I was going to skip writing a blob this week because I have been concentrating my spare time instead on trying to improve my sight-reading at the piano.
Here’s the problem: sight-reading piano music is like being at a public swimming pool trying to keep an eye on 2 toddlers, a 5 year-old with gum in his hair, a 6 month-old Boxer puppy, and his adult mother who’s leashed-but-in-heat, when a guy with an ice cream cart – obviously a deranged pedophile – comes by and yells that he is offering all the free neon colored freeze-pops they can eat as long as they can meet him over there at the deep end near the men’s restroom.
You’re not sure where or what to look at, your hair is standing on end, you’re too old to cry or to wet your pants, and in the confusion you can’t remember where “911” is on the keyboard.
In Octo-woman’s never-ending quest for excellence, she is now able to reveal a solution to successfully sight read a music score composed by a one of those sadistic composers, who doesn’t give a fig as to whether she may have had a bad day, has an infected hangnail, that her head hurts from eye strain, and that she could-use-a-little-encouragement, fercryingoutloud.
I would like to say that I found the solution at church where the good Saint Cecelia, patron saint of music, gently whispered it to me in my ear, but it wasn’t there. It was on the Quora website where the following question was posed:
Musician4y
The best answer came from an intrepid musician named Malcolm Kogut. A summary of his advice is that there are three skills you need to hone in order to sight read successfully.
First, knowledge of music theory. . . .
Second, a good technique is needed. Your hands must be able to play what your brain sees without thought . . .
Third, train your ear. As you play, your mind’s ear will just know what is most likely coming . . .
Finally, Mr. Kogut recommended this advice:
“The brain is genius at reading between the lines: It deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe”.
Wow! I’m so glad to learn that! It may not help with my sight reading, but it certainly explains why I kepe palynig so mnay worgn noets.
Ha ha ha! You can always be counted on to plumb the depths of human knowledge! Keep playing and trust your instincts (I trust them more than Google).
Well, my brain could read this blob but it still struggles with reading sheet music. And to add to my confusion my grandson tried to explain his drummers sheet music to me and I’m pretty sure he shifted into another language or maybe he was speaking in tongues. I admire your persistence toward excellence!