Ok! I don't read Music....

[MusicaL]

But I want to learn how to.

 

That other thread has gotten me thinking...

 

I've relied exclusively on my ears to play anything and everything. I literally have to count notes and lines to know where C is on music sheets. I hate reading... But, I want to learn.

 

So, here's the question: I am fairly versatile. Been playing and listening since I was a kid. I am 44, have a fulltime non musical job, and have a band that plays originals, mostly composed and arranged by yours truly, etc. My life is busy.

 

Where do I start? I can't use my daughter's music books. I'd be bored to tears. Are there music reading books written, videos, (anything) for the musician who's been around but never started reading?

 

I could use all of your input...

 

TIA

 

aL

[Trill]

Music*al,

 

I say, read something you want to learn to play. I started late just like you. You have to practice it daily, to start to improve. When you start learning songs or parts of songs you thought you would have a tough time with, you will then start to apprecite it more and actually have more desire to do it. Then you will say.

 

"Why did I wait so long ,this is a whole lot easier than trying to pick out everything by ear"

not to mention you see a lot of mistakes you may have made.

 

Some of the things I did was print out the scales in both clefs . Then I would go over it. Then I would print out blank staffs and start penciling in notes on the staffs. Make sure you go above and below the normal staff. These are always my weak ones

 

And then practice playing by reading a piece. One of the biggest aids I use is my Band in a box program. I will follow along with the high lighted notes , slow it down if needed.You can click on the settings and have the actual note names. This is a big help. And there are some great things to learn on keys from it.

 

If you keep practicing daily you will see patterns developing in peoples styles and start recognizing chords and runs by sight.

 

The key is to work at it daily and it will become familiar and easier. It will get easier and you will be glad you did.

 

 

Greg

[K K]

Well, I believe the key to learn anything that seems boring and complicated, including reading music, is motivation.

 

I would suggest you to find the score of an easy to intermediate piece you heard and like but never played. This way, you get the motivation that after the "hard" work, you'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing a piece you like and always wanted to play.

 

That's how I started. Of course, there are many other ways, like the more drastic get a teacher to learn to read solution, which might make you learn to read faster... Given the fact that you find a teacher that's interesting and competent.

 

The dangers of self-teaching oneself are there, surely it's gonna take you a longer time and require more self-discipline, but in my opinion is often more creative.

 

At least, regardless of the way you choose to learn to read music, you'll experience joys, possibilities and new avenues that people who refuse to learn (for one lame reason or another) will never know.

 

Believe me, the arguments given on that other thread that learning to read might narrow your inspiration or creativity to a certain type of composition is pure nonsense. It's actually the other way around, as any useful tool can only help you progress in your craft.

[Milos]

Maybe you don't have to read music.

Vangelis doesn't:)

[Dave Horne]

Music*aL, I think it's great that you want to learn to read! I'm a big believer in the Public Library, they have lots of material and you can probably spend hours there looking through material.

 

You can teach yourself to read, but it really wouldn't hurt to take a few lessons from a pro or just spend a day or two with someone you know to learn the basics and have various music pieces shown to you. (Double dots for rhythms and double sharps and double flats for notes might take a few seconds to explain.)

 

I'm not religious at all, but borrowing a hymnal from a church (or library) is also an idea as the music is relatively simple and each hymn is 16 bars or less in length.

 

Being 44 is also to your advantage as you are an adult and can probably conceptualize information better than kids.

 

You really made my day. Thank you!

[linwood]

Hi music*al,

go to http://www.patmethenygroup.com/promotions/?promotion=pmgln and join -doesn't cost a thing-and download the large file. That'll inspire you and make you read. Then order the score. Pretty cool isn't it? I wish i could buy everything I listen to like this. Some Sibelius guru should figure this out for us. Dave??

[MechanicalFuryX]

Yeah don't sweat it man. Just learn how to read and you'll be fine although using your ears is not a bad tool because when it comes down to it music is all ear usage, but I too need to learn how to read music as well so don't feel bad. If you want a good way to learn how to read music.

 

 

www.musictheory.net is your saviour its helped me understand what I know now so far which is very basic stuff.

[Jazz+]

Originally posted by Music*aL:

I can't use my daughter's music books. I'd be bored to tears.

