Do You Read Music?

Dom Franco · From: Beaverton, OR, 97007

Most standard guitarists play by ear, but know a little bit of music theory. (Like what notes are needed to form chords, and play scales) There is a fair amount of written music available for the standard guitar tuned E A D G B E.

However; given the large number of tunings available for lap steel, I am guessing that even fewer steel players, read music. Tablature is common, but it's not "Real" music...

I have had a few students over the years, that want to be able to use written music, and adapt it to the steel. I have created note charts with the great staff, and a fret board guide to cross reference, but it seems too complicated and time consuming.

Far better know a little bit of the basics,and to learn to play by ear, since developing the ear is essential to playing "in tune" on the steel guitar.

Dom Franco Mr. Green

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

If it's a tune I really want to learn correctly, I can get it from the notation, but it's memory and ear from there. Takes a while to get through it a few notes at a time. I wish it was possible for me to read easily because that really opens up a lot of possibilities with all the sheet music that's out there.

Richard Sevigny · From: Salmon Arm, BC, Canada

I play by ear... read music very poorly, but I've got a solid grounding when it comes to chords on regular guitar... name a chord and I can find it almost anywhere on the neck. I'm only about halfway there on a C6 neck, but then I've only been at this 3½ years Oh Well

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Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

I think we recently had a poll on this very question. A search should locate it.
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Ron Whitfield · From: Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA

I don't even know the chord name's, and could barely read the post.

Johnne Lee Ables · From: Minnesota, USA

I can not really sight read uptempo any more on any instrument. That is a skill that just requires on-going practice for me. My ear is quicker and I have pretty decent aural recall. So, I've gotten lazy...

I can sight read at slower tempos on piano and guitar pretty well. I am slowly (very slowly) learning to transpose these charts to PSG as it fits more closely to what I wish to do on any instrument. And it opens up a whole new world of readily accessible music.

I took non-pedal lessons for a number of years as a kid, and my teacher (and my Granny) insisted that I learn to read and play standard notation. I am very glad that they did.

I'm still lazy, though, so I usually just run over a chart or melody and harmonize as I prefer based on aural memory and my own likes/dislikes.

JL
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Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

I've lately been working on tunes out of the Real Book on my lap steel tuned to B6 (1/2 step lower than C6). It's been really useful for me. Over the weekend I worked on Take Five, Caravan, Harlem Nocturne, Sweet Georgia Brown and Chattanooga Choo Choo. Lately I've been starting out reading the tune on B6, then moving it over to the PSG -- usually with the E lower lever engaged, but sometimes with the A+B pedals for A6 or even just in straight E9 -- and then over to open G on dobro. It really helps see the similarities in the different tunings.

Something else that really helps, and I'm a bit embarrassed to admit this, but I keep my tuner on while I'm working so I can find my notes faster. It's actually helping me memorize the fretboard quicker.

I can sight-read on standard 6-string (at a slightly slower tempo) and I'm working on the same skill level on B6 lap.
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c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

I can read music but not sight read. If I had never heard Release Me and you gave me a lead sheet I could probably pick out the melody in about two hrs. The first time I subbed for Spade I did not know it was a reading band and when they put the arrangement in front of me I panicked. The guitar player asked if I heard Joaquin play it and I said yes. He said just play it like Joaquin. YEAH,Sure. I asked him;what if Mr Cooley doesn't like the way I play it. He said see that big fellow on the doghouse.Thats Duece and Spade will tell him to tell you to take your guitar and amp amd get off the stage. What a confidence builder! I wasn't thrown out so I guess I did OK cc

Theo Patterson · From: Oregon, USA

I played my regular guitar by ear for years. Chords and scales were fairly easy to memorize and since I played mainly rhythm and a little lead, that was all I needed. However, when it came to an instrumental only song, it took so long to figure it out that I stopped bothering.

For the first few months of owning my lap steel I was totally bewildered figuring out how to play it. I could figure out one-string melodies by ear, and play straight bar chords but that was it. I was determined to learn the lap steel style of melody notes and harmonies, so I bought a few books that gave me a basic understanding, but it wasn’t until I came up with the ‘Lap Map’ that I could actually read from notation the written chords and melodies, find them on the lap steel and actually sound like I knew what I was doing. It made a real difference to see a chart or music sheet, see a chord or melody and look at the ‘Lap Map’, and immediately know exactly where the notes were without counting or measuring on a ‘blank’ fret board. To this day, I still cannot just grab an unfamiliar piece of music and play it straight from the sheet, but with the Lap Map, and a little time, I find that I can play songs much easier. The ‘Lap Map’ has basically forced me to not only learn to read music,where previously I didn’t feel the need, but it has taught me more about chord structure and how many of the same chords have different names. I know some might consider this as cheating, but if you want a short cut, it works.

Robert Murphy · From: West Virginia

Please learn to read if you are just starting out or want to grow. God bless the ones who have a good ear. I don't.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

My steel guitar sight reading is improving. But I still do it poorly. I'm slow at it. And am frequently out of tune. I'll get there.
There was another poll of this type. But it was less complete. It offered fewer choices. It really was lacking in completeness. That's my memory anyway....
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c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

see my post above. Sheet music was placed in front of joaquin but accordong to band members at that time,Joaquin did not read and they pointed out to me that on the bottom of the page either Duece or Pedro( who did the arranging) had written Joaquin plays and #of bars.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I think my sight reading will become adequate long before I learn to play like Mr. Murphey. Very Happy

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Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

When Jerry Byrd was asked about reading music, (and as the humor/rumor has it) he said "not enough to interfere with my playing" Very Happy

Doug Freeman · From: Los Angeles, CA

Bill Creller · From: Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)

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