Novice needs advice

While it is certainly a good thing to learn to read music, if this is just a hobby for you, then why not spend most of your limited guitar time enjoying what you are doing? I say, ask her to spend more time with songs, if that is what you like.

Note reading is fine. But don't spend all your time in it. The real purpose of creation of guitar is for sheer enjoyment. So you can tell your teacher your priorities straight.

I will recommend you this great self to learn series (for learning the rudiments and techniques faster) which you can do secretively besides learning whatever your teacher is telling you. Don't tell her know that you are on Guitarnoise. :wink:

And, by the way, Boulevard of Broken Dreams is an awesome song for making those open chord changes. It sounds very nice also.

If you want something more challenging in speed and variety, then try American Pie by Don Mclean. Now that will give you loads of confidence.

Rahul

This subject usually stirs up a storm, especially among the teachers, but it's all healthy debate :D

My opinion, (as one who teaches both with or without music notation) is that it's a great tool and in certain fields of study is indispensible to achieving your goals as an accomplished guitarist.
But from how you've described your situation and your aims, I'd say it's not necessary for you to study notation. You will get little benefit from it given the style of playing you're interested in. And if forcing yourself to do it causes you to lose motivation and enjoyment, to the extent that you give up learning guitar, then I think that speaks for itself.

And at 40 years old you can always have a go at notation later if your ambitions change and take you in that direction. Unlike kids starting out, adults can take it up anytime. Taking it up at 45 or 50 is no more difficult than at 40. That's a different situation for kids where the sooner they start notation the better and the longer they put it off, the less likely they are to make rapid progress, if any. (exactly the same situation as learning to read language).

As for your teacher, that's a trickier proposition. You can't expect a teacher to change their teaching methods. It may be that she is only prepared (or able) to teach by using notation, But maybe she's flexible and amenable to teaching you to play without notation - if not, here's my number :lol:

Viva,

When i started a few years ago at 40+ I had to make a decision on wher to spend my limited time. The first thing I decided that wasn't going to do much for me is to be able to read music. My rationale, yes it would be great to be able to read a piece that you've never seen or heard and be able to play, but ask yourself if that's ever going to really happen. Is someone ever going to hand you a piece of sheet music and ask yopu to play? Unless you plan on being a studio musician or play in an orchestra I doubt it.

So what do you really want to do...sit around an play songs that you've loved hearing on the radio for years and you don't need how to read music to do that. If your aspirations end up being that you want to play in a bar band or just jam with friends you still don't need to read music to do that. Have you ever seen a bar band reaing sheet music while they played? Maybe once or twice but the reality is you'll memorize the song and you won't be reading any music.

So with that said it is absolutely a plus to be able to read music and if you enjoy it go for it but if not I would focus on other areas.

That's my two cents. Some of the more accomplished musicians will definitely guide you toward learning to read music (but don't listen to them)...J/K

Have fun with it and you'll be fine.

Thanks for the replies, I'm going to have a talk with her at our next lesson. I have no aspiration of being in a band or anything. I'm questioning is the amount of time i'm putting into learning to read and play notation, and what the benefit will be. I dont mind working at this, thats half the fun, but I think I would get more benefit and have more fun learning other things.

Depending what kind of band you mean, its not really important for that either. Dont get me wrong, I think learning to read music is a terrific thing but its all in context for what you wanna get out of it.

I am a lot like you, except that I wanna be in a band. I play for fun. For my own enjoyment mostly. Now, reading music would open alot of doors in some ways. But those arent really the doors I wanna open. Playing by ear, using tab, goofing around, making my own music. Thats all I want right now.

Yep, talk to your teacher. You might find you wanna stay at it anyways.

Jim

If you enjoy the challenge and learning for learnngs sake then continue to do it but just spend less time on that and more time on the physical aspects of playing and learning songs.

One thing I think you'll find is the more you know the more there is to know and you'll want to do more.

I know everyone is different but when I started I had the exact same goals, do it as a hobby and have fun with it. I also envisioned playing with my daughter. Well as I got into it more and started to learn some songs my goals have changed slightly. It's not enough anymore to just be able to play some songs by myself or along with a CD, I need to play with other people to really feel it and I really want to go out and play at least one time before I die. I probably could do this now but haven't attempted it.

Stick with the lessons, they can't hurt. But get a Ramones album, and learn how to rock! Just don't tell your teacher. 8)

A friend of mine told me a joke last week: "How do you make a guitar player play slower? Put music in front of him."

I know what you mean about what you "want" to learn. I gave up the sitar study for a personal reason of time constraints at the time that had nothing to do with the lessons. I didn't return because I was not interested in playing entire ragas.

I had this thought as an explination.... not everyone who picks up a violin wants to learn Tchaikosky's violin concerto.

I think its important to learn to read notation, someday I'm gonna devote more time to it. You are probably at a level where you can just get some chord and lyric sheets, and play countless songs. Maybe if you continue to work with your teacher but also do some recreational song playing on your own you'd stay more motivted.

Hi,

Years ago I had a few piano lessons and I found note reading a major barrier to progress and enjoyment. I even began to think that I was musically dyslexic in some way. :cry:

At 57 I took up guitar and started looking at notation again, but this time there was no pressure to learn it at any speed, or even at all if I didn't want to. And, as you might guess, this time I did learn to read music! It's been one of the most satisfying parts of the journey. :) I'd certainly recommend keeping up an interest in learning it, but not at the expense of enjoyment. Learning music should be a rewarding and fun journey, not some kind of chore. If it's starting to feel that way then re-jig your program.

Two things that helped me a lot when I finally had to nail down that note recognition stuff that seemed so hard the first time, were: a) Blow up a music staff to a size that you simply can't miss the line differences - like a kid's big print learn to read book. To begin with the eyes and brain have trouble discriminating at speed - so make it huge to start with and then shrink it back down as it becomes familiar b) Write the music yourself out instead of always working from printed texts. You very quickly get to know the notes when you write them out.

Good luck, have fun, and don't abandon notation altogether - just make sure it's an enjoyable achievement not a chore.

Cheers,

Chris

PS Another way of reinforcing notation is to sing the note names when you play scales or whatever. I keep forgetting to do it as often as I should, but it helps entrench the note names and positions, and helps improve your singing. And if we can eventually pick up a songbook and mentally (or out loud) sing the melody line by reading the notation, that would seem to be a very useful and satisfying skill. 8) Or so I hope.... :wink:

Thanks for all the good advice, I think i'm going to see if i can put the notation on hold for the summer. Review what i've learned to date when i practice. Then in pick it up again in the fall. Chris, I'm going to try writing out the music, that may help. i tried making flash cards to recognize the notes faster, that seemed to help some. It takes me a really long time to learn them, I can read the note and know what it is, I know how to play it, but you add in counting and playing it in time and that just seems to really overload my curcuit. If anyone has any tips that helped them learn, I'd loved to hear them.Regards.

Thanks for the replies, I'm going to have a talk with her at our next lesson. I have no aspiration of being in a band or anything.

That was my thought when I first started about 2 years ago. And how that has changed! But with tabs and chord sheets I haven't found it a need to read music. Once you get competent, you will find out it is a blast to play with others.