How do I improve reading standard notation....
I'm great on the top three strings but when I get to the bass strings I just lose it.
Most of the other guys on nightclass are up to speed but I would take any advise on board to help speed up....
No shortcuts, just practice.
The D string should come as easily as the first three, because the notes lie on the staff without ledger lines: bottom space F, bottom line E, note below the staff = open D.
A string - the open string is on the second ledger line; the B and C notes each need one ledger line.
If you're below the second ledger line, the note lies on the low E. On the ledger line (the third ledger line) is F; below that is E, the note below the second ledger line is G.
It takes a while, and people vary. I have students who picked up open position reading in as little as about 4 weeks, some struggle for months on end. One student I have now struggled for about two months to consistenly read the B string notes... then something must have clicked in his head, because the other four strings came in a flash - just two weeks after he got the B down.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
This is a little freeware program that will help you.
http://familygames.com/free/notecard.html
As noteboat said, there are not shortcuts, you just got to memorise it. Like the alphabet, there are not tricks, just brute force memory.
Mart.
