Beginner Getting Confused on what technique to use

[bolodski]

Hi All,

I'm new here. I started learning piano at age 10
and stopped due to at such a young age, I wasn't able to appreciate music.
Now I'm 31 yrs old and has actually started learning piano from a school for a few lessons.

I'm now trying to learn from my own(mostly through forums), is this a good idea?

I'm also now confused whether I should use solfege or ABC.
Which is more useful for sightplaying(my main goal)?

Any advise is appreciated. Thanks!

[dcstudio]

Hi All,

I'm new here. I started learning piano at age 10
and stopped due to at such a young age, I wasn't able to appreciate music.
Now I'm 31 yrs old and has actually started learning piano from a school for a few lessons.

I'm now trying to learn from my own(mostly through forums), is this a good idea?

I'm also now confused whether I should use solfege or ABC.
Which is more useful for sightplaying(my main goal)?

Any advise is appreciated. Thanks!

this is a great idea--though I'm willing to bet that many will disagree with me...  I like solfege--kinda lets my ears know where I stand.  My eyes think more along the note names but I like to think chords and patterns too.  Gotta do what YOU like to do.  You can teach yourself better than anyone.   Choose wisely what information you will take from others on music. If you have read the posts here, than you know that people love to defend their musical opinions. It can even get ugly--among musicians--so so so sad. 

[jimbo320]

I agree. Why do musicians argue so hard to have the ONLY right way? There's many ways to get on the bus. What matters is that you get on...

[dcstudio]

GREAT ATTITUDE!!! you are already more mature than many long time pianists.  Many of us equate who we are with the music we play.  I am finally winning that battle and I realize that I am not the music that comes out of my piano.  At my age and experience level I am no longer attacked directly...but there are those who still like to down me in one way or another to my students or colleagues.  I understand completely why they do this because I did it myself at one time....  Music is joyful.  Major/minor/consonance/dissonance--it's all joyful.  It should do no harm and cause no pain for you.  Please never let anyone convince you otherwise and you will be a happy and healthy musician! 

[bolodski]

this is a great idea--though I'm willing to bet that many will disagree with me...  I like solfege--kinda lets my ears know where I stand.  My eyes think more along the note names but I like to think chords and patterns too.  Gotta do what YOU like to do.  You can teach yourself better than anyone.   Choose wisely what information you will take from others on music. If you have read the posts here, than you know that people love to defend their musical opinions. It can even get ugly--among musicians--so so so sad. 

Hi dcstudio, thanks for your input. I've always wanted to sightplay, but having a hard time actually reading one measure ahead and translating it to the keys on the piano. Worse, I ended up memorizing the keys instead.

If I have half the skills of a prima vista, I'd be more than happy.

Are there any books or particular techniques that you can recommend?

[dcstudio]

Sightreading:  and my views on it.

just want you to know

 that after 18 years of preparing myself to be able to sight read and then spending the last 20 years working as  an accompanist/performer/teacher.  I am still waiting to be asked to sightread something I have never seen or heard.  I am asked to play by ear daily. lol   don't get hung up on reading issues.  memorizing the keys is a good thing.  the goal is to play music not necessarily to read it.  be happy with your playing now and the prima vista skills will come.  If you are not happy no amount of education or ability will change the fact that you are not happy with your playing.  I had 18 years of formal training-- and it didn't help me be happy with myself or my music.  That I had to do all on my own. 

people defend notation so angrily because many love to be able to say "yeah. I could play it if I had the music."   Isn't that a wonderful excuse not to have to play?   

[bolodski]

Sightreading:  and my views on it.

just want you to know

 that after 18 years of preparing myself to be able to sight read and then spending the last 20 years working as  an accompanist/performer/teacher.  I am still waiting to be asked to sightread something I have never seen or heard.  I am asked to play by ear daily. lol   don't get hung up on reading issues.  memorizing the keys is a good thing.  the goal is to play music not necessarily to read it.  be happy with your playing now and the prima vista skills will come.  If you are not happy no amount of education or ability will change the fact that you are not happy with your playing.  I had 18 years of formal training-- and it didn't help me be happy with myself or my music.  That I had to do all on my own. 

people defend notation so angrily because many love to be able to say "yeah. I could play it if I had the music."   Isn't that a wonderful excuse not to have to play?   

Hi dcstudio, my memory is quite shallow, I could
probably just memorize 3 songs. That's why I've aways
wanted to sightplay.

[keypeg]

Bolodski, we can't assume what nationality you might be and therefore which system you might have used.  Solfege is used in two ways.  In some countries the solfege names are used to denote pitches / the piano keys so that for example the key between the two black keys is always Re which is the same as them being called D.  This is known as "fixed Do solfege".  This is how the pitches ended up being called in France, Russia, Spain.  Another kind of solfege was invented for singing, and here Do is the first degree of a scale, Re is the second degree of a scale.  This is known as "movable Do" solfege.  In this system, in C major the key between two black keys is called Re = D.  In the key of G major that same key is called Sol (still = D) because it is the Dominant (5th) note of the scale.

Which kind of Solfege do you mean?  The one that gives different note names to the piano keys (fixed Do) or the singing kind (movable Do)?

[bolodski]

Bolodski, we can't assume what nationality you might be and therefore which system you might have used.  Solfege is used in two ways.  In some countries the solfege names are used to denote pitches / the piano keys so that for example the key between the two black keys is always Re which is the same as them being called D.  This is known as "fixed Do solfege".  This is how the pitches ended up being called in France, Russia, Spain.  Another kind of solfege was invented for singing, and here Do is the first degree of a scale, Re is the second degree of a scale.  This is known as "movable Do" solfege.  In this system, in C major the key between two black keys is called Re = D.  In the key of G major that same key is called Sol (still = D) because it is the Dominant (5th) note of the scale.

Which kind of Solfege do you mean?  The one that gives different note names to the piano keys (fixed Do) or the singing kind (movable Do)?

Hi Keypeg,

I believe it's the fixed do. I am from the Philippines by the way.
So which of the 3 do you suggest for sightplaying? Thanks!

[arturgajewski]

Well, when it comes to sheet music and tutorials on the internet, I believe majority is in ABC.

[dcstudio]

Hi dcstudio, my memory is quite shallow, I could
probably just memorize 3 songs. That's why I've aways
wanted to sightplay.

Yes I understand--and I apologize for sounding like I was downing your desire to learn to sight read--but expanding your ability to remember music is probably what you should think about in addition to learning to sight read.  I remember with my ears--my eyes don't remember well.  I can't use the photographic memory of the sheet music in my head--I have to find other ways to memorize.  Finger memory also isn't reliable for me--I have to remember in my head.