Can you play guitar by sight reading music?

Question

Any tips on how to learn this? I've memorized the whole notes of the fretboard.

Answer 1

Yes I can. On the guitar primarily, but also on some other instruments.

Sight reading is a talent/skill that needs to be practiced with each instrument. It's mostly a matter of hand-eye coordination. (Face it, someone can know how to read music beautifully from notation, but still not be able to sight-play it.)

Find simple melodies or scales to sight read with. Use a metronome to keep the pace and tap your foot. DON'T TAKE YOUR EYES OF THE PAGE. DON'T LOOK AT YOUR HANDS. REPEAT.

As you advance, change your practice pieces. Use melodies that have large jumps in intervals, and move in crazy ways.

Practice, practice, practice.

Answer 2

Yes! You lucky git! LOL

Each finger of your left hand (assuming you are right-handed) is responsible for a fret:
1:Index finger
2:Middle finger
3:Ring finger
4&5: Little finger

Start practising scales, starting with C major, on the 2nd fret of your low E string, Do all the scales between you can find, both major and minor, in those top five frets.

Don't forget that you can get the same note in about 3 different places, and use whichever is the most natural for your hand.

Your right hand:
E- Thumb
A- Thumb or index finger
D- Index finger
G- Middle finger
B- Ring finger
E- Little finger

Move up a fret, and do the same thing. You need speed and your hand needs to know which note to move to, when it sees different key signatures. Also, remember that you can move up and down along the SAME STRINGS to play scales, with a totally different sound.

You'll need a book, with proper finger-placement for 'proper' scale patterns, but this is a start.

I can't sight-read. I am envious as HELL!