learning standard notation

[pickinBob]

I've gotten back to learning standard notation. The approach I am using is to take the piece and write out all the notes below the music and then play what I have written, hoping to memorize the piece and the standard notation. Does this sound like a good approach?

[Jim Garber]

Not sure if that is the best way. I would think you would be reading the labels of the notes as you have written them rather than the written notation.

One approach muight be to take some tunes that you are familiar with and read them off the notation. Get yourself and your fingers familiar with the notes on the paper in relation to the notes on the fretboard.
Then try some tunes/pieces you are not at all familiar with.

I like Goichberg's 35 Progressive Etudes available from Plucked String as a nice book to read thru. Nice pieces in there as well and they start easy and get more difficult. By the end you are reading thru all keys.

Jim

[pickinBob]

Do you have a link for that place to buy that book?

Everyone learns differently but your approach of writing the notes (I assume you mean like F# G, etc right above the staff) was the way I worked at it and very quickly got to where I could play just from the notes. #I did run into a block but that is probably just lack of effort on my part (more than two flats or three sharps in a key signature really slows me down).

[GBG]

Bob,I don't know how good the method is, but that is exactly the way I do it. I am now beginning to recognize the notes without writing the letters underneath. I'm not interested in reading fast; just good enough to memorize the tune.

[Steve L]

No offense to anyone here, but I would not recommend writing the note names below the notation (or above it for that matter http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif .) #I would strongly recommend spending about 10 minutes of your practise time each day writing scales out in three octaves with both key signatures and accidentals. #You could just do 3 or 4 scales a day through cycle 5 and over the course of a couple of months, you would know your scales and key signatures cold, know the staff, and be fairly unintimidated by ledger lines. #Couple this with sight reading a new piece of unfamiliar music every other day or so, and you are off to the races.

Writing out scales is pure drudgery,but it pays big dividends in the long term.

[Steve L]

I neglected to say that I would strongly recommend writing the name of the notes when writing out scales as a rote exercise. Just not when learning tunes if reading skills are your goal.

[jmcgann]

I have a book called the Tab Reader's Guide to Standard Notation- a book/cassette package that helps you translate tab reading skills to notation, as well as rhythmic notation. It was designed for guitar but can be easily applied to mando. $14.95 http://www.johnmcgann.com/books.html http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/cool.gif

[pickinBob]

Steve

Do you mean getting standard notation blank staffs and write out the G scale, C scale, D scale.....etc? Without writing the notes(ie, F#, C#....etc)?

[Steve L]

Yes Bob, but while you're learning it may be good to write out the scales with the note names above or below. eventually you won't need to...you'll just know them by sight.

[jc2]

Go the other way, too. Starting with tunes you know, write them down in standard notation,

Learning new tunes will also help, either by learning them by ear and writing them down, or by learning them from the music. The 2nd is maybe the most effective way to learn notation. Even though it seems to go very slowly at first, it picks up speed as you go and you learn to read in a natural way, like total immersion language study.

[pickinBob]

I have been very lax with my practice lately. A wife and 3 kids concumes alot of my time. How do you all do it, those who are married and have families?

I have to get back on that Red Haired Boy and Whiskey Before Breakfast.