Many people think that learning how to read music and play from music notation is too difficult. But it really isn't! In this Slideshare deck I explain what teachers can do to increase the success of their students in becoming confident readers, who can play fluently from notation. I explore the difference between knowing only how to work out the music and instantly being able to recognise patterns and shapes - then being able to play them immediately on your instrument. I use this thinking to help music teachers reframe the way they teach, so they can help their students balance listening and reading, to become more independent as musicians. I hope teachers and students alike enjoy it!

1. SoYouThink
You Can’t
Read
Music!
Monday, 19 August 13

2. Most instrumental
learners do battle
with reading traditional
music notation
(Learners’
flag)
(Notation
forces’ flag)
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3. Sadly, for some,
the notation wins!
Boo!!
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4. Students may try their
best to learn
how to work out
pitches from the score
rhythm values
&
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5. But many give up
on notation
because they never get past
the hesitant stage of
playing from a score!
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6. Here’s what teachers
can do about it...
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7. Make sure students can name & play
(only) the notes they need*
instantly & without hesitation
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8. instantly & without hesitation
*Don’t try to teach them every note on the instrument before they need them
Make sure students can name & play
(only) the notes they need*
Monday, 19 August 13

9. Understanding
the score is one thing.
Knowing immediately
what to do about it on your
instrument is an additional skill!
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10. Stopping to work it out is the
slowest way to play from a score:
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11. Instant
Very slow
RESPONSESPEED
READING SKILL TYPES
Knowing
How*
*KNOWING only HOW
to work out elements on
a score interrupts the
performance.
By this route, fluency
is impossible.
The goal must be to be
able to respond instantly:
by Knowing
Stopping to work it out is the
slowest way to play from a score:
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12. This is a much better way
to play from a score:
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13. This is a much better way
to play from a score:
Instant
Very slow
RESPONSESPEED
READING SKILL TYPES
Knowing**
Knowing
How
**KNOWING
– ie, instantly recognising
melodic patterns, chords
& rhythms the performer
has seen before.
This means that fluency
& flow are
NOT interrupted.
Monday, 19 August 13

14. I grew up in a
very musical family
Rather like this one
(but with perhaps more stride piano playing!)
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15. When I began learning
piano (aged 5)
I really struggled with
reading notation
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16. I had perfect pitch
but that meant my aural abilities were
way ahead of my music reading
Perform
ing
N
otation
reading
Auralperception
Ability
High
Low
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17. Playing from a score
was frustrating & unpleasant for me
(& for anyone unfortunate enough to hear me!)
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18. When I began piano exams
my aural abilities still out-weighed my sight playing
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19. I didn’t pass the sight-reading
until I reached grade 5!
Hooray!
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20. It had dawned on me
that I could play more fluently...
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21. CHUNKS of notation
...if I could recognise
(Rhythm)
(Pitch)
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22. CHUNKS of notation
...if I could recognise
(rather than individual note events)
(Rhythm)
(Pitch)
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23. I also learned that staff notation
was not as scary
as it seemed!Photo: Creepyhalloween © stockarch.com
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24. Learning music just from notation
is like trying to learn a language
just from a book
Photo:Headphones&Books©BillCMartin2013
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25. Photo:MontmartrePubCrawl©ThomasSauzeddiviaFlickrCreativeCommons
To improve your accent &
understand culture & customs...
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26. you need conversations with
genuine native speakers!
Photo:MontmartrePubCrawl©ThomasSauzeddiviaFlickrCreativeCommons
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27. Playing with musicians
who are better than you
gives insights into how to play,
not just what to play
Cajun Jam Session © JC Winkler via Flickr Creative Commons
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28. It will help you develop an
understanding of the music
way beyond the
note & rhythm information
that the score provides
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29. It may also help you clarify
what you might
express that could
make the music, well,
more musical!
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30. The good news: staff notation
is concerned mainly with
1. Pitch
2. Rhythm
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31. So I came
to realise
my notation‘dragon’ wasn’t scary at all!
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32. To become fluent
when playing from a score,
I needed to develop...
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33. An ability to
recognise instantly
shapes, patterns &
phrases on the page
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34. As music teachers
we can learn a lot from
literacy teachers
Children's Books © katerha via Flickr Creative Commons
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35. They know that children
will read aloud, fluently,
only when...
Photo: Child Reading via MorgueFile
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36. shapes, patterns &
words on the page
...they can
recognise instantly
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37. And when they can understand
the MEANING
of what they’re reading
Child Reading at Brookline Booksmith © Tim Pierce via Flickr Creative Commons
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38. So why do so many
music teachers
go no further than
teaching students
how to work out
individual notation elements?
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39. In language,
understanding phonics
(or individual letter sounds)
will only enable students
to work out the words
r + ea + d + ing
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40. It won’t drive reading
fluency because
1. It’s not an instant process
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41. It won’t drive reading
fluency because
1. It’s not an instant process
2. It isn’t built on comprehension
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42. Learning only how
to work out individual
note values & pitches...
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43. is like learning to read but only
ever learning to recognise
individual letters!
“Wh o’ s b ee n ea t ing
m y p o rr i dge?
The result lacks fluency
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44. Almost ANY OTHER
STRATEGY is quicker!
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45. So teachers, PLEASE
be kind to your poor students!
Don’t leave them armed with only...
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46. The ability to work out
individual note values
or pitches!
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47. It’s not enough
& some learners will give up!
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48. Remember: Knowing only How
to work it out won’t aid fluency
Instant
Very slow
RESPONSESPEED
READING SKILL TYPES
Knowing
How
Monday, 19 August 13

49. So help them
achieve fluency through
instant recognition
Instant
Very slow
Knowing
Knowing
How
Via regular routines & practice!RESPONSESPEED
READING SKILL TYPES
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50. The first step?
Teachers must set instant
recognition as a goal
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51. To extend teachers’ skills
I run workshops on
how to do this in your teaching
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52. Choose either the
1-day workshop
on improving notation reading
Photo:Musicteachersattendingaworkshop©BillCMartin
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53. Or choose the
Ears & Eyes workshop
improving aural & reading
skills teaching, in a single day
Photo: Jazzwise Summer School 2008 © Bill C Martin
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54. It will extend your
teaching skill set
& greatly enhance your
students’ reading,
their playing capability & confidence
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55. Contact me for details
bill@billcmartin.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0)7718 122146
More Info: billcmartin.co.uk
LinkedIn: billcmartin
Twitter: @billcmartin
Monday, 19 August 13