Relearning to Read Music - a tale of Anxst

[Doc Ivory]

Yes, I'm relearning to read music having discovered tabs a few years back but alas, there's no tablature for Bach's Partita No.2 for Solo Violin in D Minor, BWV 1004
IV. Giga.

At this age I now where glasses and even though the notation on the score looks vaguely familiar. I stumble over the accidentals and have actually stopped to say, "Is that a 32d or a 64th? Thanks heavens my ears haven't failed me ..

Learn to read music children, it ain't bad and you can avoid my mistake.

Anyone else out there relearning to read scores?

[Michael Neverisky]

If you can read these words, you can learn to read standard notation. Literacy is wonderful.

Good for you, Doc! I've got a pair of (music) reading glasses which help distinguish between 32nd and 64th notes. Not to mention everything else on the page!

[Doc Ivory]

Never used to need glasses but alas, its that time...
Dang variable lenses though so I wind up tilting my head back to use the closer focusing portions.

[Jack Roberts]

I figured out notation for mandolin a few years back. Keeping the semiquavers, demisemiquavers, and hemidemisemiquavers in time is a challenge, but since finding the notes themselves is easier on a mandolin (with a little practice) than I expected, I can now read music that I have never heard played, and I am re-discovering very old tunes from printed sources.

It is a great skill and by no means hard. I have to be sure my music stand is about the right height and distance away from me for me to see it clearly, though.

[DavidKOS]

I can play by ear, but not enough to hurt my sight-reading.

rephrase of old picker's comment

[vetus scotia]

there's no tablature for Bach's Partita No.2 for Solo Violin in D Minor, BWV 1004
IV. Giga.

Actually, there is: https://www.elderly.com/catalog/product/view/id/93982

And this, too: https://www.amazon.com/Bach-Sonatas-.../dp/1492218812

But I would recommend relearning to read music anyway, for all sorts of reasons. Perhaps the best reason being one of the reasons notation was invented: to play music you have never heard and will likely never hear.

I stumble over the accidentals and have actually stopped to say, "Is that a 32d or a 64th? Thanks heavens my ears haven't failed me ..

If I were writing a progressive method book on learning to read music, I certainly would not put the Giga from Partita II at the beginning. I would not start with anything that has 32nd notes, let along 64ths. The Giga tops out at 16ths, but for getting back in the saddle, why not start with fiddle tunes with quarters and eighths, in a few different keys with a minimal number of accidentals? Maybe work up to Bach, or find some less challenging Bach than the Partitas?

Good luck!

[Jack Roberts]

"I read music so good, white folks think I'm fakin' it."--Coalhouse Walker, Ragtime, E.L. Doctorow

[Jim Garber]

Perhaps the best reason being one of the reasons notation was invented: to play music you have never heard and will likely never hear.

Another reason is to play music written for other instruments that would unlikely be tabbed. Flute and oboe come to mind (similar range) as well as others transcribed. Not only classical but jazz and other genres as well.

[stringalong]

Try playing the Giga along with a slow YouTube, while reading along with the notation. You can do a Loop on YouTube using the Right mouse click, and also slow it down to 75% or 50% using the Gear (settings) image. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8d8KNkgl5o Playing along while reading is a very good way to learn reading, too. And notice any patterns, such as scale fragments or modified scale fragments, and draw a light pencil circle around those. That simplifies reading a lot. That piece is a big challenge -- have fun and good luck!

[mreidsma]

I had no idea you could slow down YouTube videos without specialized software! Thank you for pointing that out.

I learned to read standard notation when I was in elementary school orchestra. One of the reasons I love playing the mandolin is that all those years of fiddle playing and sight reading transfer pretty well to the mandolin! (And I can even cash in on some muscle memory from fiddle and violin tunes, too something that isn't true of my clawhammer banjo). But I was having a tough time finding play along tracks on YouTube that were just the tempo I wanted to practice at. Now I can! Thank you!

[Paul Busman]

Never used to need glasses but alas, its that time...
Dang variable lenses though so I wind up tilting my head back to use the closer focusing portions.

Get a pair of non prescription reading glasses that allow you to read the music without tilting your head. I have trouble with my wide computer monitor and the narrow focal area of my progressives, and I use a pair of cheapie reading glasses for that.

[Paul Busman]

"Is that a 32d or a 64th?

Reminds me of the old joke about the mandolin player who bragged he was so good that he could play not only 64th notes, but 128th notes. His friends didn't believe him, so he played one...

[bigskygirl]

I learned how to read music at a young age playing the guitar and clarinet, I got hooked on tab for mando a few years ago and have returned to using notation when available...I too have reached a point where those “readers” are helpful.

It’s a good skill to have not sure why so many resist it but TETO...have fun!

[bigskygirl]

Get a pair of non prescription reading glasses that allow you to read the music without tilting your head. I have trouble with my wide computer monitor and the narrow focal area of my progressives, and I use a pair of cheapie reading glasses for that.

