- Quite likely will have tempo contrast. Practise the fast part, so that you can approach it confidently
- watch out for key changes, have key sense
- clear pulse
- bring out top line,.. be prepared to omit inner voice if needed
- sometimes LH/RH can help out with fingering
- work out intervals/ledger lines
- practise 3rds, diminished 7ths, dominant 7ths
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Sight Reading [Diploma]
Monday, October 8, 2007
Read and Play: Sight Reading
READ AND PLAY
A Series of Graded Albums by
Thomas A. Johnson
Good sight-reading depends largely on mental alertness and good memory. It is one of the most important branches of musical training should be practised diligently with the utmost care and regularity. The ability to play well at sight is an asset of the greatest advantage to all musicians.
First study and analyse the work to be played, noting the key, time and shape of the tune, intervals, harmonies, expression and dynamics, fingering (a very important detail, usually left to mere chance), comparison of phrases, staccatos and any other points within the piece. Of great value is the actual 'playing' of the piece (or portions of it ) on the lid of the piano or on a table. This enables one to ‘get the feel’ of any particular (from a technical point of view) before the actual notes are played on the keyboard. When eventually the, passage is transferred to the keyboard the reward is a more satisfying performance. The pupil should also tap the rhythm on the piano lid, table or better still on the knees, left hand on left knee, right hand on right knee. It is also of great benefit to go through the actual motions of 'playing' the piece silently upon the keyboard itself without depressing the keys. This could be called 'shadow' playing.
Note any changes of key, and try to hear, mentally, what you are about to play. Be careful concerning tied notes, also accidentals (often completely ignored), and be quite sure about the position of sharps and flats which appear in the key signature.
After this, play through the entire piece without stopping. Any mistakes should be noted mentally. At the conclusion of the piece (and not before), look back in order to see where the mistake occurred and why,. The cause may have been only a simple one, perhaps a wrong finger was used, or it may have been a certain slowness in locating the position of a note or notes on the keyboard. When once the reason for the error has been discovered, something can be done to rectify it, and in addition make doubly sure that this error can never occur again.
So many sight-readers correct their mistakes as they proceed, a fault which must be discouraged from the start, as this habit can grow very quickly and the final result will be constant stammering and uneven playing.
Some golden rules, therefore: Never look back. Keep moving forward. Use your eyes, ears, hands and head always. Leave nothing to chance. If only perseverance and patience were expended on pre-study analysis before playing, the ability to read at sight would improve a great deal. Initially it is wise to play a little slower than directed, as careful and thoughtful playing (and preparation) in the first place leads to a more correct interpretation and thus a greater enjoyment of the music. Careless preparation can only create confusion and uncertainty, and the causes, if not corrected immediately, can mean a lot of unnecessary waste of precious time.
I would urge teachers to foster the quick and alert reading of small phrases or figures, followed by the immediate transference of these, from memory to the keyboard, as if taking a snapshot. Constant practice will greatly develop the ability to capture short sections at a glance and in advance of the passage being played. If this is done, progress in sight-reading is bound to follow, and will be especially noticeable in pupils whose lack of alertness in this direction has been of long standing.
Another very useful procedure is for the teacher to cover each bar of music after it has been read by the pupil. This prevents the pupil from looking back (a very common fault) and gives the necessary urge to read forward, so that while the covered bar is actually being played, the pupil is reading the following bar in readiness for playing. That bar is then covered by the teacher, and so on.
Transposition is a great help to pupils lacking any degree of key-sense. A few transposition exercises should be included in the practice day together with a certain amount of sight-reading. Duet playing is also to be highly recommended.
I have devised these pieces so that there is ample scope for picking out small figures and phrases for 'snap -shotting', and all the rhythmical in pieces of the various Grades have been included also. The interest is well divided between both hands, and both are given important melodic and rhythmical interest. The melodies are easily singable.
The pieces can also be used as supplementary material to the Associated Board Sight-Reading Tests already available in the same Grades. They are also useful as quick study pieces, to which pupils could supply their own individual titles.
Thomas A. Johnson
A Series of Graded Albums by
Thomas A. Johnson
Good sight-reading depends largely on mental alertness and good memory. It is one of the most important branches of musical training should be practised diligently with the utmost care and regularity. The ability to play well at sight is an asset of the greatest advantage to all musicians.
First study and analyse the work to be played, noting the key, time and shape of the tune, intervals, harmonies, expression and dynamics, fingering (a very important detail, usually left to mere chance), comparison of phrases, staccatos and any other points within the piece. Of great value is the actual 'playing' of the piece (or portions of it ) on the lid of the piano or on a table. This enables one to ‘get the feel’ of any particular (from a technical point of view) before the actual notes are played on the keyboard. When eventually the, passage is transferred to the keyboard the reward is a more satisfying performance. The pupil should also tap the rhythm on the piano lid, table or better still on the knees, left hand on left knee, right hand on right knee. It is also of great benefit to go through the actual motions of 'playing' the piece silently upon the keyboard itself without depressing the keys. This could be called 'shadow' playing.
