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Many people think that learning how to read music and play from music notation is too difficult. But it really isn't! In this Slideshare deck I explain what teachers can do to increase the success of their students in becoming confident readers, who can play fluently from notation. I explore the difference between knowing only how to work out the music and instantly being able to recognise patterns and shapes - then being able to play them immediately on your instrument. I use this thinking to help music teachers reframe the way they teach, so they can help their students balance listening and reading, to become more independent as musicians. I hope teachers and students alike enjoy it!
Citation preview
So You ThinkYou Can’t
Read Music!
Monday, 19 August 13
Most instrumental learners do battle
with reading traditional music notation
(Learners’flag)
(Notationforces’ flag)
Monday, 19 August 13
Sadly, for some,
the notation wins!
Boo!!
Monday, 19 August 13
Students may try their best to learn
how to work out pitches from the score
rhythm values
&
Monday, 19 August 13
But many give up on notation
because they never get past the hesitant stage of
playing from a score!
Monday, 19 August 13
Here’s what teachers can do about it...
Monday, 19 August 13
Make sure students can name & play (only) the notes they need*
instantly & without hesitation
Monday, 19 August 13
instantly & without hesitation*Don’t try to teach them every note on the instrument before they need them
Make sure students can name & play (only) the notes they need*
Monday, 19 August 13
Understanding the score is one thing.
Knowing immediately what to do about it on your
instrument is an additional skill!
Monday, 19 August 13
Stopping to work it out is the slowest way to play from a score:
Monday, 19 August 13
Instant
Very slow
RE
SP
ON
SE
SP
EE
D
READING SKILL TYPES
Knowing How*
*KNOWING only HOW to work out elements on
a score interrupts the performance.
By this route, fluency is impossible.
The goal must be to be able to respond instantly:
by Knowing
Stopping to work it out is the slowest way to play from a score:
Monday, 19 August 13
This is a much better wayto play from a score:
Monday, 19 August 13
This is a much better wayto play from a score:
Instant
Very slow
RE
SP
ON
SE
SP
EE
D
READING SKILL TYPES
Knowing**
Knowing How
**KNOWING – ie, instantly recognising melodic patterns, chords & rhythms the performer
has seen before.
This means that fluency & flow are
NOT interrupted.
Monday, 19 August 13
I grew up in a very musical family
Rather like this one (but with perhaps more stride piano playing!)
Monday, 19 August 13
When I began learning piano (aged 5)
I really struggled with reading notation
Monday, 19 August 13
I had perfect pitch
but that meant my aural abilities were way ahead of my music reading
Perfo
rming
Not
ation
read
ing
Aural
perc
eptio
n
Ab
ilit
y
High
Low
Monday, 19 August 13
Playing from a scorewas frustrating & unpleasant for me
(& for anyone unfortunate enough to hear me!)Monday, 19 August 13
When I began piano exams
my aural abilities still out-weighed my sight playingMonday, 19 August 13
I didn’t pass the sight-reading
until I reached grade 5!
Hooray!
Monday, 19 August 13
It had dawned on me
that I could play more fluently...Monday, 19 August 13
CHUNKS of notation...if I could recognise
(Rhythm)
(Pitch)
Monday, 19 August 13
CHUNKS of notation...if I could recognise
(rather than individual note events)
(Rhythm)
(Pitch)
Monday, 19 August 13
I also learned that staff notation
was not as scary as it seemed!
Photo: Creepyhalloween © stockarch.com
Monday, 19 August 13
Learning music just from notation
is like trying to learn a language just from a book
Phot
o: H
eadp
hone
s &
Boo
ks ©
Bill
C M
artin
201
3
Monday, 19 August 13
Phot
o: M
ontm
artr
e Pu
b C
raw
l © T
hom
as S
auze
ddi v
ia F
lickr
Cre
ativ
e C
omm
ons
To improve your accent & understand culture & customs...
Monday, 19 August 13
you need conversations with genuine native speakers!
Phot
o: M
ontm
artr
e Pu
b C
raw
l © T
hom
as S
auze
ddi v
ia F
lickr
Cre
ativ
e C
omm
ons
Monday, 19 August 13
Playing with musicians who are better than you
gives insights into how to play, not just what to play
Cajun Jam Session © JC Winkler via Flickr Creative Commons
Monday, 19 August 13
It will help you develop an understanding of the music
way beyond the note & rhythm information that the score provides
Monday, 19 August 13
It may also help you clarify
what you might express that could make the music, well, more musical!
Monday, 19 August 13
The good news: staff notation is concerned mainly with
1. Pitch2. Rhythm
Monday, 19 August 13
So I came to realise
my notation ‘dragon’ wasn’t scary at all!Monday, 19 August 13
To become fluent
when playing from a score, I needed to develop...
Monday, 19 August 13
An ability to recognise instantly
shapes, patterns & phrases on the page
Monday, 19 August 13
As music teacherswe can learn a lot from literacy teachers
Children's Books © katerha via Flickr Creative Commons
Monday, 19 August 13
They know that children
will read aloud, fluently, only when...
Photo: Child Reading via MorgueFile
Monday, 19 August 13
shapes, patterns & words on the page
...they can recognise instantly
Monday, 19 August 13
And when they can understand
the MEANINGof what they’re reading
Child Reading at Brookline Booksmith © Tim Pierce via Flickr Creative Commons
Monday, 19 August 13
So why do so many music teachers
go no further than teaching students
how to work out individual notation elements?
Monday, 19 August 13
In language, understanding phonics
(or individual letter sounds) will only enable students to work out the words
r + ea + d + ing
Monday, 19 August 13
It won’t drive reading fluency because
1. It’s not an instant process
Monday, 19 August 13
It won’t drive reading fluency because
1. It’s not an instant process2. It isn’t built on comprehension
Monday, 19 August 13
Learning only how to work out individual note values & pitches...
Monday, 19 August 13
is like learning to read but only ever learning to recognise
individual letters!
“Wh o’ s b ee n ea t ing m y p o rr i dge?
The result lacks fluency
Monday, 19 August 13
Almost ANY OTHER STRATEGY is quicker!
Monday, 19 August 13
So teachers, PLEASE
be kind to your poor students! Don’t leave them armed with only...
Monday, 19 August 13
The ability to work out
individual note values or pitches!
Monday, 19 August 13
It’s not enough
& some learners will give up!
Monday, 19 August 13
Remember: Knowing only How to work it out won’t aid fluency
Instant
Very slow
RE
SP
ON
SE
SP
EE
D
READING SKILL TYPES
Knowing How
Monday, 19 August 13
So help them achieve fluency throughinstant recognition
Instant
Very slow
Knowing
Knowing How
Via regular routines & practice!R
ES
PO
NS
E S
PE
ED
READING SKILL TYPES
Monday, 19 August 13
The first step?
Teachers must set instant recognition as a goal
Monday, 19 August 13
To extend teachers’ skills
I run workshops on how to do this in your teaching
Monday, 19 August 13
Choose either the 1-day workshop
on improving notation reading
Phot
o: M
usic
tea
cher
s at
tend
ing
a w
orks
hop
© B
ill C
Mar
tinMonday, 19 August 13
Or choose the Ears & Eyes workshop
improving aural & reading skills teaching, in a single day
Photo: Jazzwise Summer School 2008 © Bill C Martin
Monday, 19 August 13
It will extend your teaching skill set
& greatly enhance your students’ reading,
their playing capability & confidence
Monday, 19 August 13
Contact me for details
Phone: +44 (0)7718 122146 More Info: billcmartin.co.uk
LinkedIn: billcmartinTwitter: @billcmartin
Monday, 19 August 13