Books, instructional methods, and the such

[SpoonyLove]

Hi guys- first forum post.

 

I've been playing for a while, and want to step my playing up to the next level. I'm interested in finding a instructional book that will give exercise & discuss scale theory (more than just the basics).

 

As an example, I've played trumpet for many years, and have the Arban's book (check it out on amazon). Almost every trumpet player I know has this book, and uses it to work up their chops. Is there an equivalent in the guitar world? I realize that there are plenty of websites that discuss such topics, but I appreciate having a physical book in front of me I can work through.

 

My second question is this. Should I make the push to learn to sight-read on guitar? I have enough musical background, so reading treble and bass cleff isn't a problem, but associating the notes on to the neck of a guitar is difficult at best.

 

my guitar background (so you can get a sense of where I'm coming from):

I've played for about 12 years- ranging from punk/hardcore to classic-rock/ rock to worship music at my church. Recently, I've been reaching into stuff like floyd (at age 17, I thought I would never listen to them...). Anything to push me in different directions...

 

I've got the pentatonics mastered, and I can fake maj7th's, major, and minor. I feel comfortable around the neck, yet as other have poseted here, I'm often blind to what notes I'm actualy playing.

 

Whats the next step?

[Ricardo.]

Though we have pretty different backgrounds, I am also at least trying to learn how to sight-read/find the notes instantly on a guitar neck.

 

And what I have to say is, with all the enharmonic spots and easy fifth-octave fingerings you should have memorized by now, the process isn't as difficult as it may first appear (if you've already discovered this, my apologies for assuming). Know what I mean?

[Tone Taster]

Originally posted by SpoonyLove:

 

I've got the pentatonics mastered, and I can fake maj7th's, major, and minor.

That viewpoint can really wind up hanging you up

 

I'd reconsider as mastery is but a temporary illusion and there ain't no fakin' anything

 

As far as scale theory goes, I would check out the Guitar Grimoire book regarding the scales and modes

 

or a book called "scales and modes- in the beginning"

 

sight reading you should definitely keep up on as it proves to be a quite valuable tool

 

It's awesome when you can take a piece which you don't thave the CD to, and play it down from the sheets (although I prefer ear playing)

 

See what Berklee school of music or MI books have on scales, too

[Gruupi]

Since you already have a start on reading, I would say yes go for it. The guitar is not an easy instrument to sight read on ( I can't sight read at all), but its pretty easy to learn theory on. You can play chords and then runs off of those basic chord shapes. I would recommend Ted Greene's 2 volume "Single Note Soloing". It covers alot of theory, at least the diatonic stuff. Its a jazz based book, but the things you learn can be applied to anything. Some of the chord fingerings are a bit odd and extreme in my opinion, but you can pick the ones that are easy to play as he gives you lots of choices.

[Ricardo.]

Originally posted by SpoonyLove:

As an example, I've played trumpet for many years, and have the Arban's book (check it out on amazon). Almost every trumpet player I know has this book, and uses it to work up their chops. Is there an equivalent in the guitar world? I realize that there are plenty of websites that discuss such topics, but I appreciate having a physical book in front of me I can work through.

 

I wish we had a holy grail-like book :'( At least, there isn't a widely accepted or popular one. One that comes close is Ted Greene's "Chord Chemistry" book (yZe mentioned another of his).

 

I think that proper application of theory will be much expedited by learning to sight read; I'm not there yet either (like I said) but theory is more frustrating to apply when you have to find your way around the instrument while learning. That's why I find the piano to be the place to apply theory quickest.

[musicalhair]

Hey, welcome to the best guitar forum on the planet.

 

Since you already read music, you definately should sit down and read on the guitar. I think it is the case on trumpet that you have "false fingerings" were you can finger a note in more than one way. This is something that you'll see on guitar where we can play the same note many places on the guitar. It can be a problem when reading but not too much.

 

I'm sure you know that guitar is a "C" instrument tuned an octave down so that true "middle C" on a piano reads like the one an octave up on guitar. What reads like middle C on guitar is an octave down. Trumpet is a Bb instrument so that if you play My Favorite Things on trumpet as written on a sheet in D minor without transposing it, then you'll have to play it in E minor on guitar.

 

There are a lot of guitar methods out there as well as collections of studies and collections designed to help reading. I suggest working out of a classical method, no tab, and there are many to choose from. I also suggest find a classical teacher that will point you in the right direction. Once the fingerings and basic reading (as you say where the notes are on the guitar) is covered you can read through anything on your own.

 

I think finding a legit classical teacher even if you don't really want to play classical is the way to go: I think it will the fastest way to incorporate the musical skills you have into the skills you are aquiring and you'll get that much better overall that much faster.

[musicalhair]

Oh, where in virginia are you, the school in Winchester has a great music department and I'm sure you can study either via the institution or privately there. Virginia has a lot of great schools, I'm sure finding a good teacher won't be tough. My first guitar lesson (one, as my Navy duties got in the way) was with a guy named Byrd (Doug? Dave? ...) in Virginia Beach and he showed me a couple of scale patterns, the "C Major harmonized Scale" which was just the open C major 7 chord shape moved up the neck and changed slightly to make for minor 7, minor 7 b5, and dominant 7 chords, oh and Blue Bossa.

[SpoonyLove]

yZeCounsel- perhaps I should have said "competent at pentatonics..." rather than mastered. No doubt there is always room to improve. And I totaly agree, fakin it ain't enough- more or less only enough to get you through a basement session. alone. Thanks for the book recommendations. I look forward to checking them out.

 

Starcaster- Yeah, We may be at about the same point of understanding notes on the fretboard. I definetly know where the root and 5th and flat third are, but I just want to lock EVERYthing in, ya know? this conversation is definetly encouraging me to get back to the basics and practice.

 

musicalhair- thanks- interesting incite regarding trumpet --> guitar.

 

Hmm. perhaps tonight I'll look at my mel bay books from about 10 years ago, and see if I can crank through sight-reading.

 

Thanks to all! This has been a very warm reception to the forum. I think I'm hooked.

[musicalhair]

Hey Spoony, I think slugging it out through the Mel Bey books will get you're reading a lot further along and put a lot of other things together on the guitar for you. I really think that just a little steady grunt work will put a lot of stuff you already know or at least here and get it on the guitar. Also, you'll be in a position to learn stuff faster.

[Tone Taster]

The Mel Bay Mastering the Guitar 1A is the book.

 

The older Mel Bay guitar method has too many missing links

 

I have been teaching this stuff for almost ten years and I have seen better results w/the 1 A

 

After 1A, go to the Berklee Guitar Method 1 and continue up to Berklee Method 3

 

The musicians Institute Sight reading book looks really good also

 

The 1B sucks with the exception of the classical pieces in there