sight reading mandolin music

[cam]

I'm working on my sight-reading for the mandolin instead of relying solely on tab. However while some transcriptions are notated an octave lower than played, others are notated in the correct octave but this makes it very hard to read (all those ledger lines) Anyone have any ideas/advice on this?

[cam]

guess nobody does any sight-reading?...

[Keith Newell]

I can sight read regular music notaion but not tab as well. The nice thing about regular music notation is that you can see kind of where its going out of the corner of your eye. I mean that as the phrase goes up you see the notes go up but with tab its on the same line but now you have to convert a number in your head.
I grew up playing Trumpet, Baratone, French Horn, Viola, violin, Bag Pipes..dont laugh, Banjo and Mandolin. I can read music notaion like it was the back of my hand......wow where did that mole come from http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Anyway Tab I think is harder to sight read for those that know regular music notation.
Keith

[Dfyngravity]

i sight read music and i too prefer it over tab. i play a lot of classical so sight reading is crucial. if you have songs that the entire song is on ledger lines than i would try to find another version because normal mandolin music is written on the staff the same as any other music. and yea there might be a few messures that are on legder lines either above or below the staff but not the entire song. so you are either gonna have to get real good at reading on ledger lines or find a correct version.

[jamesrenz]

You will get used to the ledger lines over time; you just need to keep drilling the note names for lines/spaces as you did when learning the regular staff lines. Working up in the ledgers will ultimately get you into position playing, and that is probably what is causing you some issues. Practice your scales in higher positions; you will find it easier to handle the ledger lines once you start to get those positions down. Work out the fingerings for the ledger notes carefully and slowly until you have everything even and fluid. Also, a metronome would be handy, to say the least, to help you get your timing down. It may not be necessary if you are doing traditional fiddle tunes, but for more intricate rhythms, e.g., in classical or jazz transcriptions, you will probably find it essential.