How do you read music from two staves at the same time?
I’m trying to teach myself how to read music and play the keyboard/piano. I haven’t signed up for lessons with a teacher yet, because first, I want to know for sure if I could do this. Right now, reading from two staves seems so impossible for me – it makes me kind of dizzy when I try. lol : ) I want to know for sure if my brain could really handle it before I commit and pay for lessons.. I don’t want to sign up only to find myself stuck when I get to this part…: )
I have no trouble reading from one staff. I can sight-sing a little and translate music onto guitar, recorder and keyboard, as long as it is written on only one staff.
But when I try to read music on two staves, I fall apart! I’m not sure where I’m supposed to focus my eyes. Are you supposed to look at the top staff, then quickly look at the one below it, note per note..? Or do you read a whole measure on the top staff, remember it, then read the one on the bottom staff and play them at the same time? Or are you supposed to focus your eyes in the middle so you could see both staves at the same time (with your peripheral vision)?
And do you recite (either out loud or in your mind) the note names of the notes you’re supposed to play at the same time? Or do you just recognize them and “know” what they are without having to name them? Like, I can recognize a chord if I see it on one staff, so I don’t really have to name the notes one by one in order to play it. (I think it’s also easier to do it on one staff, since it requires a narrower field of vision.) But what if the notes you have to play simultaneously are spread over two staves? Like if there’s an E on the treble clef, and a C on the bass clef… do you have to name them (E, C) as you play them, or do you just recognize the combination and just play them without having to name them?
Any tips and advice would be appreciated. Thanks! : )
Sight Reading Secrets Revealed
how to sight read music
You are far enough along using one staff that for a while it will be confusing. Will you be able to do it? Yes!
As a child you read each word one letter at a time. Then you read syllables and then words. Some see entire sentences.
I believe that anyone who can read music can learn to read multiple staffs.
Organist learn to read 3 conductors learn to read many.
You are not born with it.
As far as waiting until you know if you can do it, before getting with a teacher, you are wasting time, and possibly getting confused.
I do not recite the names of notes I am playing, but can remember a time when I did. It was when I was learning a new instrument. It helped.
SpeedyMusicReading.com
While playing piano pieces, I look at the at the music as a whole and notice intervals, chords, and the distance between one note to the next so my fingers know where to go. If a piece is difficult for me, I play with each hand separately first and then put them together.
I am sure that you can play the piano, don’t get discouraged. It seems complicated and impossible to everyone at first. I highly recommend that you take lessons because you don’t always realize where you are making mistakes. Good luck in playing the piano/keyboard.