Why Learning To Sight Read Music Can Be Your Short-Cut To Reading Music Well

May 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment

learning to sight read musicAre you having a hard time reading music?

Stop tearing your hair out.

I am about to share with you how I overcame this hurdle and how you can too with a little sight reading practice.

It’s not rocket science, but it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself right now.

So, let’s get started…

Learning to sight read music is very valuable for several reasons:

1) It helps you become a better music reader.

2) You learn how to play under a little pressure.

3) This pressure forces you to focus more intently on what you’re reading.

4) As your skills improve, so does your confidence level.

If you are having trouble reading music, sight reading is one of the best ways to resolve this problem.  It’s just like anything else. The more you practice, the better you get! [Read more...]

Filed Under: Music Reading Diagnosis Tagged With:

10 Tips For Developing Music Speed Reading

May 7, 2013 by Leave a Comment

music speed readingDo you feel like you can’t read music fast enough?

Do the notes fly by faster in your music than your brain can comprehend?

Don’t worry.  I think we all feel like this at times, especially early on in our music learning.

What you need is a little eye training similar to what we do when reading words.

Here are a few ways you can get a little faster in your music reading…

Music Speed Reading Tips

1. Look ahead.  Force your eyes to move on scanning the next notes.

2. See an entire group of notes.  Stop focusing on individual notes.

3. Don’t spend too much time looking at the flags or stems.  Pay more attention to the “dots” or note heads on the staff. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beginner Music Reading Tips, Music Reading Diagnosis Tagged With:

2 Important Tips In Developing Patience With Your Music Learning

May 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment

developing patienceIn the last post, I invited you to think about your music habits.

I gave you 3 simple steps to helping you change your practicing behavior and take charge of your emotions again.

This time, we are going to talk about developing patience.  When we live in a world of instant gratification, it is difficult to remember that the real thrill of acquiring anything is earning it.

This requires sustenance, stamina, and patience in order to work at something over a long period of time.

Important Tips in Developing Patience

The key to keeping going when things get difficult is to keep the right perspective.  Music is not a “thing” to acquire.  It is a life-long pursuit that needs to be nurtured regularly.

If you’re having trouble staying focused while learning and practicing, try following these two simple tips. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Music Reading Diagnosis Tagged With:

How To Take Charge Of Your Music Habits

April 24, 2013 by 1 Comment

music habitsWhen you’re working on your music, what exactly are you doing?

Are you aware of what’s happening or are you busy thinking about what’s for dinner tonight?

I say this in all seriousness, because most people don’t really know what’s going on.  They may be more focused on their emotions during this time (frustration) than on the music itself.

If you’re not seeing any progress, it’s very likely that you need to change some of your music habits.  In order to do that, you first have to become aware of what you are actually doing.

What are Your Music Habits?

Do you get upset when you practice?  When you make mistakes, how do you respond?

Negative emotions come from expectations tied to a result or product.  You may decide that you won’t be happy until you get what you want or do it a certain way right now. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Music Reading Diagnosis Tagged With: ,

Four Steps To Developing The Practicing Mind

April 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

practicing mindHave you ever had these thoughts enter your mind while practicing your music?

“I’m never going to learn this.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever get this to sound the way I want.”

“This is where I always mess up.”

“I can’t ever seem to get this part right.”

Yep, me too.   It all sounds pretty negative, doesn’t it?

Why do you think we entertain these thoughts?  Maybe it’s because we are too focused on the product and not on the process itself.

When You’re Focused on the Product…

You are judging yourself and putting the majority of your attention on the mistakes.

Pretty soon, you find yourself being so critical that it makes you want to stop completely.  Practicing is now considered drudgery and no longer fun. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Music Reading Diagnosis Tagged With: ,

Music Note Relationships Chart (Printable)

April 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

music note relationships chartSeeing is believing when it comes to thinking about how music notes relate to each other.

In this Music Note Relationships Chart, you can see how the half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes all relate to the whole note.

This is a great way to see the “big picture” and become familiar with how each note received it’s name!

What It Shows

  • 1/2 of a whole note = a half note
  • 1/4 of a whole note = a quarter note
  • 1/8 of a whole note = an eighth note
  • 1/16 of a whole note = a sixteenth note

When you look at each note value as fractions mapped out in a pie chart, it may be easier to “connect the dots” in understanding.

Almost everything in music can be traced back to a larger whole as it all associates with something else.  This is perfect example of that. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Advanced Music Reading Tips, Beginner Music Reading Tips Tagged With:

Piano Bass Clef Notes Chart (Printable)

April 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment

piano bass clef notes chartThere’s a cool thing happening here…

Take a look at this Piano Bass Clef Notes Chart.

Not only does it show you the names of the notes on the bass clef staff, it also points to the corresponding keys on the piano.

If you are a pianist or simply wanting to learn music theory a little deeper, this is the perfect tool for you.

Middle C has been conveniently added as a reference point.

This chart makes it easy to start learning the names of the notes on the staff and where to play it on the piano at the same time!

Even More

  • The bass clef notes extend 2 ledger lines above and below the staff.
  • A little more than 2 octaves are represented here.  It’s enough to get you started reading and playing most of the notes you will encounter in the bass clef on a regular basis. [Read more...]
Filed Under: Advanced Music Reading Tips, Beginner Music Reading Tips Tagged With:

Music Rest Relationships Chart (Printable)

April 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Music Rest Relationships ChartWhen you look at the Music Rest Relationships Chart, you can identify very clearly how each rest relates to each other.

Can you see how the half rests, quarter rests, eighth rests, and sixteenth rests come from the whole rest?

What a great way to learn how each rest received it’s name!

How They Relate

  • 1/2 of a whole rest = a half rest
  • 1/4 of a whole rest = a quarter rest
  • 1/8 of a whole rest = an eighth rest
  • 1/16 of a whole rest = a sixteenth rest

Using a pie graph to explain the mathematics of fractions helps you understand the relationship between these rests in a whole new way.

Just as it shows, all the other rests connect back to the larger whole – the whole rest.  It’s nice to be able to visualize this “big picture” sometimes. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Advanced Music Reading Tips, Beginner Music Reading Tips Tagged With:

Bass Clef Notes Chart (Printable)

April 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment

bass clef notes chartWhen you look at this Bass Clef Notes Chart, it’s easy to see where each note sits on the bass clef staff and it’s letter name.

The notes featured here extend 2 ledger lines above and below the staff.

What’s More

At the bottom of the chart is a reminder about the music alphabet.  It tells us that…

  1. When we start on “A” and move forward in the alphabet, the pitch sounds higher.
  2. Moving backwards means the pitch will get lower. [Read more...]
Filed Under: Advanced Music Reading Tips, Beginner Music Reading Tips Tagged With:

The Four “S” Words That Will Improve Your Music Note Reading Practice

April 2, 2013 by Leave a Comment

music note reading practiceI am always looking for changes I can make in my daily life that helps me to be more efficient and effective.

I don’t know about you, but I get tired or being “busy” and feeling like nothing is getting done.

My frustration runs really high when I work on something for countless hours without seeing much progress.

We only have so many hours in a day.  Why waste them?

Working the System

If you have a system set up for your music note reading practice, it’s important for you to find a way to get the most bang for your buck.

“Simplicity in effort will conquer the most complex task.” -Thomas M. Sterner

Am I really working on this in the most effective way possible?  In comparison to how much time I’m spending on this, what am I actually getting done? [Read more...]

Filed Under: Advanced Music Reading Tips, Beginner Music Reading Tips Tagged With:
«Older Posts
Copyright Music Reading Savant 2013 All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy