Learn how to Read Music and build Sight-Reading skills.
Reading music is a complex skill made up of basic skills. It is only difficult when some basic skills are weak or missing. Mastering each basic skill is easy. Start with simpler skills such as reading rhythm, learning notes, and learning your instrument. Learning scales, intervals, chords, and ear training, build on basic skills and make music sight-reading easy.
Basic Skills for Reading Music:
Learn Instrument Note Names - Besides learning the names of the notes on the instrument, the objective is to develop a mental image of the instrument. Having a clear picture of the instrument in mind will eliminate the need to look at it when reading music. Practice finding notes without looking at your instrument.
Instrument Staff Reading - The two ways of reading pitch are 1) vertical reading by note identification, and 2) horizontal reading by interval and direction. Both are needed. MusicGoals provides step by step drills that cover all portions of the instrument and staff. The object is to develop a mental image of the instrument that connects to the placement of the staff.
Learn to build and play scales - Starting with half steps, whole steps, and tetrachords; the object is to learn scales on the instrument. Knowledge of scales greatly simplifies the process of reading music.
Learn to identify Diatonic Intervals - The object is to learn to see distance and direction in the lines and spaces of the staff. This simple drill isolates the most important mechanism for reading music across the page, horizontally. Intervals show how to find the next note.
Name Intervals on Instrument - The object is to identify intervals, the distance between notes. This is a complex skill that involves knowledge of scales and interval names. Knowledge of intervals not only improves music reading, it is essential for developing the ear.
Play Intervals on Instrument - Once you can identify intervals, the next step is to be able to play them on your instrument. If you know the interval either by seeing it on the page or by recognizing it by ear, you still need to be able to play it. This is a complex skill. MusicGoals activities drill both reading by eye and hearing by ear.
Name Intervals on the Staff - The object is to name the interval that you see in staff notation. This skill ensures mastery of interval reading.
Build Chords on Instrument - The object is to learn and to play chords on your instrument. As you learn to read music, knowing chords makes the process easier. Instead of reading one note at a time, recognizing a chord or chord inversion allows you to read groups of notes. Just like we see letters and read words, chords are patterns of notes that we recognize in combination. MusicGoals drills all chords in all keys on the instrument by eye and by ear.
Name Chords on Staff - The object is to name the chord that you see in staff notation. This skill ensures mastery of chord reading.
Buy MusicGoals now to gain the skills to read and play music with ease. MusicGoals presents pitch and rhythm study with two separate programs: MusicGoals Eye and Ear (pitch) and MusicGoals Rhythm. Starting at the very beginning level, they go well into college level performance. MusicGoals Eye and Ear has 62 activities and includes courses for piano, guitar, violin, viola, cello, or bass.
Buy MusicGoals now to master the basic skills in a simple step by step manner. You will have a way to learn, practice, and test each basic skill that goes into the complex skill of reading music. MusicGoals drills reveal weaknesses and focus energy where needed. The results will be amazing. By developing all of the basic skills, progress increases rapidly because each skill compliments the others.
Buy MusicGoals Eye and Ear Now
Buy MusicGoals Rhythm Now
Buy MusicGoals Special Deal. - Buy together and SAVE!
Buy MusicGoals Eye and Ear Now
Buy MusicGoals Rhythm Now
Buy MusicGoals Special Deal. - Buy together and SAVE!
Practice Techniques for Reading Music:
- Work on rhythm reading separate from pitch: MusicGoals Rhythm.
- Memorize your instrument to form a clear mental image so you do not have to look: MusicGoals Eye and Ear.
- Learn distance and direction on the staff away from note identification to train your eye to read horizontally across the page: MusicGoals Eye and Ear.
- Practice connecting the notes on the staff in all registers with the notes on your instrument: MusicGoals Eye and Ear.
- Learn scales, intervals, and chords with equal emphasis in all keys: MusicGoals Eye and Ear.
- Memorize and play the circle of 5ths in both directions: Your instrument.
- Practice reading music with a strict tempo at an easier level than you normally play: Your instrument.
- Force yourself to go slow and do not allow yourself to look at your instrument. Take whatever time you need and find notes without looking.
MusicGoals will make you a better musician. By chipping away at the skills as your practice partner, it will put you on a path that will make you an outstanding musician. It gives you a tried and true routine of practice that adds up little by little to huge results. Buy MusicGoals now and get started.
Examples (2 of the 62 activities included)
Shape notes show scale position on keyboard (above) or guitar (below) and on staff. Starting with just a few notes, drills cover the entire instruments and all keys.
