How does one become fluent at reading sheet music on guitar?

by bunky’s pickle

Question by e: How does one become fluent at reading sheet music on guitar?
Tabs are such a crutch for the casual player, they’re so easy, but I want to learn theory so i can jam better and write music for other instruments that I can’t play. I am not taking a class, I’m also pretty poor.

Do you have to be able to recognize what note every fret and string is instantly?

I’ve started by going back to absolute beginner (first time playing guitar) songs while looking at the sheet music rather than tabs (also using this to practice finger picking) . Any other ideas?

Best answer:

Answer by Danny
The best way is to find a teacher, but if that’s not an option, I’d pick up one or two books. Go to a music store and pick up Mel Bay’s Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 and go through it. Either once you finish that, or if that looks too basic for what you’ve already taught yourself, move over to what most guitar teachers call the “Berklee Book,” also known as the William Leavitt Modern Method For Guitar Volume 1. It’s got tougher stuff in it, better exercises, and will move you along better than going through the rest of the Mel Bay series. Mel Bay book 1 should be in the 8-10 dollar range, and the Berklee books are somewhere in the neighborhood of $ 14.95 retail (if they haven’t gone up since mine was printed a couple years ago)

What the Berklee book will do for you is to teach you positions (first position through fourth position). Position refers to the fret on which your first (index) finger plays, with the next three fingers playing (generally) the notes on the next three successive frets respectively. You’ll be able to look at a key signature, recognize the notes in it, and know in which position on the fretboard it is played. That takes a lot of the mystery out of looking at a note and knowing where to play it on the instrument, especially since a single note can be played several places on a guitar.

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