Reading is the ability to reproduce music from written notation. It includes five phases: note recognition, alternate note locations, rhythm recognition, fingering considerations, communication terminology and interpretations.
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Reading Standard Music Notation
Reading on guitar and to a lesser extent on the ukulele is hard. With note duplication and alternate locations. The fingering issues inherent to the non-equal distant tuning. It's no wonder guitar and ukulele players a like avoid learning to read.
Sight Reading vs. Reading
There are two types of reading. One is sight-reading. This level of reading is akin to reading a book or magazine. You are reading it in real-time without having seen it beforehand. Studio and show musicians do as part of the job.
The second is reading music when learning a new song or exploring music written in standard music notation. This level of reading is a lot easier and obtainable goal.
Either way, reading is the ability to read notes, chords, and rhythm. Whether it's a simple chord chart or a full-blown score. It's doable with the right plan.
The most accessible place to start is the open position on the guitar or ukulele.
Reading TAB is NOT—Reading music.
Learning the Fingerboard Resources
If there in one thing that has the most bang for the buck, and these are FREE,. It's really learning the names of the notes of the ukulele fingerboard in your favorite tuning. This is not reading it's just knowing that fret (5) is C F A D and fret (2) is A D F# B. being able to know the name of any fret on any string like second nature.
- Fingerboard Reference Charts
C, D, and G Tuning
- Learning the Ukulele Fingerboard books
C, D, and G Tuning
Standard Music Notation
Reading Lessons
- Reading Music on Ukulele - A Primer - A series of nine lessons for learning to read music in open position on ukulele. For C tuning.<
- Reading TAB & Chord Grids - TAB or Tablature is a form of musical notation, which tells players where to place their fingers on a particular instrument rather than which pitches to play.
Generally speaking, TAB or tablature is commonly used by informally trained musicians in folk, popular and rock music.
Reading Lessons
Here are all the lessons tagged covering reading.
The Trouble with TAB
Updated: 19 Jun 2021
TAB, short for tablature is a form of musical notation using numbers and letters on a staff that that corresponds to the number of strings of fretted string instrument. Theses number tell a player which fret to place their fingers on the fingerboard. TAB has a history with lute music from centuries ago and has found wide use in the music publishing industry catering to the guitarist who can?t or doesn't want to learn to read.
Reading Music on `Ukulele Series - Reading in Open Position
Updated: 29 May 2021
This series of lessons will allow you finally, to check that Reading item off your music To Do list. Learning to read standard music notation opens a world of music to you. Music notation is the Lingua franca of amateur and professional musicians alike.
Natural, Sharp and Flat Notes of the `Ukulele Fingerboard - D Tuning
Updated: 02 Jan 2005
The D Tuning comes in two versions where string four is either tuned to the "A", a major second below string one or low "A" where string fours is a perfect fifth below string three. The D tuning with a low A is the same as the thin four strings of a standard tuned guitar with a capo at fret (7).
Key Signatures - C Major and A Minor
Updated: 09 Jun 2023
In music, it is important to learn and recognize the key signature for C Major and A Minor. These two keys have corresponding major and natural minor scales, along with basic ukulele chords that can be used with each scale. The key of C Major, also known as the learning key, is particularly easy to memorize and start using.
Key Signatures - B Major and G Sharp Minor
Updated: 12 Sep 2011
"B Major" (or the key of B) is a major scale based on B, with the pitches C# D# E F# G# A#. Its key signature has five sharps: F# C# G# D# A#. Its Relative Minor scale is G# Minor. Its Parallel Minor is B Minor and, its enharmonic equivalent is Cb minor.
Key Signatures - F Sharp Major and D Sharp Minor
Updated: 12 Sep 2011
"F# Major" (or the key of F#) is a major scale based on F#, with the pitches F# G# A# B C# D# E#. Its key signature has six sharps: F# C# G# D# A# E#. Its Relative Minor scale is G# Minor. Its Parallel Minor is F# Minor and, its enharmonic equivalent is Gb minor.
Key Signatures - C Sharp Major and A Sharp Minor
Updated: 12 Sep 2011
"C# Major" (or the key of C#) is a major scale based on C#, with the pitches, all sharps C# D# ES F# G# A#. Its key signature has seven sharps: F# C# G# D# A# E# B#. Its Relative Minor scale is A# Minor. Its Parallel Minor is C# Minor, and its enharmonic equivalent is Db minor. C# is a somewhat easy key and scale to memorize as all the note are sharp.
