How to read music?

I recommend that you get a beginners piano lesson book. A beginners book should teach what the lines and spaces in each clef mean, time signature, key signature, what the notes mean, and other useful things. There would be value in using a piano to help you learn how to read music, but it's certainly not mandatory.

Hope this helps!

 

Sopranette -

Most beginning guitar books would also teach you how to read music. I have learned about 5 times. But, since I usually play by ear, I always forget.

 

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This is how I lerned about reading music in high school
The lines read E, G B D F which we weretaught to remember by every Good boy does find and in the spaces face is spelled out.
Also this symbol # means the note is sharp. I hope that this helps
Faithgirl

 

Learning to read music is kinda' like learning another language. It would really help you if someone could spend a little time showing you. Do you know anyone who plays piano or plays in band at school? They could be a big help.

 

Be in the band room tomorrow morning at 8:30 am for my band class at the middle school where I teach. By the time the 52 minute period is over, you will know the basics of how to read music.:thumbs:

Joseph Botwinick

 

It's been mentioned, but the best way to learn to read music is to learn to play a musical instrument. Reading music is like reading words. The more you do the better you get.

 

Hello everyone, I'm new here and I could not resist posting on this thread. I play guitar for 18 years now. There is nothing easy about reading music, though I taught myself with never a single lesson. I started off with TAB or tabulator, but soon increased my style, taste, and the theory behind the guitar. I would recommend a beginners book for note reading; Ernie's is one that I have and it's great. However this was 18yrs ago and many new books are out now and easy to pick up at any music store. To read music will take alot of hard work and practice, in time you will be able to master the fret board and whip out some amazing modes and scales. Good Luck

In His Love
-Atone

 

Another thing that you might look into is shape-note singing. I've been attending Sacred Harp singings for over 30 years. I discovered some years ago that it was helping my sight-reading a good bit. If you are unfamiliar with this type of group singing, you can look at <www.fasola.org>. This site has more than you ever want to know about shape-note singing. Click on the "Singings" link. Scroll down to the "Local Singings" section. You find a list of links to various local groups. There are two listed for NC. You'll have to contact them to see if there is one near you. They will teach you how to read music by recognizing the intervals between the notes according to their shapes. The method is over 200 years old. It works very well. This music is sung without instrumental accompaniment, so the singers have to lean on each other. Also, there are no solos. If you look into this, I'd be interested in hearing your reaction.

Tim Reynolds

 

Sopranette, when I saw your question, "What's the fastest way to learn to read music?" my first thought was "shape notes" (especially since your interest is in singing). This method has been proven beneficial through time-tested use and even a controlled study. I didn't get around to logging in and posting then, but now I just wanted to log on and second what Tim Reynolds had to say. The only possible drawback for church use is that some songs you want to sing might not be available in shape notes. But even that problem can be overcome. Be sure and take a look.

 

rlvaughn,
You mentioned shape notes. I've been wondering if you are related to James D. Vaughn who started the Vaughn music company. And do you attend the singing conventions in Texas. I have several friends from that area who do.
Joel

 

Joel, as far as I know, we are not related to James D. Vaughn/Vaughan (I think he spelled it "Vaughan", but that doesn't mean we're not related; both spellings go back to the same source). At the least any kinship would be distant.

I don't attend the "little book" (7-shape) conventions very often, but if your singing friends are in Eastern Texas I may know them.

 

Sopranette, I thought you might enjoy this shape note singing lesson from the Smithsonian website. Someone posted the link on our listserve today, and I thought about you and this thread. It is pdf, so you'll need Adobe Acrobat reader; it's fairly large, so may take a while to load.

http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/shapenote.pdf