I have always had a problem with the traditional way sight-reading is taught to beginning students. Now, before I say anymore, I'm relating this to school band instruments such as saxophone, trumpet, bells (percussion), etc. It should apply to all the other instruments as well but maybe someone that plays guitar would have a different outlook.

Here is my problem. Most beginning method books have the note names written either on the note or by the note. They want the students to learn the letters names from the beginning.

A music note is just a symbol. It has no meaning until we give it meaning. A letter name is also just a symbol. It has no meaning until we give it meaning. The problem is, when you have a young student, they see two symbols. One symbol is completely new to them, but a letter name is something they have seen before. Most of the time, they are completely drawn to the letter name. They might then learn that F on saxophone is played (123|1 ) and that an A is played (12 | ). If that's the way they learned it, they will probably have to look at the symbol on the page, think of a letter name, which is another symbol, and then think of the fingering. This process then is symbol = symbol = fingering. The student is now placing an extra step in the thought process. So to make it easier, they start witting the letter names under the notes.

This is a big problem.

A student that has to write letter names under the notes will only be given minimal information. Think about it. How much information can you get from a letter symbol? If you look at a note, it will tell you the exact range (fingering), length of the note, any articulations, etc. A letter name can only mean one fingering and it can't tell you anything else. In order for a student to play it, they will have to have heard and memorized the rhythm and the shape of the melody. The type of student that has to rely on letter names in order to play will be a slow learner and reader.

With all that said, it's possible to learn letter names at the same time, but it's important to know that the student is making the process, note = fingering and not that note = letter name = fingering. The last way is very hard to do which is why you will see students witting letter names on the music. They are trying to cut out the first step to make it easier. Once you let them do this, it's hard to brake them of the habit and learn to read music.

When I teach beginners, I won't discuss letters names at all for the first half of the year. When I tell them to play a note on their music, I will say "third space, second line, fourth space flat", etc. Most of the time they are looking at music and I can say, "Let's start on your third measure, beat two." or if I just want them to play a note that's not on their music, I will say "play your 'first space' note". They can easily picture the note in their head or on the paper and play it.

Once the students have proven they are actually able to read the first 6 notes they have learned without use of letter names and can sightread a piece of music just given to them (using the first 6 notes along with quarter and eighth notes) then I can introduce letter names. This ensures that the student understands that note = fingering. It is easy to learn letter names once they have the basics. They can memorize those in one night or over time as you start integrating letter names into the lessons.

Letters are good for discussing music and learning theory but when you are actually reading music, in order to be a proficient sight-reader, you can't be thinking letter names. It has to be an automatic process.

By taking away letters at the beginning of instruction, they won't have the option to attempt to use them. Some kids naturally pick the correct way to remember the notes. Others grab onto letter names and can't play without them. Don't introduce letters and all your students will be able to read.

Every beginning student I have taught this way has quickly become a good player. My problem is, I have band parents that use to play in band when they were young. Of course, they are all experts. They learned through letter names and that is how they try to teach their kids at home. I have lots of proof at my school that they couldn't read music when they were younger. A lot of the parents in the town where I work went to school and grew up in that same town. The music from years back is littered with sheet music destroyed with letters written under every single note. This was high school music too. More than half of the music within a selection had letter names. Now, these students who are fighting me with letter names are the students that quickly fall behind as the other progress quickly through the method book. It happens every year.

I could go on and on, but I think I have stated most of my point above. I know some people are thinking, what about key signatures and other things that require discussing notes. The thing to remember is that when you are just starting an instrument, you usually play in the standard key for that instrument. In band, it's concert Bb. We stay there for a while as we learn new notes. There is no need to discuss the key signature yet. For example, since flutes are non-transposing instruments, they have a Bb and Eb in the concert key of Bb. When we learn Bb (third line), it has a flat in front of it. They don't worry about the flat. They just learn a fingering for that note with a flat in front of it. A few lessons later we just tell them we are going to move the flat to the front of the song on the same line so we don't have to write it all the time. No big deal. The student still continues to play the same fingering. By the time we are ready to start playing B naturals, the student has known about letter for a long time. They have also memorized and discussed the chromatic scale early on which makes understanding sharps, flats, and naturals much easier. I'll write about that another day.

I was taught to read notes not letters, you are correct when you learn to sight read notes, your brain makes the connection there's no need to have the [extra symbol] to make the connection. Now with guitar we have tab. Every person I've helped has come to me and said hey look at this , this is easy to read. then I have to point out that there's no eighth notes or quarter notes so on. you can't take tab and play a song or piece of music unless you already know the song in your head. I learned to read music in high school and was taught almost the same way you teach it, when I started guitar it was easy to make the change because I had already learned basic music theory , time signatures, rest,whole notes so on. The parts I had to learn are specific to guitar, hammers, pull off, slides so on.

Yep, tabs would be basically the same. Maybe even worse. It's hard to let go of a crutch if you've never walked without one.

I'm sad to say, that I can't read music at all anymore. I once was able to read the Treble Clef, as I played Trumpet and French Horn in school. I have tried, but never succeded in applying that to the 6 string guitar. As for the Bass Clef, (Bass Guitar being second main instrument, only to my singing). My son reads that Tab like it's nothing, but I just can't grasp the concept. I wish I could read, I know it would make me a much better musician, but I thinkit's too late to teach this old dog any new Tricks.
Jack

It's never too late. Start simple with just a few notes. Don't even worry about the clef (at this point) since it's only used to discuss letter names. The key is to practice reading every day, even if it's only for 10 minutes or so Since you are just starting to read, start with a few notes at a time. Get some manuscript paper and just write some simple lines using only 3 notes. Then add new notes as you are ready. I'm not a guitar or bass player, but I would think that once you know your natural notes (not sharp or flat) you could just think up or down a fret to get the flats and sharps.

Sight reading is a lot of fun. I enjoy that more than just playing by ear or improving. That's the one thing I really don't like about my current band. No music involved. Fortunately I get to read music every day being a school band director. It just may not be at the skill level that makes it a challenge for me.

I do like Band In A Box since you can plug a song into the program and then have it create a solo to fit. One of my favorites is to create solos in the style of Charlie Parker and then try to play it at a fast tempo. It's really fun!