Piano Forum

Pages: [1] Go Down

Topic: Memorizing instead of reading (Read 4134 times)

Lightnin

PS Silver Member
Newbie
Posts: 4

I'm a beginner - about 8 months, when I didnt know what middle C was... And I think I have started on the wrong foot.

The problem: I can "read" the sheet music, but I cant play it as I read it. Everything I can play so far, I do entirely by first memorizing it, then I have no further use for the sheet music. The memorizing is not hard (easy two page stuff), pretty much automatic, it just happens as I am trying to figure out what the notes are. I repeat it many times slowly with a metronome, one measure, then a four measure pattern, then this pattern and then that pattern. My fingers can play those memorized patterns, not sure how, but it happens (not sure yet how long it might be retained either). The concept is "this key, then that key", meaning I generally never have any sense if I am playing a C or a G at the instant. I could know, but there's no need this way. Starting points and chords and jumps are perhaps exceptions, when I probably know a note name.

Not reading is a poor plan of course, and I really want to correct that, however getting started reading has been tough. I feel sure I am overthinking it.

I can do fairly well in most cases by reading intervals, thinking down a fifth, then up one. My eyes and fingers seem able to do that, but the teacher says that's not good, for one thing, it cant help much when there are 2 or 3 notes on the one stem. And wider jumps dont work well, needs frequent resync.

On a couple of beginning songs that had finger numbers liberally printed, I could also easily play 5,3,2,3,2,1,2, as it is marked. That cant be good either, and my only point is that my fingers do appear to work that way OK, if I know which finger, I can play it (we're talking easy stuff).

The teacher says the right way is to first dont look at the keys, and to "see" the letter note name on the music sheet, and then the corresponding finger should go down (my paraphrase). To some degree, I can "not look" at the keys, in that finger memory covers it now. Figuring out the staff notes is not much problem, a split second, and much of it is already automatic. I do that to get started now, so this seems the easy part. But I have no comprehension of the which-finger part, other than memory (in which case I no longer need the music).

The letter names of the keyboard keys are obvious of course, except that I have no clue what key name is currently under the other fingers without looking at it or for it. This part seems the main problem of playing the G on the sheet music. I cant seem to quickly convert the note name to finger number in my mind. I cant see G and think finger 5, which I assume is necessary. It's not always 5 of course.

I suppose the only realistic answer is that one must "just know" or remember where all ten fingers are at any one time, as they move around. But how seems less clear.

I assume one keeps up with the lowest finger's note on each hand, then it is like intervals on the fingers from the first one, but using actual note names? Can anyone describe the actual mental process, or does one "just know" somehow? Are there any crutches to aid learning how to do this part? The hours of practice should include this concept somehow?

If little kids can do this, one would hope old geezers could learn it too. <g> For now, I just do what I can do (memorizing or reading intervals), but am still hoping to actually learn reading, as such.

I know everyone has been there, done that, and probably still has dreams about it. Any words of wisdom? All ideas are very welcome. Thanks.

Logged

bernhard

PS Silver Member
Sr. Member
Posts: 5078