Performing Arts. How Can I Read The Piano Score Smoothly And Play Smoothly ?

Performing Arts : How Can I Read The Piano Score Smoothly And Play Smoothly

I find it difficult to read both bass and treble clef at the same time, and result in having to hesitate and pause every now and then. I have tried to do separate hands but when put together, my problem still exist. What can I do about it? ~~~ earthcosmic2 ~~~

Best Answer To Performing Arts Question

Im a piano major and had several friends (who were mostly singers) who had the exact same problem. All I can tell you is to practice what we call (5-finger exercises), which are 5 notes you play together in both hands (for example C,D,E,F,G in both the right hand and left hand at the same time), practice them going up and down until you can get them faster and make the hand-eye coordination smoother. When you can play the 5 finger exercises, try learning the C major scale (C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C), going up and down (first slowly then get faster) in both hands. This will help you with the coordination in the hands, if thats your problem. If music reading is the only problem you have, I suggest you go slowly when learning a measure of music. Try playing the chord or melody that you are having problems with, then play the notes before the chord and the chord itself. After youve done this, play the notes before the chord, the chord, and the notes after the chord or melody. I would continue to do this until you can get them smoothly. Remember while you do this to try not and look at your hands. That way, youll associate the notation you see with the notes youre physically playing, and thatll help facilitate music reading in the future. Sometimes hands separately does not work. Especially in virtuoso passages, or passages of difficult hand coordination, you have to play the notes together, SLOWLY. My students have the same problem when they are going entirely to fast and keep making the same mistakes. If you start slowly, and learn the correct notes and rhythm, you wont have any problems playing it fast. The most important thing to remember is to not look at your hands while playing. I know this may sound ridiculous, but you only need to look at your hands when youre learning the notes. Once you know what the notes are, you should be able to look at the notation and immediately form the hand position for those notes without looking at your hand. When you look at your hands too much is causes you to lose the fluidity in the music and can actually impede reading music coherently and contextually. I know what youre going through. Im sure with lots of slow practice, and practice without looking at your hands while playing, youll be reading and playing easily in no time. Good luck!

All Answer To Performing Arts Questions

Answer 1

Im a piano major and had several friends (who were mostly singers) who had the exact same problem. All I can tell you is to practice what we call (5-finger exercises), which are 5 notes you play together in both hands (for example C,D,E,F,G in both the right hand and left hand at the same time), practice them going up and down until you can get them faster and make the hand-eye coordination smoother. When you can play the 5 finger exercises, try learning the C major scale (C,D,E,F,G,A,B,C), going up and down (first slowly then get faster) in both hands. This will help you with the coordination in the hands, if thats your problem. If music reading is the only problem you have, I suggest you go slowly when learning a measure of music. Try playing the chord or melody that you are having problems with, then play the notes before the chord and the chord itself. After youve done this, play the notes before the chord, the chord, and the notes after the chord or melody. I would continue to do this until you can get them smoothly. Remember while you do this to try not and look at your hands. That way, youll associate the notation you see with the notes youre physically playing, and thatll help facilitate music reading in the future. Sometimes hands separately does not work. Especially in virtuoso passages, or passages of difficult hand coordination, you have to play the notes together, SLOWLY. My students have the same problem when they are going entirely to fast and keep making the same mistakes. If you start slowly, and learn the correct notes and rhythm, you wont have any problems playing it fast. The most important thing to remember is to not look at your hands while playing. I know this may sound ridiculous, but you only need to look at your hands when youre learning the notes. Once you know what the notes are, you should be able to look at the notation and immediately form the hand position for those notes without looking at your hand. When you look at your hands too much is causes you to lose the fluidity in the music and can actually impede reading music coherently and contextually. I know what youre going through. Im sure with lots of slow practice, and practice without looking at your hands while playing, youll be reading and playing easily in no time. Good luck!

Answer 2

If practice and lots of it doesnt work then you may NEVER be able to master it. People who can play the piano very well, have a brain in which the 2 halves are sort of wired separately... each hemisphere operates differently and separately from the other... those people can easily pat their head a rub their stomach at the same time... and some people have a brain that is wired together.. and those people have a hard time patting their head and rubbing their stomach at the same time. Playing the piano well relies on the ability to have one melody going on the left hand and another melody going on the right hand... and can combine them. If the brain is not wired for it... then no amount of practice will make much of a difference. This is also the reason some people have a hard time learning to play the guitar.

Answer 3

i started off like that, but if you keep practicing and practicing you will eventually be able to read smoothly, however some songs are just impossible to sight read unless you are a musical genius. but i would start off with easier songs, and progress. a good one to start with is Bachs Prelude 1, BVW 846 good luck

Answer 4

It can be trained. Start reading music by expanding your scope - instead of always read treble clef first, bass clef later. Try to lay your eyes on the center of both staves and have your eyes read both bass clef and treble clef at the same time. Music is written in a way that imitates mirror. Identifying intervals - instead of reading one notes at a time, try to read a group of notes. For example, if you know a 3rd is space to space note or line to line notes, you can identify notes a lot faster. Here is an article to help you be a better sight reader:

Answer 5

Honestly, from what Ive gathered you seem to be at or around the beginner level so your best plan of action would be to go through a series of lesson books if you havent already. At the beginner stage you are not supposed to be able to sight-read. As you get better, or already are at about the intermediate level, I recommend Super Sight-Reading Secrets by Howard Richman. Its about 10 bucks and while it sounds incredibly gimmicky it really does help.