[marshall gibson]

Guys I have a problem. I played guitar for two years now and am familiar with it for the most part. But I only learned to play by ear and by teaching myself. I am stopped because I don't know how to read music or tabs. I need that to keep learning. I have looked all over for books and internet stuff to teach me to read but haven't been successful at all. I don't really have money for lessons either. Please give me a hand here. Where do I look. What do I need to do?

[1/2-Fast Player]

In all that extensive searching and internet looking you did, by any chance did the words "Mel Bay" ever pop up?

[Chups01098]

Originally Posted by marshall gibson

Guys I have a problem. I played guitar for two years now and am familiar with it for the most part. But I only learned to play by ear and by teaching myself. I am stopped because I don't know how to read music or tabs. I need that to keep learning. I have looked all over for books and internet stuff to teach me to read but haven't been successful at all. I don't really have money for lessons either. Please give me a hand here. Where do I look. What do I need to do?

ok tabs are simple. you got six lines like this

-
-
-
-
-
-

these indicate the six strigns on a six string guitar. if theres a number isntead of a hyphon, thats the fret you play. so for this

-
-
3
-
-
-

you would just play an a# note. just the third fret on the sixth string. for a cmajor chord it would look like this
0
1
0
2
3
x

x means mute that string. fairly simple tab is

as for standard notation reading, i dont have the time to describe it, maybe someone else can help. its not really that hard

[OiBoyz]

Originally Posted by marshall gibson

I need that to keep learning. I have looked all over for books and internet stuff to teach me to read but haven't been successful at all.

Wow. I'm amazed you haven't found anything. I did a quick search using "reading music for guitar" and google gave me a ton of stuff.

Also, there are free lessons on youtube, and many place on the net.

And if you look at the top of the page here you'll see a Lessons tab. I haven't spent much time there, but I'm betting there's good information there.

[marshall gibson]

Originally Posted by 1/2-Fast Player

In all that extensive searching and internet looking you did, by any chance did the words "Mel Bay" ever pop up?

No sir, it didn't. Could you explain and tell me more?

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by marshall gibson

No sir, it didn't. Could you explain and tell me more?

Mel bay is a publisher of music books.

Any music theory book will help with the reading music , and tabs are a really simplistic form of guitar music.

Personally, I think standard notation is a bit difficult for guitar because of the redundancy of notes. That is just me though.

For what you describe, I'd look at some books on classical guitar.

[marshall gibson]

Originally Posted by OiBoyz

Wow. I'm amazed you haven't found anything. I did a quick search using "reading music for guitar" and google gave me a ton of stuff.

Also, there are free lessons on youtube, and many place on the net.

And if you look at the top of the page here you'll see a Lessons tab. I haven't spent much time there, but I'm betting there's good information there.

Thank you guys. I will tell you this, I don't have real easy internet access. Basically the library. Another thing. I have a real short attention span. So youtube and other vids are a little tough for me. Soon as I see it its gone again. So books or simple dvds are my best bet and I need to know good dvd or book teachers. I hope that explains more.

[BillSPrestonEsq]

Originally Posted by marshall gibson

Thank you guys. I will tell you this, I don't have real easy internet access. Basically the library. Another thing. I have a real short attention span. So youtube and other vids are a little tough for me. Soon as I see it its gone again. So books or simple dvds are my best bet and I need to know good dvd or book teachers. I hope that explains more.

Attention span is going to be required to woodshed, and it is pretty much discipline.

You need to work on disciplining yourself. Nobody likes to be bored.

[gtrdave]

A good majority of what I learned back in the early days was from a book called "The Guitar Handbook".
It's written by Ralph Denyer and published by Knopf.
It's still in print today. I think it'll cost around $25.
That's as much as one lesson might be...although I charge $20/hour. Still...

I have my copy that I bought 25+ years ago.

Know that learning music is about discipline, time and work. There are no shortcuts.

[marshall gibson]

Thanks to all of you. Sounds like maybe I need some personal lessons too. Namely discipline. Hey billprestonesq, I never heard the term woodshedding. Could you explain that thank you for the book info too. I'll check it out. Any more info keep it coming.

[gtrdave]

Urban Dictionary: woodshedding

Google is your friend.

[1/2-Fast Player]

+1 on Denyer's book. My copy is starting to fall apart from use. Denyer does an outstanding job of discussing theory in a guitar context. Most theory texts seem to discuss it from a keyboard background. The Guitar Handbook addresses everything from guitar construction to replacing strings to rhythm to harmony to scales and leads and you name it. Wonderful foundation book, and every guitarist should have a copy.

I don't think it will help much with reading, though. There are guitar instruction books written at every level from pre-school to graduate school, so pick whatever level is best for you and dig in. Here's one example:

Modern Guitar Method Grade 1 - by Mel Bay - 93200 | Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

[OiBoyz]

Check your local library for beginning guitar books. Also see about interlibrary loans if they don't have what you need.

Also, check yardsales and garage sales, and used book stores. You can sometimes find them for cheeeep. I bought a Mel Bay book for like a quarter recently.

[1/2-Fast Player]

> I bought a Mel Bay book for like a quarter recently.

I think that's what I paid for mine new back when I started. Which shows how long both I and Mel have been around.

Oh, for the days of dime novels...

[marshall gibson]

Is mel bay the author or publisher? I wonder why I haven't run across that name ever?