[octatonic]

Ok, so this is my world at the moment.
I am doing a music degree at the ripe age of 37 and I have been reading for a year.

Shortcuts? Not a single one.
The method is this.

1. Read every day.

2. Never read for more than 15 mins in one sitting. You won't take anything in after 15 mins. After 15 mins walk away from the instrument . Do something else for 5 mins or so- don't think about music- walk your dog, do the washing, kill someone, anything but music.
Then if you want to go back to it then do another 15 mins and then stop again. Repeat as required.

3. Work at a tempo you can deal with easily 90% of the time. You want to feel like you have to concentrate but you shouldn't miss entire bars because it is going by too fast.
To begin with you might have to forget the metronome. I did. It helped.

4. Count correctly. I e & a is the best way IMHO.
The American way of counting 1234 2234 3234 4234 isn't something I could deal with. 1 e & a, 2 e & a, 3 e & a, 4 e & a is easier to keep up with.
I still spend a few mins a day (usually on the bus) tapping my foot and counting whilst ghosting 16th notes with my right hand. It helps immensely.
If you can't count, you can't read.

5. Split the task up. Work on rhythm studies separately to note recognition.
get the Belson books for rhythms.
I try to read classical studies for note recognition- they are just straight 8ths (mostly) so it is relatively easy.

6. Enjoy it. This is probably the most important thing. I didn't enjoy much of the last year and I only have myself to blame really. It is hard but the rewards are there.
That isn't some sort of soft language to make you feel better- seriously, being able to read a piece of music from a page correctly, first time is one of the best things I've been able to accomplish in the last year.

I am still not brilliant- lots of ties and large intervals still mess me up.
It just takes time.