Sight-Reading for Guitar

Reviewed by Robert Trent, Professor of Music (Guitar), Radford University on 7/29/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Ms. Green has created a textbook which provides an excellent introduction to reading music, notes on the guitar, rhythms, and how most symbols one would encounter in music notation are interpreted. Delivery is through both text and embedded video presentations. Each unit exhibits a deliberate, progressive, and step-by-step process suitable for guitarists who have some experience with the instrument, but, little to no experience in reading standard music notation. By the same token, the text assumes an understanding of best and healthy practices regarding how shifts along the fingerboard are navigated; how the left hand fingers approach and attack the strings; how the right hand, arm and fingers are utilized in plucking the strings.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Attention to repetition "closing the loop" in summarized bullets is thoughtfully given at the end of each unit.
Some confusion might result from use of the word "rhythms" in Unit 1 where one only single symbols are introduced. A suggestion - these should rightly be called "durations" in that they represent lengths of time. Also, while the "whole note" can be explained as filling the measure, focusing on its function as duration and is tied to meter (e.g. filling the time of a measure). This might help eliminate lingering questions as to why a "whole note" is and others are fractions of the whole.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The material is relevant for guitarists of any sort and interested in any genre.

Clarity rating: 4

In nearly every instance and unit both the prose and verbal presentation in videos are given in a lucid and encouraging manner. An example where clarity is lacking occurs in Unit 1 where the "G" or treble clef is introduced without an explanation at to why it is a "G" clef. Hopefully, Ms. Green will have an opportunity to add a sentence which indicates that the symbol is a fancy letter "G" with curled portion curling around and pointing to the second line "G". Elsewhere omissions are covered by suggestions to gain further insight on a topic at specific websites and will be much appreciated by the reader. Likewise, the guitarist is encouraged to adopt good and healthy posture, but no guidance is given as how this is achieved. An inquiring student will need to discover their own resources.

Consistency rating: 5

Ms. Green's level of consistency is of a high level, with continuity of terminology throughout each unit, and with much appreciated summary bullets throughout. Her attention to structure, engages, informs, and "closes the loop" in summary bullets. Videos reflect this consistency in a pleasant and direct and concise presentation.

Modularity rating: 5

Balance between video and text is excellent and are clear companions in support of each other. Links to external resources abound and will be much appreciated to the student needing more in-depth explanation of a specific topic.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Step-by-step, progressive units are short and concise.

Interface rating: 5

All videos and links function smoothly and without error.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I found no grammatical errors, but, a few instances of terminology or explanation, mentioned above, could be clarified in a subsequent edition.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I found no culturally inappropriate instances.

Comments

Ms. Green has created a wonderfully useful book that transcends style and genre. The presentation is engaging and encouraging. She is to be highly commended for commissioning pieces appropriate for students of sight reading on guitar. Rare for such a textbook! Readers will find the solos and duets, fresh, fun and rewarding. Recommended!

Reviewed by Olem Alves, Music Instructor (Guitar, Popular Music Studies), Linn-Benton Community College on 1/15/21

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

Sight-Reading for Guitar by Chelsea Green takes the student through a thorough study of how to read music on the guitar. It starts with the very beginnings of how to read (for the very beginning student) and slowly takes the student through a comprehensive study of note identification, rhythm, music theory relating to the guitar, articulations on the guitar and more. It does a nice job of breaking things down into string sets with studies on each of the 6 strings. There is also video and audio examples with each chapter as well as etudes to go with each technique studied. This makes it very easy to follow each topic. This book would be very helpful for the beginning sight-reader on the guitar. I would like to see a detailed approach as to how the right hand is used in playing and reading music on the guitar but overall this covers most all areas of the stated topic.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

I find this book to be accurate by all accounts. Chelsea is very knowledgeable on this subject. Her explanations of rhythm are accurate as well as her overall knowledge of how the notes on the guitar neck are laid out.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 4

The content in this book is up to date. It is meant for classical guitarists as all the etudes and techniques are geared toward classical playing and that is Chelsea's background. Players that want to get into reading jazz lines may want to supplement this with another reading book.

Clarity rating: 5

I do like how clear this book is in explaining the different topics it covers. Chelsea does a good job in her videos at the beginning of each chapter explaining what the chapter is about and going through the various concepts. She is very clear in her videos. This is very helpful for the beginning student who may have just come across many of the terms in the book for the first time.

Consistency rating: 4

The book is consistent in its delivery. Each chapter is laid out in the same manner with an intro video at the top explaining the concepts you are about to study, followed by visual musical examples and then a "let's play" section where there is audio accompaniment to etudes and musical score examples. I like how consistent the flow is in every chapter. You know what to expect each time.

Modularity rating: 4

This category doesn't necessarily apply as much to this book. This is less of a word reading book and more of a hands on doing book with a lot of videos to watch. You could however divide each chapter into digestible sections if you wanted to grab smaller pieces at a time.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics in this book are presented in a logical and clear fashion. The videos at the top of each chapter explain what the chapter is about and each chapter goes through each topic in a clear way starting from beginning to more advanced concepts. I also think the topics are introduced in a thoughtful way and make sense in their organization.

Interface rating: 4

There are no interface problems with this book that I have discovered. All the videos and musical examples play just fine on my computer. All the musical scores open up nicely.

Grammatical Errors rating: 4

I did not find any grammatical errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 4

The text is not culturally offensive in any way that I have seen.

Comments

I think this a good book for guitar students who have never read music on the guitar and are looking to do so in the classical genre. I like the way it is laid out with a video accompanying each chapter and midi musical examples of the etudes the student is to study. I like the way Chelsea explains each topic very clearly so the student can easily understand what she is explaining. I also like her "checklist for sight-reading" in every chapter reminding the student of such important things like "keep going (even if you make a mistake)." That is a very important and maybe number one concept for all sight-reading students to grasp. Overall a well done book.