 

You need to learn to walk before you can run.

It's not what you read in the beginning, just that you do it. I recommend adults use the "Accelerated Course For The Older Beginner" Lesson Book 1 by Nancy and Randal Faber. Avoid the Alfred book. Bastien is OK.

[MusicaL]

Thank you all for all the replies. I will check out all of the links, etc. To me the hardest thing about reading is that it's just so much easier for me to figure out a tune by ear. So, I think what I need to do is to try to read a song I don't know, otherwise, based on experience, I'll revert to ear mode...

 

I might even force myself to go through my daughter's books just to start "walking" so to speak...

 

Thanks again for you input...

 

aL

[Immo]

I might suggest getting a book of your favorite artist for some intermediate level (beginner level you'll probably just think it's stupid). Get a book with Beatles tunes for example. The advantage of contemporary vs. classical sheet music is that whereas a lot of classical (that I've played) is very melody based, contemporary music is very chord based. Once you've spent enough time picking out all the notes that make up a chord, you'll start to recognize the the dots put together in such and such a way as being a certain chord which will probably allow you to do what you want.

 

Also if you're into his music, I might suggest getting Rick Wakeman's Six Wives piano book off of eBAy and working through Anne Bolyn. It will take you forever, but I'm pretty sure you're sightreading and finger speed will be much improved.

[Jazz+]

Immo, when learning to read music you need as simple and begining as possible a book, otherwise it is too stressful, intermediate will not work for many months.

The Faber book is total beginning and has the advantage over the other books in that it is not boring.

[marino]

My advice: don't start with difficult tunes, even if you have the technique to play them. In order to learn, you have to do a lot of reading, so it's best to read many easy pieces rather than a few difficult ones.

 

You could try Bartok's "Mikrokosmos", starting with vol.1. Simple stuff, but written in a modern style by a great composer, with the specific intent to teach reading music. You could then advance to the following volumes (there are six in all), which comprise wonderful music.

[Jazz+]

Exactly what Marino said!

[Dave Horne]

Music*aL,

 

I have an idea. Why not activate this thread every three months or so. You probably won't see much improvement from day to day, but looking back over three months might give you a bigger picture with how your reading ability is progressing.

 

You might be an example for those still sitting on the fence and your progress might just be the encouragement they need to get started.

 

You might also find that your understanding of some things is broadened as well. Sometimes seeing something in a different light makes it clearer.

[niacin]

Originally posted by marino:

My advice: You could try Bartok's "Mikrokosmos", starting with vol.1. Simple stuff, but written in a modern style by a great composer, with the specific intent to teach reading music. You could then advance to the following volumes (there are six in all), which comprise wonderful music.

+1.

If you get bored then consider the easy pop sheet music option. But give the Bartok a go first.

[sudeep]

Ive been using this book "Super Sight Reading Secrets". Contrary to the title there are no secrets, but this has a series of drills, exericises and tips that help in your sight reading. It focusses on note recognition (instant), playing without looking at your hands and reading ahead. Ive found it extremely useful and have seen definite improvements. It is however a little week on reading rythms. Im sure there is nothing new in this book for a lot of people but i find that the drills really focus your learning.

[MusicaL]

Well, I was playing the piano last night only to find sitting on top of it my wife's college music book. It's entitled Piano for the Adult Beginner, by Elmer Heerema. I didn't even know we had it.

 

So, I cracked it open this morning, and off we go. I am having fun with it so far (first day, eh)... I think the key for me is to not sit at the piano and try to do the exercises thinking I'll be making music. It's just a skill I am learning, a new language. I actually did the first exercises without a keyboard. Mostly tapping notes etc...

 

Thanks again for all of your help. You are all an encouragement to me. I know it can be done...

 

aL

[yidneth]

same here, i play everthing by ear, and i'm motivated to learn, but going to classes is so expensive. I have looked some books and to get the basics is not so complex, but rather changelling, but i've started recently, just like you're about to do

[Mike Davis]

Dave Stewart has a couple of books that are really good -- one in particular is called The Musician's Guide to Reading and Writing Music. It would be cool to go through it with a teacher if you can. When you're sure that you're clear on the terminology, get a hymnal and a Real Book, and work through them front to back. Then do it again...

