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Author Topic: Learning to read music  (Read 2126 times)

Offline berbie

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Learning to read music
« on: January 22, 2008, 02:06:13 PM »
I know and have expressed the absolutly essential idea to get a teacher, no matter what the circumstances or the age if you are starting out to learn to play the keyboard.  Part of my knowledge of that necessity is from experience.  I am convinced without any doubt that I would have progressed much farther and done much better over the ten years that I have been playing the keyboard than I actually did if I had gotten a teacher.  Now at the age of 70, and as far as I am down the road in playing, I am not as excited about learning as I was when I started (at 60), even though it was an activity taken on just as a retirement hobby.  I play for a small church, and for a men's group.  I read music slowly.  I have a question, though.  For T-Block, SJ, Ferrente or others in this forum. If you weren't concerned about progressions, chords, keys. transcribing, etc. and only wanted to become proficient at the skill of reading music, where would you concentrate your study?  Are there tools, study aids, a silver bullet that would allow you to progress speedily in the area of reading?

berbie

Offline jlewis

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #1 on: January 22, 2008, 04:24:15 PM »
I've talked to a lot of classically trained players and most of them tell me the same thing.  In order to read music proficiently, you must continue to read a lot of music.

I had some tell me that fingering is important.  I've had other tell me that  you must use fingering that is comfortable for you. I've seen folks who  used  flat finger that were awsome  and folks that used curver ringers with the right arm positioning who were also awsome.

But the constant thing that they ALL said was that you must continue to read to become proficient.  No silver bullet or magic pill.

There are some tips about learning intervals and being to play intervals, but that was hit and miss.  Most of them basically said that IF you can play, but you can't read music, the only thing to do is to START reading music.

Jlewis

Offline berbie

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #2 on: January 23, 2008, 02:12:51 AM »
Thanks for your response, JL.  I am practicing out of the African American Heritage Hymnal, and am improving slowly.  Surely if I stay with it,  improvements will come. Your statements reinforce that thought. Proper fingering does seem to be more important, as well as the habit of not looking at the board while reading.  It would be nice to have some material that focused on recognition of chords that are split onto both stanzas.  Those notes can only appear so many times in certain configurations. (and must occur over and over).  Concentrated practice on certain configurations would seem to cause a person to recognize them without actually reading the notes.  I haven't seen any such material.   Thanks again for your comments,

berbie

Offline musallio

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #3 on: January 23, 2008, 02:25:47 PM »
I have to CO-SIGN  jlewis on that 1 :)

I had the most userfriendliest of resources to learn to read sheet music ( www.zebrakeys.com )

but I have not developed my speed due to lack of regular practice :(
A few people I know however, have gone from strength to strength because of PRACTICE ;)
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Offline Casioman

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #4 on: January 24, 2008, 02:18:57 PM »
Quote
In order to read music proficiently, you must continue to read a lot of music.

Good Advice Jlewis

I will add to the debate by saying try to incorporate some reading of music into your daily practice routine, learning to read music is no different to learning any other skill, the more you do the better you get, & the easier it becomes. I am reasonably fluent at reading & I  began learning so I could translate some of the many hymnals that I own. I began playing by ear so that I could play the hymns in a more contempory fashion, as one of the first things you will discover as your reading skills evolve is that a lot of written music in hymnals is not arranged for piano & you will need to modify it so it is practical to play. (or grow some more fingers)

One of the first obstacles for the gospel pianist is that most "learn to read music" books or tutorials focus on learning another style of music that you are not familiar with like classical & its easy to get bored learning music you will never use.

One book that helped me enormously is "You Can Teach Yourself Gospel Piano" by Gail Smith.  Despite having the worst cover art in history, this book is a great resource to learn reading music in a gospel piano environment. here is a link-  http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=97099

Good luck hope this helps

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Offline under13

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #5 on: January 24, 2008, 02:51:53 PM »
I suggest to those who wanna read, that they get a teacher, I too found reading music very boring, so i stopped around two years ago, but I'm still able to learn a song from the hymnal and sight read the right hand.

I dont think that most gospel need to be the greatest readers, but they should at least be able to sight read from a hymnbook




One book that helped me enormously is "You Can Teach Yourself Gospel Piano" by Gail Smith.  Despite having the worst cover art in history, this book is a great resource to learn reading music in a gospel piano environment. here is a link-  http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=97099

Good luck hope this helps

Casioman




You werent jokin lol

Offline Casioman

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #6 on: January 24, 2008, 03:34:52 PM »
Quote

I dont think that most gospel need to be the greatest readers, but they should at least be able to sight read from a hymnbook


I agree, once you have the structure, you can just apply the number system & play by ear.

Quote

You werent jokin lol


;) Ever heard the saying " Never judge a book by the cover"?

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Offline berbie

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #7 on: January 24, 2008, 08:22:57 PM »
Thanks Casioman, I will check that book out. I need some study material other than just playing from the hymnal.  Thanks for everyone's help.


berbie

Offline jlewis

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #8 on: January 25, 2008, 07:17:54 PM »
There are artists who, when you listen to their stuff on  CD,  you can play it just like  the cd ( if you can read music).


Joe Pace from Colorado mass ( his song books match his cd material almost exactly)
Richard  Smallwood
Fred Hammond

and I have discovered that most of the WOW GOSPEL songbooks are very accurate to the CD's.

Now I'm not a perfect sight reader ( meaning I can sit down at the piano  with an arbitrary piece of music and play it flawlessly).   But I can  play through  certain compositions depending on the speed and complexity.  If you want to know how a certain fill or lick is done, many times it is sitting right there in black and white if you can read the notes.

Jlewis

Offline musallio

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #9 on: January 28, 2008, 04:37:50 AM »
Thanks for the informative post guys & the sense of humor that was part of the package :D

I'm guilty of not including sheet music into my daily training :(

but I should really shop for that book with the hilarious cover & the sheet music of those artists U mentioned.

thank you all.
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Offline luke cage

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Re: Learning to read music
« Reply #10 on: February 07, 2008, 12:48:07 PM »
i am learning how to read now for about the last 6 months and what helps me with my sight reading is reading through an entire hymnal playing only the left hand part, then going through a second time playing the right hand, and finally playing both parts or use this same method one measure at a time you cant go wrong. Also i am now practicing sight reading with a metronome clock this helps me at recognizing and playing intervals quickly. By using this method you have more time to look ahead and recognize intervals. I also recommend you to read a lot of classical music it consumes all music and makes any other music genre much easier to read. I study Hannon (virtuiso pianist 60 exercises), Czerny Op.740 The Art Of finger Dexterity, and also Duvernoy Op.120 the school of mechanism. These are great books to just read to sharpen up your reading and build your speed reading,note you must read every day at least 20 to 30 minutes minimum to keep that touch because like anything if you do not do it you will lose it.
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