She has contacted me and stated that reading music should be just like reading a book. The eyes move from left to right and horizontally. She is right- this is what I do when reading one clef. However, reading a piano score involves vertical and horizontal eye movements as well as choices of reading from the bottom /top, top/bottom or a combination of both. I would like her to find out the most efficient way to go about this.
I found out this week, while doing my practice, that I have been reading the notes before I read the accidentals ahead of them. I was surprised to see how much better it is to do the opposite! Isn't that wild? I have probably been doing this since I was a kid. Just by correcting that, I feel some improvement!
This coming week, I will explore reading from top/bottom.
Tchau for now.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Introduction
I am a pianist and piano teacher. I have also played flute and now I play alto sax too. I am an exceptional sight-reader when playing the flute or the sax. However, when playing the piano, my main instrument, I am terrible at it.
Since my training was in piano performance (I have 2 undergraduate degrees and a Master in Performance), I could get by easily thanks to a wonderful ear and an extraordinary memory. I have been blaming my poor sight-reading skills on my easiness to memorize music and ignoring this important skill for years.
Because of this huge discrepancy between reading flute/sax and reading piano music, I suspect my problems are looking vertically (the 2 staffs). Finally I have some free time to dedicate myself to the subject. During the last 15 years, I have read all articles about it and I never find an answer to my problem. Last month, I read an article that discussed the “same old” tips (i.e. count, look ahead, don’t stop, etc.). The author wrapped up the article by saying that people either have the skill or not. From that moment on, I decided to find out whether this author is right or wrong.
I would like to initiate here a fresh conversation about sight-reading. The thing that concerns me the most is the “eye coordination”. Where and how do good sight-readers look? I have been practicing an hour a day for the last month and no matter how slow I do it, I cannot describe what my eyes are doing. I have contacted a “developmental optometrist” to find out if there is some research on the subject. I will post a note here when or if I get an answer.
Let me tell you what I can do:
-I have a great sense of rhythm and I can count ☺
-I do not stop or correct
-I do not need to look at the keyboard
-I can improvise good fingering
Let me tell you I cannot do:
- I have a hard time remembering accidentals other then the ones on the key signature
- I do not look ahead
- I have never practiced sight-reading ☹
So, I am starting there. Practicing an hour a day. I have been at it for one month now and I find myself reading faster beat-by-beat and still cannot look ahead. My sense of the keyboard has improved a lot and I am having lots of fun with the exception of the Hymns (I’ll be talking about these later… don’t miss that post!). I will also post the repertoire I’ve been covering.
For now, can you describe what your eyes are doing while reading music?
Since my training was in piano performance (I have 2 undergraduate degrees and a Master in Performance), I could get by easily thanks to a wonderful ear and an extraordinary memory. I have been blaming my poor sight-reading skills on my easiness to memorize music and ignoring this important skill for years.
Because of this huge discrepancy between reading flute/sax and reading piano music, I suspect my problems are looking vertically (the 2 staffs). Finally I have some free time to dedicate myself to the subject. During the last 15 years, I have read all articles about it and I never find an answer to my problem. Last month, I read an article that discussed the “same old” tips (i.e. count, look ahead, don’t stop, etc.). The author wrapped up the article by saying that people either have the skill or not. From that moment on, I decided to find out whether this author is right or wrong.
I would like to initiate here a fresh conversation about sight-reading. The thing that concerns me the most is the “eye coordination”. Where and how do good sight-readers look? I have been practicing an hour a day for the last month and no matter how slow I do it, I cannot describe what my eyes are doing. I have contacted a “developmental optometrist” to find out if there is some research on the subject. I will post a note here when or if I get an answer.
Let me tell you what I can do:
-I have a great sense of rhythm and I can count ☺
-I do not stop or correct
-I do not need to look at the keyboard
-I can improvise good fingering
Let me tell you I cannot do:
- I have a hard time remembering accidentals other then the ones on the key signature
- I do not look ahead
- I have never practiced sight-reading ☹
So, I am starting there. Practicing an hour a day. I have been at it for one month now and I find myself reading faster beat-by-beat and still cannot look ahead. My sense of the keyboard has improved a lot and I am having lots of fun with the exception of the Hymns (I’ll be talking about these later… don’t miss that post!). I will also post the repertoire I’ve been covering.
For now, can you describe what your eyes are doing while reading music?
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