 

best,

 

Mike

 

http://www.backbeatbooks.com/search.cfm?search=dave+stewart

[Dave Pierce]

Musi*aL, hey, that's great!

 

I was formally trained to read as a kid, and once upon a time I could fairly decently sight-read simple material. I can still do pretty well with single-note stuff, like singing for example. But reading sheet music for piano is a skill that I've pretty much lost. Yeah, I can suss it out if I really sit down and think it through, but it's ridiculously tedious now, through disuse.

 

Anyway, I bet if you keep at it, you'll be reading better than me in no time!

 

Not that that's saying much...

 

--Dave

[Ernie Rideout]

These are all great suggestions. My fave sight-reading instruction book is "Super Sight Reading Secrets" (http://www.soundfeelings.com/products/music_instruction/sight-reading.htm). Reading Back four-part chorales is great practice, too. Start by reading only the top and bottom voices, just the first notes in each bar. Hold the notes for four beats, then play the first notes of the next bar, etc. Keep the time steady. This gets your eyes used to scanning the full piano staff, and it also gets your eyes used to looking ahead while your fingers are busy, though in this case, you're just holding two whole notes.

 

Bartok's Mikrokosmos is a great way to have some simple but really cool-sounding sight reading practice, too. The pieces are really short, the rhythms are simple, but the tonality and the meters are really fun.

 

The most important thing: practice reading EVERY DAY, even if it's only for five minutes. It won't take you years, if you practice it every day. You'll be amazed how quickly you'll develop your reading skills; if you keep at it, you'll notice imprivements within a couple weeks. In six weeks, you're likely to be able to read very simple pieces. In six more weeks,you may have enough reading skills to be able to tackle some music that you're really interested in.

 

Good luck!

[MusicaL]

Well, I'm on my second day. I spent about 15 minutes this morning going through some more exercises.

 

I hope to finish the book I am working through and then go through the Bartok book, and others, including the Super Sight Reading Secrets, etc....

 

I can already tell I am a little more comfortable with the idea of "seeing" music as opposed to hearing it.

 

Ernie, I couldn't agree with you more. I intend to do this everyday, God willing, until I master this thing....

 

Thanks again for all of your input...

 

aL

[marino]

Originally posted by Mike Davis:

Dave Stewart has a couple of books that are really good -- one in particular is called The Musician's Guide to Reading and Writing Music. It would be cool to go through it with a teacher if you can. When you're sure that you're clear on the terminology, get a hymnal and a Real Book, and work through them front to back. Then do it again...

 

best,

 

Mike

 

http://www.backbeatbooks.com/search.cfm?search=dave+stewart

This is excellent advice. I totally second it.

[Junkstyle]

Step 1) Just memorize the [offensive language deleted] . Every line, every space so you know it individually (DONT USE THAT STUPID sentence trick)

 

Step 2) Learn to recognize intervals of notes. When you read a book you dont read every single letter you read words. This is what you have to do with music. Learn to recognize groups of notes as a whole and play them...instead of 1) oh theres a C 2) now theres a E 3) oh here comes a G....etc You dont want to do this. You just need to know the first note and then go by the intervals for the other notes in that group or musical phrase. Which would be analogous to a "word" if you are reading text.

 

Hope this helps.

[MusicaL]

I am working on note recognition everyday-- 3 days so far that is)...

 

So far so good. It's been a good exercise in patience...

 

aL

[Byrdman]

Try the following approach.

 

Music layout is pretty graphical. So it should be possible to sing it without actually being able to read it (at first).

 

Those of us who were taught to read music often weren't taught to hear it on the way through - it was page to finger. I'm fifty (+) and I've only recently started to be able to look at a piece of music on the page and hear it. And I still need to work at it. Being able to do that makes reading much easier.

 

As it sounds like you already have good ears, build on that strength. That way you will end up a quite complete musician.

[MusicaL]

Byrdman

 

I've been doing a little of that as I go along. I was on vacation the past three days and took the book with me, and hummed the music along.

 

I am not sure if what I am doing is correct, but so far I work out the treble clef and then the bass clef and then play them together. Because the exercises are easy and predictable, I can whiz through them in virtually no time... Am I doing something wrong?

 

aL