View Full Version : Sight reading...
Tillmanator
Dec-31-2007, 7:58pm
Hi Folks!
I've not practiced the mando for two months until last night. (Life gets in the way sometimes.) I started back in August. So I guess even though I've had it for 5 months, I've only been practicing for three of them.
There are a couple of beginner threads out and about and I was wondering if the other beginners (or advanced folks) would like to post vids of their sight reading. I'm curious as to how other folks get through a song the first time and how the improvement process goes.
I just posted a vid of me sight reading "Fire on the Mountian" from the Bluegrass Jam tunes book. I will post other vids of my progress as I practice. I hope other beginngers or advanced folks will also post so we can see each other work and perhaps get tips and clues about how to attack a tune.
Here is a link to my vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SttW5hsP7t4
Tillmanator
Jan-02-2008, 11:17pm
The rousing number of posters in my topic here is overwhelming...LOL.
If any beginners out there are interested in videos that show the learning process and how other beginners are progressing, I now have vid #2 up to document my progress on "Fire on the Mountain".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cr0YX__uGnU
John Flynn
Jan-03-2008, 12:22am
Lynn:
You are truly a brave soul to show is your learning process in action! The cold sight reading was pretty darn good, I thought! I'm working on sight reading myself I can only hope to be able to do as well soon. The finished product two days later was great! Taken together it is a real example of how to learn a tune. Thanks.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Lynn --
That was some quick memory work! #How do you memorize -- I mean, what is going on in your head? #Do you memorize the notes, the sounds, or where your fingers are supposed to fall?
Mandolusional
Jan-03-2008, 12:49am
Well Tillmanator, that second video was vastly superior to the first, bravo! That's progress for ya, one thing that has helped me advance from "beginner" to "intermediate beginner" is that since very early on I have worked to play up and down the neck without looking at the fretboard; which amongst other things, makes sight reading smooth. I've been doing some recording with a new webcam recently and I'll let you know when I post some videos, thanks for sharing yours!
Very nice. I wish that I made that much progress on a new tune in just 1 day of practice. Thanks for your willingness to share your learning style.
Tillmanator
Jan-03-2008, 9:05am
Lynn --
That was some quick memory work! #How do you memorize -- I mean, what is going on in your head? #Do you memorize the notes, the sounds, or where your fingers are supposed to fall?
That's just how my mind works. #Usually after a few times through it's memorized whether I tried to memorize or not. #I teach elementary school music so I have to know lots of tunes right at my fingertips to play and sing with kids in class. #And in high school on the flute I memorized everything so I could watch the conductor the whole time. #Made it easier to play musically like he was showing us.
I don't know exactly what I'm memorizing. #I can sing it so I know the melody and my fingers seem to know what to do so I guess it's a bit of everything. #I could pick up a flute and play it also so I know the notes as well.
As for another poster mentioning the second vid as a finished product, it's not yet finished. #I still have to put in the slurs and get it up to speed. #The Cd that came with the book has two speeds.... the second one much faster. #I'm not too good at fast yet but I'm working on it.
Thanks for the comments!
luckylarue
Jan-03-2008, 9:08am
For me, I take it one measure at a time and play it over & over & over slowly until it sounds smooth and even. Then on to the next measure and so on...oh, w/ a metronome.
JeffD
Jan-03-2008, 11:49am
Lynn I really give you credit. Intestinal fortitude!
I am probably at my worst when sight reading, and it is not the time I want anyone to see me. I like to work all of it out "backstage" before I go in front of the curtain.
CollingsPicker
Jan-03-2008, 12:16pm
I dont sight read at all, I just play with my favorite stuff I like and if I have to I look at some tab.Its No big deal you dont have to be able to sight read. work on ur improvisation thats really important in Bluegrass, or jazz or celtic, really any genre. Dont worry about it sounds great though.
David Watson
Avi Ziv
Jan-03-2008, 12:26pm
I don't know exactly what I'm memorizing. #I can sing it so I know the melody and my fingers seem to know what to do so I guess it's a bit of everything. #
For me this is the key. I don't consider myself to "know" the tune until I can sing it (vocalize the pitches) by myself. I play a lot of Irish traditional music and with the short pieces, it's possible to do. Once I can sing it, I go on to finding the notes on the instrument, but that's the easier part because the tune is already deep in my head. The more you do it, the easier it gets. After a while you find that you hear a note and your fingers will just go to the right place on the neck. I've had cases where I was able to practice without even having the mandolin with me - Air Mandolin http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Thanks for sharing the videos
Avi
Very interesting, Lynn! It reminds me of how Monroe explains his technique -- it just kinda happens.
I don't consider myself to "know" the tune until I can sing it (vocalize the pitches) by myself.
That is what I do. Kind of get the tune in my head before I get it under my fingers.
kestrel
Jan-03-2008, 6:25pm
wIt is so cool, how many different ways people learn things. I've been playing mandolin for just a little over two-years, and I find that trying to memorize a tune pretty much assures that I will not. At first, I was sure that I would never be able to memorize anything. I'm old, so give me a break. I have about two-hundred tunes, that I've been practicing, since I started. and I now have nearly fifty that, for some reason, I start, and they just happen. My brain doesn't understand, but my fingers just do it.