Note any changes of key, and try to hear, mentally, what you are about to play. Be careful concerning tied notes, also accidentals (often completely ignored), and be quite sure about the position of sharps and flats which appear in the key signature.
After this, play through the entire piece without stopping. Any mistakes should be noted mentally. At the conclusion of the piece (and not before), look back in order to see where the mistake occurred and why,. The cause may have been only a simple one, perhaps a wrong finger was used, or it may have been a certain slowness in locating the position of a note or notes on the keyboard. When once the reason for the error has been discovered, something can be done to rectify it, and in addition make doubly sure that this error can never occur again.
So many sight-readers correct their mistakes as they proceed, a fault which must be discouraged from the start, as this habit can grow very quickly and the final result will be constant stammering and uneven playing.
Some golden rules, therefore: Never look back. Keep moving forward. Use your eyes, ears, hands and head always. Leave nothing to chance. If only perseverance and patience were expended on pre-study analysis before playing, the ability to read at sight would improve a great deal. Initially it is wise to play a little slower than directed, as careful and thoughtful playing (and preparation) in the first place leads to a more correct interpretation and thus a greater enjoyment of the music. Careless preparation can only create confusion and uncertainty, and the causes, if not corrected immediately, can mean a lot of unnecessary waste of precious time.
I would urge teachers to foster the quick and alert reading of small phrases or figures, followed by the immediate transference of these, from memory to the keyboard, as if taking a snapshot. Constant practice will greatly develop the ability to capture short sections at a glance and in advance of the passage being played. If this is done, progress in sight-reading is bound to follow, and will be especially noticeable in pupils whose lack of alertness in this direction has been of long standing.
Another very useful procedure is for the teacher to cover each bar of music after it has been read by the pupil. This prevents the pupil from looking back (a very common fault) and gives the necessary urge to read forward, so that while the covered bar is actually being played, the pupil is reading the following bar in readiness for playing. That bar is then covered by the teacher, and so on.
Transposition is a great help to pupils lacking any degree of key-sense. A few transposition exercises should be included in the practice day together with a certain amount of sight-reading. Duet playing is also to be highly recommended.
I have devised these pieces so that there is ample scope for picking out small figures and phrases for 'snap -shotting', and all the rhythmical in pieces of the various Grades have been included also. The interest is well divided between both hands, and both are given important melodic and rhythmical interest. The melodies are easily singable.
The pieces can also be used as supplementary material to the Associated Board Sight-Reading Tests already available in the same Grades. They are also useful as quick study pieces, to which pupils could supply their own individual titles.
Thomas A. Johnson
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Supernanny
Ground Rules
- P's and Q's
- No shouting, kicking
Other Tips
- Parents must remain calm. Don't follow their "rhythm", you set the pace
- don't be a 2nd kid by having a shouting competition. Be an adult, step back, stay calm, don't lose it, if not "they win"
Take deep breaths - They are learning communication skills from you. Don't be aggressive. If you shout at them, they will shout back, so you need to speak calmly to them.
Must communicate with them, they must be able to talk to you and tell you things and confide in you. - Set boundaries - there's consequences when you overstep
- They must understand, we are adults in the house and we are in charge, what we say goes, and they have to respect that - Parents must put up a united front
Both parents must support each other and back each other up. If one parent punishes, other must also help enforce, if not undermine the other's authority - Get them involved, give them "important responsibility" to help out
- in bathing
- in cooking - Little Chef
- in shopping - fetcher, calculator, tick shopping list - Have a routine- bathtime, bedtime
- Reward chart for good behaviour. Merit and demerit, chart that can progress up and down...
- add flower petals, snake and ladders - Mother-child bonding activity
- one on one time, communicate, let them know they can get your attention through positive behaviour rather than through misbehaving
- must see mum as person can have fun with, not only disciplinarian - Give them prior heads-up, let them know what's coming next
"Ok, 5 more mins we're going to shower"
"Ok, 5 more mins we're going out of the shower"
Bedtime
- It's bedtime now, let's go to bed
- Bedtime
- From then onwards, don't say anything
Don't reward them with conversation. Need to be consistent.
Cool Down Technique
- Tell them "stop shouting"
- Give warning - come down to their level, eye contact, firm voice
- Bring to "cool down area" - 1 minute for a year of their age
- After time's up, demand apology and then huggies
-"Do you know why I put you in the corner?"
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