You probably just want to practice sight reading a little bit each day.
And if you don’t have a metronome, get one and start using it more. Then you’ll be able to tell if you’re playing the rhythms in time.
Is the issue with reading the notes, rhythms?
-Neal
All right, I figured it was probably with rhythms on the page.
Using a metronome and starting slowly will help build your skills and make you more comfortable.
Reading properly will help you with improvisation since it will give you quicker access to written music and ideas. It also lets you share your ideas, esp. if you start composing.
To make it your own, you’ll add your personality and your style and maybe even change the rhythms. But it’s important to be able to play music as it was written sometimes, especially when you’re playing with other musicians.
It’s much faster to be able to play music by reading it than playing it by ear, IF you’re a good reader. I’m not saying your ear is not important, however, you want to have multiple tools for music. If you were building a house, you would want a hammer and a saw and probably a lot of other tools. Having a really big hammer wouldn’t make up for not having a good saw.
And think about this, if someone suddenly can’t play a gig and you get called to come in and read some charts, you won’t get the gig if you can’t read well. It will go to someone who might not sound as good as you, but who can read.
-Neal
Wilgo (2)
Shola Immanuel (1)
xastram (1)
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Jasmine,
What etudes are you working on?
The metronome will force you to play in time, but you don’t have to play at full speed when you start. Just go slower at first!
-Neal
All great advice, Neal!
I hear basically everything you wrote, from teachers and my private lesson instructor. I would like to get gigs in the future too, so I should start parcticing the etudes I already have. Only with mine, there is no cd, so I’m still not sure if I’m playing it right …It’s then more tricky, even with a metronome, and then I’m just confused.
How do I overcome that?