Good advice Paul, I found my new progressives are so narrow that I still need readers...I’m still working on aiming my nose at what I want to see clearly...next pair I may just get regular little ol’ lady bifocals...ha!

[Randi Gormley]

I use an old pair of prescription glasses (they're not progressives) to read sheet music -- they work just fine at a good music stand distance where they didn't work for closeup reading any more. and I also use a pair of cheaters when i can't find my other pair. I've given up trying to read sheet music without them unless it's in the middle of the day and i have lots and lots of light. sigh.

[Jim Garber]

I have been using progressives for years. I especially like them for the mid-range which works (for me) very well while working on the computer. I think bifocals would drive me nuts.

BTW I love the intentional(?) misspelling of anxst—sort of combines angst with anxiety for an extra dose of the latter.

[Louise NM]

Just the other day i was reading a thread on a violin forum full of people who hate progressives for reading music. Try drugstore readers, or consider hauling a music stand down to the eye doctor's and having him/her figure out what you need for a special pair of music glasses. You won't be the first!

[Blues Healer]

I started working on both of Daniel Sellman's Bach books a few months ago. Once I get a handle on a piece, I prefer to use regular notation. It takes less space, and helps me focus on the timing.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Although i no longer read music notation,i did do when i began playing banjo.Despite that,my sole aim was to play Bluegrass music,& when my teacher passed away,i dropped sight reading like a hot stone,to concentrate on learning Bluegrass songs / tunes by ear.
As it was back in the early 1960s,there were no music books / tutors of any sort,so it was learn by ear or nothing.

I would however,urge anybody with the wish to learn to read music notation to do so. There is so much written music to be had from so many different musical genres that might be adopted / adapted for mandolin ,guitar etc. I wish that i'd had the need to carry on with my sight reading - but there was no written music for Bluegrass at that time = my loss !,
Ivan

[Tim N]

This thread has been equally useful with regard to choice of glasses as it has regarding learning to read music! Approaching my next eye test, I had wondered about vary-focals (I guess that's what you people over the pond mean by "progressives...?) I reckon now I'll stick with seperate pairs.
Just to encourage those who tremble at the thought of learning to read notes - the way it is described here seems rather overwhelming... but it can be a useful tool at a far more modest level, and I have surprised myself by being able to learn new tunes from sheet music as a step to learning them by heart. I could never play (and don't wish to) with my nose buried in the music stand, and since I'm in the Irish Session corner of the mandolin world that's not the idea anyway...
Actually, in the session I accompany with bouzouki, but I also try to learn to play all tunes fluently on mandolin. I'm just not fast or reliable enough for the session, but it gives me a lot of joy. And learning basic music, parallel to listening to others and committing tunes to memory is a worthwhile effort.
I've also found it helpful to learn the ABC notation - it's useful for jotting down opening lines etc in my notebook.

[Jim Garber]

BTW there is a misconception here. Sight reading is actually to be able to play music at first glance from notation. Many classical players can do that but most of us mortals it can be very satisfying to have the ability to read and get a sense of musical notation to learn a piece of music. I also find it very useful, in learning a piece to memorize it and play it without the paper, regardless of genre, and go back from time to time to check on whether I am still close to the original. The best classical players often will do that as well.

[farmerjones]

I don't know a lot, but I can Google. That Concerto seems like a very ambitious piece to start back upon. Best of Luck

[sbhikes]

A long time ago I took a fiddle class and the teacher would hand out tabs or notation, your choice. I forced myself to relearn by choosing the notation. But at first I could not even figure it out so I bought a children's book "How to play the Recorder". I went through all the lessons and relearned how to read the music. I suppose if I was attempting some fancy classical music I'd go through some intermediate books, too.

Later I let go of the music completely and learned to learn by ear. It's a way better way to learn fiddle tunes. But I've forgotten a lot of notation again.

As for the progressive lenses, I struggle with them as they don't have enough close-up. I can't thread a needle or pull out a splinter. They are hard to read the computer but okay for a newspaper. I cannot read the magazine I just subscribed to. I have a special non-progressive pair of glasses for the computer. I am planning to go to the optician and ask if he can make special close-up progressives. He'll probably say no. I wish someone would invent clip on magnifiers like they have clip on sunglasses.

[JeffD]

But at first I could not even figure it out so I bought a children's book "How to play the Recorder". I went through all the lessons and relearned how to read the music..

Absolutely. I would pick up a beginners violin book, there are many. It will work.

[Paul Busman]

Good advice Paul, I found my new progressives are so narrow that I still need readers...I’m still working on aiming my nose at what I want to see clearly...next pair I may just get regular little ol’ lady bifocals...ha!

The problem with the narrow "alley" on progressives is that if I'm looking at my computer monitor or reading a large book/newspaper,I have to aim my nose back and forth continually.That gets old very fast.