--- In jazz_guitar@..., Rod Ellard <e11rod@...> wrote:
I'm looking for a book or two to practice my reading.? What I have in mind is
something like Leavitt's "Reading Studies".
To improve your reading you should read everything and anything, daily. Get all types of sheet music, classical, folk, childrens songs,
music from other countries, you need to read from a wide variety.
If you don't already have a teacher/mentor, who is an advanced reader, you should find one. You will need guidance, and some
one to play duets. The importance of having to play "live" and
reading together can't be underestimated. Read with and without
a metronome. Straight eighth note lines are easy to play, it's
lines with mixed rhythms which need to be worked on. Because jazz exercises are invariable straight eighth note lines in 4/4, many musicians today are weak on mixed rhythms, 16th, 32nd note rhythms, and compound time signatures. Reads in at least treble and bass clef.
If you have not already worked through
Leavitt's 3 Volume series, you should start there. Be methodical.
Then:
Melodic Rhythms For Guitar - William Leavitt.
Rhythms Complete - Charles Colin & Bugs Bower
Reading Contemporary Guitar Rhythms - M.T. Szymczak
Unless you are a good reader already. Working 1-2 hours a day
the above will take 5+ years.
The books suggested by others are also fine too...
--
Alisdair MacRae Birch
Guitarist/Bassist/Educator/Arranger
