Drooxy:So, what you're essentially doing is thinking of the bass clef in reference to the treble, right? This is okay, when you first start learning a clef (it's how I learned alto clef when I was learning the viola), but eventually you want to move past that. What you're doing is adding a step to the mental process of notereading.One good analogy is foreign language:Person #1 is an English-speaking adult who is just starting to learn Spanish. When he sees 'el gato', his brain translates it to 'the cat', which is then translated to a mental image of a catPerson #2 is a native Spanish speaker. When he sees 'el gato', his brain gives him the mental image of a cat.The first person will be slower and less accurate until his familiarity with Spanish grows to the point that he doesn't need to translate to English first. So yes, you'll definitely want to get rid of that habit.- Saturn
You should not think of a “G-clef” staff with five lines, and an “F-clef staf” with finve lines. Instead, consider both staffs as one single “grand staff” with eleven lines. Five of the G-clef staff, five of the F clef staff and one “imaginary line” in between staves. This imaginary line is, of course, the C line.
it's definately a strange movement to keep left hand finger 2 on A# and the thumb stretch all the way under to E
Where do you come up with all your ideas and teaching methods?- Saturn
I think that considering the two staves as a set of 11 lines is absolutely great !
What seems to have gone unnoticed in this discussion is the fact that the 11 line staff was the orignal version of the staff that is used for piano music today. Prior to that, there were even other forms of staffs (e.g., with only four lines). A few hundred years ago, somebody decided to separate the 11-line staff into two staffs by eliminating the central line, connecting the two staffs with a brace and calling it the "grand staff". That way, one could squeeze more notes in between the staffs (on ledger lines), which makes analyzing and printing scores easier (but not necessarily reading scores).It's been pointed out that the C's make good reference points. One thing to add is that, not only are there C's between lines 3 and 4 in trebble and bass clefs (counting from middle C as line 0), but also on the second ledger line above the trebble clef and below the bass clef. Those anchor points should get anyone through most music.
Hi again,I think that considering the two staves as a set of 11 lines is absolutely great ! I am working on that right now, with Richmann's book as a support, and I think I am greatly improving my reading skill.I have not started the "Read-&-Play connection"yet because I would like to be as fluent as possible in the "Read" process first...Now, testing my reading ability on a piece that has flats in the key signature, I wonder how you read the altered notes...For instance, if there is one flat in the key signature (Bb), when you see B's in the piece, do you say "B" - relying on your fingers - and their "knowledge" of scales - to hit Bb key instead of B - or do you say "B flat" to be more explicit ?Thanks !DrooxyPS: I did not read any strong argument against Bernhard's method consisting in considering the two staves as a single one made of 11 lines (just some comments stating that the efficiency of a method also depends on individuals...). Now, I have no experience of teaching to children (no experience of teaching music at all !!!) but I see no reason to start reading independantly something you will, eventually, have to read simultaneously... Just a thought from an adult who learns more on that forum than he did during 5 years of piano lessons in his youth...
Since I have trained myself thoroughly in the above...
Bernhard,Your answer - very appreciated once again - calls another question:Is playing scales and arpeggios attentively the only way to train oneself to distinguish between "authorized" and "forbidden" notes within a given key or is there other exercices/tricks that can help ?Thanks thousand times again !Drooxy