, C, D, E, F & G. The “Big Three” rhythmic values and now their accompanying rests are waiting on the wings as well along with aspects of the 4/4 time signature prevail.
Reading via stepwise and skips becomes more and more important as I increase the note content. So does LOOKING AHEAD. Look ahead as much as you can. Looking ahead to a few beats is a good starting goal, but it needs to be entire bars or pairs of bars. Work it!
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Sight Reading Session 17 – Playalong
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In this final acoustic segment for Section 2 you’re playing sixteen bars of B, C, D, E, F & G in 4/4 with a combination of quarter, half and whole notes and their accompanying rests along with me playing Brad’s beautiful Taylor.
Start with me, finish with me. Look ahead. Don’t stop.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Playing G, A, & B – Lesson 13 Demonstration
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Now it’s time for you to play your next set of charts consisting of multiple notes – this time G, A & B. You’ll of course also have all the components you’ve learned thus far. Yes, all of them! Watch for the dots, see the ties, do the math and plan for the repeat signs!
Once again the importance of the movement of pitch remains. Always look at how they relate to each regarding their placement on the staff. Once more, “line to space” or “space to line” is stepwise or scale step movement. Anything else is a “skip”. These skips are intervals larger than a second.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – Sight Reading Session 26 – Playalong
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In this segment you’re playing sixteen bars of G, A & B in 4/4 with a combination of quarter, half and whole notes and quarter note rests with dots and ties along with me playing my Downes Guitars signature prototype. The full band track with Steve Jenkins on bass is in full force. There are multiple repeat signs. Just like earlier, listen closely to what I say in the pre-read where I explain how to correctly interpret them.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – G to G Blues Jam – Playalong
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Time to read down a blues jam set in G Mixolydian. Going back to the idea of taking liberties and reading MUSIC – this is your time to shine. Don’t be afraid to get that Tube Screamer out.
Guitar Sight Reading Lesson – G to G Funk Jam – Playalong
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Time to read down a funk jam set in D Dorian. Going back to the idea of taking liberties and reading MUSIC – this is your time to shine. Do the pre-read and see the melodic patterns. Feel four! Feel the groove and have fun reading MUSIC.
Digging these free guitar sight reading lessons? Check out Chris Buono’s full course, Sight Reading For Guitar Players: Level 1.