How can I expand my "note range" ?

[jmurray01]

Well after a day or so of sitting on the sofa reading music and playing a few tunes, I'm back to reading music again!  YAY!  But as before I really struggle to play more than 2 notes at the same time (I guess you would call that a chord...).  Like when theres about 3 or 4 notes on the stave at the same place.  I can manage 2 fine, but over that...  I have to stop playing and think in my head what the notes are I have to play...  As more than 2 notes is too much for my brain to process in the middle of a song!  Have any of you guys had that problem when you were learning to play, and how did you get over it ?  Just spend ages attempting to play hard songs ?  If you could help that would be great!  Well, bye!

[Bob]

Learn theory more so you can see groups of notes at once?  Or study and learn to read the piece in groups of notes?

[hansscherff]

Learn theory more so you can see groups of notes at once?  Or study and learn to read the piece in groups of notes?

Exactly what Bob says, the issue is that you still view the notes as individuals, you then combine them and you end up with a chord. That is like spelling letters of a word before knowing what the word is. The thing you have to learn is to see the word and know what the word is without having to spell the letters. Probably quite a few years ago you have learned this for words already, now you still have to do it for chords. Its a matter of recognition, repetition and of course like Bob mentions, a little bit of theory to be able to understand what chord fits in. Sometimes i catch myself playing the right chord (for example the G minor) but not like it is written (for example i play G Bb D, while Bb D G is written) this is because i know what chord is coming (because of music theory, but mostly because of music PRACTICE) and just play it even though it is not entirely correct.

Good luck, you'll manage!

Hans