Reading Music: Common Notation

Reading music involves both skill and knowledge. In other words, you need to both understand how it works and also practice doing it. You won't improve without the practice, so learning how to read music will take some time and energy.

The understanding is also important, however; if you don't understand clearly how the symbols you see are related to the sounds you hear, you can end up practicing incorrectly, which wastes your time and may result in bad habits that are difficult to break.

If you have tried and failed to learn to read standard music notation for the mandolin or fiddle using traditional methods or you have never tried and want to, this book is for you. Learn to play from music in the mandolin- and fiddle-friendly major keys of C, G, D, A, F, and B-flat and their relative minor keys.

Some basic definitionsPractical suggestions for learning how to read music accurately and independentlyPractical suggestions for learning how to use sheet music as a guide and memory aidA discussion of alternative music notationsA discussion of music reading vs. playing by ear

Generously illustrated and concise, this book is essential to any musician looking for a handy reference for the correct notation of music. A most welcome and beneficial source for every musician, whether using a pencil or a computer.