{"id":1095,"date":"2020-05-12T06:45:00","date_gmt":"2020-05-12T13:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/?p=1095"},"modified":"2023-01-13T10:12:11","modified_gmt":"2023-01-13T18:12:11","slug":"reading-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pianote.com\/blog\/reading-music\/","title":{"rendered":"I Suck At Reading Music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I’ll start this post with a confession because I just need to get this out there…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I SUCK at reading music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might have gathered that from the title, and if you’ve read any of my other lessons<\/a> you’ll know that it’s something I’ve always struggled with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, I was SO bad at reading music that I just wouldn’t do it. Instead, I’d memorize the pieces in the book so that my teacher thought<\/i> I was reading the notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once they found out, I had to repeat the entire book so I would actually learn to read the notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But over the years I learned how to adapt and improve in order to reach the level of pianist I am today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how I do it…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I STILL totally fake it!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It’s true! (Don’t tell my old teacher.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve come to realize that you don’t have<\/i> to be able to read every note to read and play music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That’s because music uses predictable and identifiable patterns that you can use to your advantage, once you know how to look for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what I mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take a look at this piece of music. It’s the first line of the song “Riptide” by Vance Joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here to download your free lead sheet and follow along.<\/a><\/strong><\/center>\n\n\n\n
\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are a lot of notes there. And it can be daunting to think that you have to read every single one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s what I do. I read the FIRST note of the line, and then use patterns to play the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So in this song, I’ll look at reading only the first note, which I know is an A from my acronym FACE. For more on the note names, check out this lesson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now I know the first note is an A, I’ll look for patterns. And immediately I can see one. Take a look:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Do you see it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every note in the first measure moves up by one step. It goes from a line to a space to a line etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When notes go from a line to a space, I call that “stepping up”. And it means that the notes are going up one step on the keys. So I can start at the beginning and play the first 5 notes even though I’ve only read one of them!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more on patterns watch this lesson<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patterns are one useful way of reading music quickly, but there’s another tip that has helped me over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Landmark Notes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These are notes that I just KNOW. I have learned and remembered them so well that I don’t even have to think about what they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, I KNOW that Middle C is Middle C. I just know it. When I see that note with the ledger line<\/a> I recognize it instantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s the same with high C in the treble clef and low C in the bass clef. I just know that those spaces are Cs. And I use those landmark notes to find my bearings and then look for patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I highly recommend learning your Cs as landmark notes. It has made a big difference for me and I know it will help you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have one more bit of advice that I think is important to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Memorizing is OK!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This may be controversial, but I am 100% convinced that memorizing music is fine!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think about it. The world’s best concert pianists memorize songs. So why can’t you?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I use my note reading skills the first few times I play a piece to make sure that I’m playing it correctly<\/i>. After that, I start to memorize the notes and patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember, the goal of playing the piano is not to read<\/i> music really well. The goal is to play<\/i> songs really well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And if memorizing helps you do that — then do it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will never be a great sight-reader, and I’ve come to accept that. I work hard to minimize my weaknesses and celebrate my strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And I encourage you to do the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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