Progressive Reading for Guitarists LETTURE PROGRESSIVE PER CHITARRISTI SCHULE DES BLATTSPIELS AUF DER GITARRE RICORDI 10 59: Stephen Dodgson & Hector QuinePROGRESSIVE READING FOR GUITARISTS LETTURE PROGRESSIVE PER CHITARRISTI SCHULE DES BLATTSPIELS AUF DER GITARRE by STEPHEN DODGSON and HECTOR QUINE LD 591 RICORDIPREFACE, It has been said that the guitar is not a ‘reading instrument’. Now, whatever this remark may mean, it is demonstrably untrue since there are, today, guitarists whose sight-reading ability can equal that of a first-class violinist or pianist Such a remark therefore, can only reveal a completely outmoded viewpoint. The guitar does have its special reading problems of course, but none of them is so intractable that it will not yield to a certain amount of intelligent application and industry. It cannot be doubted that there are many guitarists who would work with great energy and enthusiasm to remedy the deficiencies in their technical and mus cal armoury if only they knew how, but the average guitarist’s failure to measure up to the musical standards of other performers, is more often due to lack of method and discipline than to any inherent problems in his chosen instrument. It is with the intention of shedding a little light on the often perplexing question of sight-reading, that Stephen Dodgson has composed the following one hundred short pieces. It should be noted that these form only a guideline as to how to tackle the various problems. Fluent reading is not a skill which can be acquired in two or three weeks—which is about how long it might take a reasonably energetic guitarist to assimilate the printed material. The student is urged to write further exercises of his own at every stage, basing these upon the examples given. As he gains facility, he will find that not only his reading, but his musical understanding and general musi- cianship will show dramatic improvement too. Only recently, sight-reading on the guitar was described as a ‘nightmare’. It is to be hoped, and indeed expected, that this little book may help to herald the dawn of a new era, in which those spectres which have haunted the guitarist down the ages will be finally dispelled, and that he will be led far beyond a mere facility in note-recognition to the exploration of aspects of music which have hitherto lain beyond his horizons. Hector Qi SOME NOTES ON HOW TO USE THIS BOOK The traditional method of learning to play the guitar, by beginning in the first position, then working gradually up the fingerboard, has been entirely dispensed with in this book—for a number of reasons. ‘First-positionitis’ has been a major stumbling-block in the path of countless guitarists, and is one of the chief causes of poor reading ability. It is, incidentally, also responsible for much faulty technique being instilled in the early stages of learning, since the first position involves a greater hand spread, holding the hand further away from the body, as well as grappling with problems of higher string-tension and closer spacing of the strings. If the maximum benefit is to be derived from this book, a few simple rules must, be observed and constantly borne in mind: 1. Play only in the position indicated (e.g. Chapter !~all Position V), and resist the temptation to dive for the first position at the first opportunity. Always try to think ‘in position’. 2. Play no open strings unless these are clearly marked.