There comes a point in the development of a guitarist that he/she must
decide if they're really interested in learning guitar. If the
answer is "yes", then learning the basics of sight reading is essential.
Until this point, I've tried to keep the lessons as "fun" as possible,
free from excessive technical exercises, musical theory, and sight reading.
Although I'll continue to present the lessons in this way, the truth
is, if you want to become a real musician, these are all important areas
to explore.
Although in a perfect world, I'd be able to provide you with a great
online resource for learning to sight read music on the guitar, the topic
is just too broad in scope to be handled well online. Currently, there
are no other resources on the web which do a good job of teaching guitarists
to read music. So, I'm going to recommend a purchase - the excellent Modern
Method for Guitar books, by William G. Leavitt.
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A
Modern Method for Guitar Vol. 1
by William G. Leavitt
ISBN# 0793525454
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prices at MySimon. |
Often referred to as "the Berklee books", this series of inexpensive (usually
under $15) publications is a valuable resource for working on sight reading,
and honing your technical skills on the guitar. Leavitt does not hold your
hand through the learning process, but with some focused practice you'll
learn to read music, and improve your technique through playing some of
the etudes presented within the book. You can spend a great deal of time
with these books (there are three in the series), as there is a ton of
information contained within the pages of each edition. If you are serious
about becoming a "musician", rather than someone who just strums a guitar
at parties (not that there is ANYTHING wrong with that), I highly recommend
that you pick up at least one of these publications.
Other
Essentials
There are a few things every guitarist worth their salt should own.
Here's some info on a few of these essentials.
Change of Strings - It's Murphy's
Law... guitar strings break at the exact time you need them not to. You'll
have to accept that, and be sure to always own at least one full
set of unused strings, so you can replace any that break immediately.
You should also be changing your strings at least once every couple of
months (more often if you play constantly). For more detailed instructions
on how to change guitar strings, take a look at this illustrated
string changing tutorial.
Collection of Picks - Definitely
own a reasonable collection of picks, so you don't have to go hunting
between the pillows of your couch if you ever lose one. I'd suggest finding
a favorite brand and thickness of pick, and sticking with it. Personally,
I avoid those extra thin picks like the plague.
Capo - This is a small device which
wraps around the neck of your guitar, pinching the strings off at a specific
fret. It is used to make the guitar sound higher, so you could sing at
a higher pitch if a song is too low for you. As long as you don't lose
them, a capo should last you a long time (many years), so it's a worthwhile
investment. I have found that Shubb capos
work best for me - they're a little more expensive (about $20), but worth
the extra money.
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