Getting the most out of charts

How many of us take the time to sit with a chart or score and actually read it properly and slowly without the instrument? I know it's not something I've done a great deal but when I do, even for 10 minutes, the benefits are numerous. The mind is more alert, those difficult areas seem easier, you can visualize the chords in your mind, and you start to see phrases you might play on your instrument.

Try this experiment. Take a standard such as All the things you are. First thing in the day, play it without any warm up with a backing track. Maybe record yourself to see how you are doing. The next day, instead of playing immediately, spend 15 minutes quietly with the score. Go through each chord. Visualize each arpeggio. Where are the difficult areas where you suddenly slow down? Go back to that section. Spend some time on it. What are the basic guide tones? How could you approach a line given those notes.

I think we can already see without too much trouble that if you were to do this the results would be alot better once you tackled the piece.

So why not do this more often? Maybe before a gig perhaps? Maybe as a warm down after you have finished for the day? Many possibilities are there. If you are going to use the chart for a piece then why not use it properly!