You're welcome. A Soprano on Her Head is not a theory book, though. But it is written by a music teacher. I'm sure you can find it on http://www.amazon.com.
Peggy
Nande wrote: > > Thanks for your story, Peggy! I recognize your piano-playing methods, > as it is the exact same way I used to play the violin. I just never > got over it and quit taking lessons when it became really difficult. > Stupid in hindsight, but hey, I was only 12 at the time! :-)) > > Also, thanx for the tip on the book, I'll try to find a copy. > We do have some theory-books here in the Netherlands, but most of them > are really heavy stuff and no fun at all. > > Nande > > --- In vocalist-temporary@y..., Margaret Harrison <> wrote: > --- In vocalist-temporary@y..., Margaret Harrison <> wrote: > --- In vocalist-temporary@y..., Margaret Harrison <peggyh@i...> wrote: > > > > I'll explain: I learned my first instrument, piano, at age > > 9. And progressed really fast, as children of that age tend > > to do who have some ability. But my memory was really > > good. So I memorized the simple pieces I was playing at > > the time right away, and played looking at my hands. And my > > teacher at the time let me do this. So when I moved and > > studied with a new teacher, my sightreading was horrendous. > > Now I had the skill to decode the music at slow tempo, so I > > could read some, but I had no facility. So to this day, my > > piano sightreading, while it has improved, has never felt > > fluent. And funny thing, as I improved my piano > > sightreading, my ease in memorizing piano music diminished > > markedly. What used to be easy and natural because work. I > > think it's related. > > > > When I learned my next instrument, the viola, my only > > interest was playing in the orchestra or ensembles. I had > > little interest in playing solo works. I played an hour a > > day at school orchestra rehearsal. And a two-hour evening > > or two a week in community orchestra rehearsal. And found I > > could play my parts as well as I needed to with minimal > > additional practice. So I sight-read - day-in, day-out. > > Year after year. More and more difficult music. And after > > 10, 15, 20 years, I played pretty well and sight read > > incredibly well. Playing in the orchestra all those years > > gave me the great rhythmic sightreading skills. But I can't > > play music on the viola without the paper in front of me. I > > can't hear a melody and reproduce it on the instrument, > > without consciously thinking about intervals. > > > > As a singer, I started with choral music. Sight-read good > > to start with (with my college theory training under my > > belt, and rhythmic skills and interval recognition from > > orchestra viola-playing also transferred over) and I only > > got better. Now I'm an excellent choral sightreaders. > > Melodies in solo music memorize themselves though memorizing > > the words gets harder and harder the older I get), but in > > choral music - I have to have the book in front of me > > (though I do know the Hallelujah Chorus by now, after about > > 1000 repetitions!). > > > > The original writer might want to check out that great book > > "Soprano on Her Ear", which deals with many musical and > > learning issued, with some great insights on sight-reading > > and memorization and lots of other good stuff. > > > > Also, next time, put the words on a card and trust yourself > > on the notes and rhythms you've learned the way you know > > works for you. They'll be so impressed that you learned it > > so fast and can sing it without the music in front of you, > > that they'll overlook a mistake or two. > > > > Peggy > > > > -- > > Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA > > "Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile" > > mailto:peggyh@i... > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
-- Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA "Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile" mailto:peggyh@i...
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