The really weird thing about me is that I get better - both with playing, and with learning the tunes - when I have an enforced hiatus. I've been having some really bad times with my left wrist (Remember, I said I'm old.) for the past several weeks,and have been wearing a brace which doesn't allow me to practice. I couldn't stand not playing, so the day before yesterday, I said t'ell with it, and got out the mando. I was blown away with how much better I was playing, and found myself playing tunes that I had never played - without the dots or tab, before. The human mind - in all its shapes and forms - is an amazing thing. Too bad we waste so much of it with thoughts of GB and other idiots who pollute our lives.
mandolirius
Jan-03-2008, 7:26pm
I'm going to take a stand against this idea of "things just happen" or "that's just how my mind works".
I've been teaching mandolin for about 15 years and my conclusion is that it just seems that way because most people haven't picked apart their learning process. My teaching style has changed radically from when I first began and what I tell new students now is that I'm going to show them a way to think about learning mandolin. I explain that most the of the work takes place in the brain.
There's another thread here about notation vs. tab or something like that. Someone made the point that neither one is music. It's a method of documentation, a language perhaps but music doesn't exist on paper. I've come to think of playing as being like that. The hands are just tools. It's really your head that plays the music.
So what's the point? Just that I would encourage everyone to think, really think, about how they learn, be it a tune on the mandolin or anything. Try to get a little more intimate with your learning process and see what happens. I know it's helped me be a lot more effective as a teacher and it's opened a door or two for some of my students.
Here's to us all making great strides forward in 2008, which I hereby, with absolutely no authority whatsoever, declare the year of the mandolin. I also declare this "hug your mandolin" day but I declare that every day so, you know, no big deal http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Tillmanator
Jan-03-2008, 8:26pm
You may be correct about most folks not knowing how learning goes on.... but I have to stick with the fact that that's just how I work. I remember everything. I still remember the phone number my parents had when I was four and moved to a new place (with a new number). I can remember every license plate for every car that I or any of my friends ever drove. I can even remember my friend's social security number that I saw on his application for Sears when we went to appy for a job together in high school. And I only saw that once... and 22 years later I can still see it written there on the page.
Perhaps it's because my father always barked at me throughout my life to pay attention and don't be stupid. I trained myself at an early age to remember stuff.
Either way, I'm glad I can recall things without too much effort... makes music a lot easier for me.
mandolirius
Jan-03-2008, 8:51pm
<I trained myself at an early age to remember stuff.>
Regardless of how you did (if you even know how you did it) you've gone through the kind of process I was talking about. Ever thought about moving to Canada? I'd love to have you as a student. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Laura Leder
Jan-03-2008, 8:51pm
Hi, Lynn,
I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your post and video. You are a brave soul...much braver than I. Your facial expressions made me laugh, because I make funny faces when I play (so I'm told!). I could totally relate to your sense of humor!
Thank you for sharing that with us. You sight read very well and I look forward to your upcoming videos!
All the best!!
Laura http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Tillmanator
Jan-03-2008, 9:19pm
<I trained myself at an early age to remember stuff.>
Regardless of how you did (if you even know how you did it) you've gone through the kind of process I was talking about. Ever thought about moving to Canada? I'd love to have you as a student. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
LOLOL! I'm a Miami girl! I get the chillies if it's lower than 70 degrees. I think I would die in Canada, but it would be fun to take some mando lessons. Even though I've got two degrees in music, it's always nice to have help from someone proficient at the instrument one is learning.... hence I am here.
I'm either going to work on speed for Fire on the Mountain next or start another sight reading series with a tune that has skips in it rather than stepwise motion. I don't think I"m gonna be too great with skips at first.
We'll see.... perhaps over the weekend. I have to wash my car tomorrow. (One of my other passions!)
mandolirius
Jan-03-2008, 10:21pm
<Even though I've got two degrees in music, it's always nice to have help from someone proficient at the instrument one is learning.... hence I am here.>
Well, you sound like a self-starter, so I think you'll get a lot out of this site. I know I do, but I'm coming from the opposite end of things - entirely self-taught. No musical training whatsoever, no teacher around when I was learning, no internet. I thought cassette tape was the greatest invention of all time when I was starting out. Before that it was grab the needle and move it back. The dark ages.
Re: this weekend
"washing" your car is one of your passions?
Tillmanator
Jan-03-2008, 10:47pm
Washing my car? Oh yeah! I'm a huge car nut. I don't want to junk up this site with pics but if wanna see her, go to my website.
http://home.earthlink.net/~dtillmanfl/pics.html
I should be fair and post a picture of my mando on my site also. I'll do it after I wash my car and wax it.
mandolirius
Jan-03-2008, 10:51pm
Well, I've got to admit it does look pretty well washed. And waxed. Now put down that rag and pick up
your mandolin http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
Celtic Saguaro
Jan-03-2008, 10:53pm
Very nice progress. The CD sideman with that book helps, but your timing the first time through without the CD was nice and steady for a first try. It's tough as a beginner to recognize problems much less fix them. I think you're doing well.
Tillmanator
Jan-03-2008, 11:02pm
Very nice progress. #The CD sideman with that book helps, but your timing the first time through without the CD was nice and steady for a first try. It's tough as a beginner to recognize problems much less fix them. #I think you're doing well.
TY Celtic! Being an orchestral musician all my life (flute) it's kinda second nature to keep it steady and try to KEEP GOING if I make a mistake. No one's gonna wait for me to find out where I am. Any other beginners besides me out there still monitoring this thread..... don't let mistakes make you stop... keep it moving.
I did notice that at the repeat sign on the second go round that I sped up a bit cause it was easier the second time.
TY for your nice comments. My next series may not be so great. I'm going into uncharted territory... the SKIP!