Re: Advice on how to learn sheet music?
Yep, if you can already sight read, all you have to add is memorizing the chart supplied by Cobalt above. Bear in mind that mandolin is tuned in fifths, so you can start on an open string and play a whole octave scale from there to the 5th fret on the next string up using just open strings and your index, middle, and ring fingers. It works for each pair of strings.
It also helps to see that standard music notation has a pattern that "overlaps" first position (the first 7 frets on mandolin), making it easier to sight read on mandolin and fiddle than many other instruments, at least for tunes in the common keys of G, C, D, and their relative modes (Em, Am, Bm, Ador, Ddor, Edor, etc.). The easiest way to see this pattern is to write out the notes of a one-octave D major scale. Then play them starting on the open D (3rd) string up to the 5th fret D on the 2nd string.
You'll find that written notes that fall on spaces in the staff are either open strings or middle fingers, and notes that fall on lines in the staff are either index or ring fingers. You can hammer this idea home by playing simple arpeggios--DFAF is all spaces on the sheet music and open or middle fingers; GBdB is all lines on the sheet music and ring and index fingers. Many tunes (especially fiddle tunes) are built around such patterns.
This pattern holds true for all the scales I've mentioned on all four strings in first position.
Hope this helps.
Oops! Did I say that out loud?
Once upon a time: fiddle, mandolin, OM, banjo, guitar, flute, whistle, beer
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