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Joined: Jun 2005
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OP
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Just wanted feedback from teachers about something I'm doing that I wonder about being "wrong" or maybe a bad habit for my future growth as a pianist.
I am an adult beginner who started lessons in mid-Jan. and has finished Bastein Adult Book 1 and is a few songs into book 2.
Here's my question: When I learn a new song, I sight read it measure by measure, slowly going through the song and playing it over and over until I don't need to see the notes anymore and I just play it. When I go to my lesson I have the music there but I don't usually actually look at it. I sometimes look at my hands, but can also play without looking at where my hands are once it's memorized. Is this a bad habit to be into? I sometimes feel lazy because I don't want to sight read once I feel I know the song. in fact, it is only slightly easier to read once the song is memorized. I am definitely not a fluid sightreader, I feel more like a song decoder. I need to spend some time with a song to get it, but once I've got it I feel like I'm freed up to really play it. So far I have been able to do this with every song I've played. My teacher has told me that it may get harder to memorize songs as things get more complex and she may be right. Usually, though, if I can hear the song in my head, and have practiced it a lot, I can play what's in my mind's ear, no matter what it is. I feel like I am cheating myself in some ways by not sight reading after awhile, but it is just so difficult that once I know the song, I just want to play it.
Your opinions are greatly appreciated.
Sincerely, Jadefan
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hi jadefan,
i somewhat experienced this problem when i myself was learning, as i learned the suzuki method.
i would suggest that you practice reading the notes while you play. i have one student who feels lazy about reading the notes and will try to play from memory; unfortunately, his memory doesn't serve him as well as yours and the piece quickly comes apart.
you may want to get some books on sight reading. forcing yourself to practice sight reading will give you more solid piano playing skills.
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Originally posted by jadefan: Just wanted feedback from teachers about something I'm doing that I wonder about being "wrong" or maybe a bad habit for my future growth as a pianist.
I am an adult beginner who started lessons in mid-Jan. and has finished Bastein Adult Book 1 and is a few songs into book 2.
Here's my question: When I learn a new song, I sight read it measure by measure, slowly going through the song and playing it over and over until I don't need to see the notes anymore and I just play it. When I go to my lesson I have the music there but I don't usually actually look at it. I sometimes look at my hands, but can also play without looking at where my hands are once it's memorized. Is this a bad habit to be into? I sometimes feel lazy because I don't want to sight read once I feel I know the song. in fact, it is only slightly easier to read once the song is memorized. I am definitely not a fluid sightreader, I feel more like a song decoder. I need to spend some time with a song to get it, but once I've got it I feel like I'm freed up to really play it. So far I have been able to do this with every song I've played. My teacher has told me that it may get harder to memorize songs as things get more complex and she may be right. Usually, though, if I can hear the song in my head, and have practiced it a lot, I can play what's in my mind's ear, no matter what it is. I feel like I am cheating myself in some ways by not sight reading after awhile, but it is just so difficult that once I know the song, I just want to play it.
Your opinions are greatly appreciated.
Sincerely, Jadefan Jadefan, For now, you certainly aren't doing any damage. The problem will arise in the future when the music becomes more complex. What you don't want to do is get into the habit of watching your hands. There are important markings in dynamics and phrasing that you don't want to miss when you are playing classical music. So, at this point, it will probably be simpler to correct yourself, rather than later. good luck,
-- ipgrunt Amateur pianist, Son of a Pro
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Exactly, in early stage of piano music, note and rhythm seem to be all of what music is about, but if you continue on your study, you will know that there are more to it, memorizing a piece, not only get to know it, learn it, you also get to know how and why to articulate, then it becomes yours, you are the re-creator of the original music, in other words, it's not memorizing, it's understanding, and be creative based upon understanding.
I think that's the part most beginner student miss, it is simply NOT decode, if music is just about decoding, then we are not considered as artisits, aren't we?
You and your teacher need to work more on the musical aspect of music making and learning, the first step is to put more creative thoughts into the music you are learning, play, read, think and listen, how can you best express the music you are playing, and how can you express the most initial intend of the composer.
If you do that, I bet you won't feel like decode anymore, you are making music and playing music, and enjoying music.
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yeah, another dangerous thing about memorizing is that sometimes you have to break the piece up when your playing gets sloppy in order to practice the difficult parts. if you've memorized the piece, it will be infinitely more difficult to correct the mistakes.
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Thnks for all the feedback. I've been working on sightreading more now and I kow that it will help me out as things get more complex in the future. Thanks again for your help.
jadefan
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When playing with the music, its best to look at the music so you can remember to do dynamics and such. But when memorized, its best to look at your hands. In my experience, when you look at something other than your hands while you are playing, your mind will not be actively thinking about the notes, and you'll be using "muscle memory" of your fingers. Muscle memory is a very insecure memorization.
Houston, Texas
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