Key Signatures - F Major and D Minor
Updated: 14 Sep 2011
"F# Major" (or the key of F#) is a major scale based on F#, with the pitches F# G# A# B C# D# E#. Its key signature has six sharps: F# C# G# D# A# E#. Its Relative Minor scale is G# Minor. Its Parallel Minor is F# Minor and, its enharmonic equivalent is Gb minor.
Key Signatures - Bb Major and G Minor
Updated: 29 Oct 2013
"Bb Major" (or the key of Bb) is a major scale based on Bb, with the pitches Bb C D Eb F G A. Its key signature has two flats: Bb Eb. Its Relative Minor scale is G Minor. Its Parallel Minor is Bb Minor. B-flat major is a suitable key for most wind instruments, especially those for which it is their home key, such as clarinets, trumpets, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone and flutes in B-flat.
Key Signatures - Eb Major and C Minor
Updated: 26 Nov 2021
"Eb Major" (or the key of Eb) is a major scale based on Eb, with the pitches Eb F G Ab Bb C D. Its key signature has three flats: Bb Eb Ab. Its Relative Minor scale is C Minor. Its Parallel Minor is Eb Minor. E flat major is often associated with bold, heroic music, in part because of Beethoven's usage.
Key Signatures - G Flat Major and E Flat Minor
Updated: 12 Sep 2011
"Gb Major" (or the key of Gb) is a major scale based on Gb, with the pitches Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Ab F. Its key signature has six flats: Bb Eb Ab Db Gb Cc. Its Relative Minor scale is Eb Minor. Its Parallel Minor is Gb Minor, usually replaced by F-sharp minor, since G flat minor, which would have nine flats, is theoretically possible but is not typically used.
Key Signatures - C Flat Major and A Flat Minor
Updated: 09 Jun 2023
"Cb Major" (or the key of Cb) is a major scale centered around Cb, with the following pitches: Cb, Db, Eb, Fb, Gb, Ab, and Bb. The key signature of Cb Major includes seven flats: Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, Gb, Cb, and Fb. The relative minor scale of Cb Major is Ab Minor, while the parallel minor is Cb Minor. Cb Major is considered relatively easy to memorize, as all of its notes are flat.
Which Way Is Up? - Up, Down, Ascending, Descending, etc...
Updated: 17 Oct 2011
What is up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending on a guitar? Up, down, higher, lower, top, bottom, ascending, descending should refer to musical pitch and not to direction as we know it. Up and higher refers to the raising of musical pitch. Down and lower refer to the lowering of musical pitch. Top refers to the upper note of a chord voicing or musical phrase and bottom refers to the lowest note.
Reading Ukulele TAB - Alternate Notation
Updated: 18 Dec 2023
"TAB" or "Tablature", is an alternate form of musical notation, which tells players where to place their fingers on a particular instrument rather than which pitches to play. TAB is sort of a secret language between guitar players and ukulele players. Although a shortcut to getting started it actually serves to alienate one from the rest of the music world.
QuickStart Chord Progressions Play-along Tracks, Introduction and Tuning Notes
Updated: 27 Jul 2022
The QUICKSTART Rhythm Section CD contains 24 unique styles designed for contemporary lead guitar. Each track is devoted to a scale covered in the QUICKSTART Scale Fingerings series of books. There are four background tracks for each scale, featuring the chords of the scale. These tracks give you the opportunity to explore the sound of each scale in an improvisational setting.
Modular Phonetic Rhythm
Updated: 01 Aug 2018
"Modular Phonetic Rhythm" by Chuck Anderson represents a significant advance in the teaching and application of rhythm. Eliminating many inefficient aspects of rhythm education, Modular Phonetic Rhythm streamlines the traditional educational approach, resulting in a reflexive reaction to rhythm. This approach is applicable to all ages and to all styles of music.
Playing in Time
Updated: 10 Jun 2023
Playing in time is an essential skill that every musician must possess. There are no shortcuts or alternatives when it comes to this aspect of music. Keeping your place while playing is a crucial lesson that focuses on honing your ability to maintain a consistent tempo and rhythm throughout your performance.
Reading Music on `Ukulele Series - Reading in Open Position, Introduction
Updated: 04 Sep 2013
There are a few things in music that students and players avoid. These are things like learning to read and knowing the notes of their own instrument. It is hard on guitar - but not so hard on ukulele. With the right guidance and plan of attack. IT IS EASY. It is really quite easy on a uke. Starting with natural notes in in the open position you can finally check off the Reading Music to do item. Learning to read standard music notation is really, really easy.
