#065: Should You Teach Your Guitar Students to Read Music?

In today’s solo episode, we explore the highly debated topic of whether guitar teachers should teach their students to read music. With differing opinions, we delve into the heart of the matter, presenting multiple perspectives and shedding light on this divisive subject. Playing guitar and reading music are two distinct skills that can overwhelm beginners. Focusing on fretting and picking coordination is crucial in the initial stages, and introducing music reading at the start can hinder basic muscle memory development. Additionally, forcing students to read music from the beginning can lead to early quitting. We should be building confidence and enjoyment first and then gradually introducing music reading at a later stage. Tune in as we navigate through the nuances, addressing the challenges, benefits, and when the right time might be to introduce music reading to your students.

• Michael explores the controversial topic of whether guitar teachers should teach their students to read music.
• He argues against teaching beginners how to read music right away.
• Focusing on fretting and picking coordination is crucial in the initial stages.
• He emphasizes that introducing music reading at the start can hinder basic muscle memory development.
• The importance of students being able to play confidently and control their finger movements before introducing music reading.
• Michael highlights three ways of reading music on the guitar: standard notation, chord charts, and tablature.
• He promotes tablature as a significant shortcut to playing music on the guitar, especially for beginners.

Guitar Teaching Resources Mentioned

• Free Guitar E-book Resources

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