The dreaded sightreading!

Whether reading notes or rhythms being a confident sight reader is a great skill to have for any musician.

Below are some exercises to help improve your sight reading.

How to improve...

The three most important things to master are note recognition, rhythm reading and fretboard knowledge. (Click here for fretboard knowledge)

If you can confidently read and understand rhythms you've done half the job when it comes to sight reading.

If you're quick to identify the notes on the stave and quick to know where that note is on the guitar then you can become a master sight reader!

Stage 1 - Note recognition

Have a go at the game below to see how many notes your can get right. Try to be as quick as you can!

Stage 2 - Rhythm Reading

Here are some good apps to check out for iPhone and Android devices:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/rhythm-sight-reading-trainer/id396302174

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/the-rhythm-trainer/id1319997438

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.binaryguilt.completerhythmtrainer&hl=en_GB

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ru.demax.rhythmerr&hl=en_GB

The Rhythm Bible

Below is the bible for rhythm reading. This book has no melodic elements just rhythmic elements.

The way to use it is to put a metronome on at around 60-80 bpm to begin with and then do a page a day.

You can do it with your guitar or away from your guitar. You can choose one note of a chord to play the rhythms. Vary it up.

Try saying the rhythms or clapping the rhythms.

If you can confidently read the rhythms in this book then that will make sight reading a lot easier as you'll get to the point where you don't even need to think about reading the rhythm - it becomes second nature.