Reading Music on Ukulele Series - Reading in Open Position, Alternate Note Locations
Updated: 02 Jan 2006
One of the reasons it is hard to read music on the guitar and the ukulele is, alternate note locations. In the open position there is one alternate note location. The open E, string two can also be played on string three, fret (3). If there is no overwhelming musical reason to play one location vs. the other. Then play the one that is easier to play. Use your ear as the final judge as to which one you prefer.
Reading Music on Ukulele Series - Reading in Open Position, What About String Four?
Updated: 02 Jan 2006
"C Tuning, Low G", extends the melodic range to G below middle C. This expanded range allows for a wider selection when selecting songs to play. The G, A and B are the same names as a high string four but sounding one octave lower.
Reading Music on Ukulele Series - Reading in Open Position, Songs
Updated: 02 Jan 2006
The following songs can be played in open position using the natural notes covered in the previous lessons of this primer. These songs do not use any signatures, no time signature or key signature is shown. All songs are played with a quarter note taking one beat.
Reading for `Ukulele - Lesson One, Introduction
Updated: 17 Feb 2014
This is a series of lessons for reading music for ukulele at a pro level. Reading can be thought of on many different levels. 1) the ability to slowly and painfully “work out” the written music. 2) the ability to “hear” the music by looking at the notation. 3) the ability to “notate” your ideas in standard music notation. 4) the ability to “read” music as you read a book or an article. 5) the ability to communicate with other musicians in the written language of music. 6) the ability to learn songs that you’ve never heard.
Reading for `Ukulele - Lesson Two, Note Recognition
Updated: 18 Feb 2014
Once you understand the basic concept of reading, it’s time to get down to the development of the skills. We know our goal is to read music as well as we read words. Now, how do we get there? Note Recognition - If you can’t recognize the notes on the staff, you certainly can’t read them. For anyone who is past this step, great! But in many cases, the recognition of notes on the staff is not as good as it should be. If you can’t read music, this skill doesn’t exist at all.
Reading for `Ukulele - Lesson Three, Open Position
Updated: 18 Feb 2014
Now that you can recognize the notes on the staff in the Treble clef, it’s time to start connecting that knowledge to the ukulele. One of the most significant problems in reading for the ukulele, is that many of the same notes can be found in multiple locations on the neck. For example, the same A note is an open string one, string two - fret (5) and string three, fret (9) and if using a high G tuning - string four fret (2). The only way to cut down this complexity is to organize the ukulele into positions where this duplication is either eliminated or at least, minimized.
Reading for `Ukulele - Lesson Four, Key Signatures, Sharps
Updated: 18 Feb 2014
This lessons covers the natural symbol and the sharp key signatures keys. In musical notation, a key signature is a collection of sharp or flat symbols placed together on the staff. Key signatures are generally written immediately after the clef at the beginning of a line of musical notation, although they can appear in other parts of a score, notably after a double barline. A key signature is use to indicate the “auto sharping or flatting of specified notes. Key signatures are also used to identify the key of a composition.
Reading for `Ukulele - Lessons Five, Key Signatures, Flats
Updated: 18 Feb 2014
This lessons covers the natural symbol and the flat key signatures keys. In musical notation, a key signature is a collection of sharp or flat symbols placed together on the staff. Key signatures are generally written immediately after the clef at the beginning of a line of musical notation, although they can appear in other parts of a score, notably after a double barline. A key signature is use to indicate the “auto sharping or flatting of specified notes. Key signatures are also used to identify the key of a composition.
Reading for `Ukulele - Lesson Six, Ties
Updated: 18 Feb 2014
This lessons's work will advance rhythm by introducing Ties. Many ukulele players can find the notes on their instrument but can't read rhythm with enough accuracy and speed to be considered "sight readers". Remember that sight reading is just a level of reading. It's not some special and mysterious skill. When you read a book or magazine, you don't have to "work out" the words before you "read" them. You just read them.
Reading for `Ukulele - Lesson Seven, Rests & Position II
Updated: 19 Feb 2014
Lesson seven covers reading in position II. After spending time on open and first position, we're ready to move into the second position. The second position is defined as the notes on frets 2, 3, 4 and 5 on all four strings.
Reading Music on `Ukulele Series - Primer
Updated: 19 Jun 2014
There are a few things in music that students and players avoid. These are things like learning to read and knowing the notes of their own instrument. It is hard on guitar - but not so hard on ukulele. With the right guidance and plan of attack. IT IS EASY.