Seth asked:


So , I’ve been thinking about what a good musician is. I play upright bass for a school orchestra and in classical music it seems that a musician gets more respect if they have outstanding technique and can read music extremely well to the point where they can sight read and play a piece perfectly. No where is the idea of expression through music as an art form even taken into consideration. In my opinion I see an accomplished jazz musician who can improvise his/her way through a song with complex chord changes more impressive then someone being able to play a Paganini violin piece . Sure it’s difficult to play, but where is the expression , a robot can replicate the notes but can they actually use an instrument as an emotional extension of their mind?
I don’t understand why classical musicians gets more credit than jazz musicians, when the composer is usually the only “artistically expressive” musician in the bunch, in an orchestra at least… Am I comparing apples to oranges? Because it irritates me that other orchestra kids continue to discredit Jazz music and really anything other than classical as inferior ..

Learn How to Read Music

Zach asked:


I’ve just started learning piano pieces. I have music experience. I can sight-read both treble clef and bass clef well, treble more than bass, but I can’t play them together. The biggest throw-off is timing of notes between bass and treble. If any has any tips, advice, or stories (if you’re going to say ‘Practice’ [which I obviously know to do] at least include an inspirational story ) it would be appreciated.

How to Read Music for Beginners

Joey asked:


I’m 17, and I’ve been playing an acoustic and electric guitar for almost 3 and 1/2 years now, I’ve been playing the ukulele for a decent amount of time, and I’ve recently started playing the piano. I’ve been playing the piano for only a few weeks, and I can read sheet music (I cant sight read proficiently, but I can learn songs with time) And I can playing every major scare in contrary and parallel motion already after only a few weeks. I feel as if I have a knack for picking up instruments considering I’ve never had lessons for any of the following. Would learning the violin without lessons be difficult since I’m not a middleclass family with money to spare to get them? Or would it be a waste of time? – Also, since I’ve been playing a guitar, and it seems in a way relevant to finger placement of a violin (Don’t criticize my assumption, just a guess of relevance) should it be pretty easy to pick up since I am familiar with a stringed instrument?

Learn How to Read Music

Lila asked:


I cannot sight read very well, I cannot read the bass clef (I know some of the notes, but I usually end up counting up or down from something to find a note), but I can read the treble clef, I can play with my left hand if I know the notes, and I can read music quite well (I am a freshman in high school and I am in band). I want to take piano lessons in the summer, but I am too busy right now. I was wondering, though, if anyone knew some good pieces that I could study and learn. Oh, and I am self-taught.

Sight Reading Music

Alice Chan asked:


I take music theory at school and I started the piano when I was in second grade I believe. After a year I stopped because the guy stopped giving lessons so now I’m 15 and in that time in between I played a little but not enough to say I’ve been playing for 7 years.

Well anyways I’m really really slow at reading chords in songs like every time it’s like….C……uhhhhh…..E….uhhh….G…….i think…… (well thats just an example i know the c major but with other more complex chords i mean)
Can you help me with tips on how to read music and apply it to the piano faster? You would think with practice I would get better but it’s the same thing every time. Do I just need to see a lot more music?? It just doesn’t feel like I’ll get better because each time I struggle with playing songs because there a lot of chords and it’s bad because I won’t be able to sight read music if I go as slow as I do.
Also with playing with both hands synchronized will it get easier with a lot more practice? It just takes me SO long to piece together both hands, I mean eventually I can because I can read music and count beats but it shouldn’t take me that long to be able to and once again I don’t feel like practicing is helping me. I mean it helps me play that particular piece better but it’s the same thing all over again when I’m learning a new song.

Basically I just don’t feel like I’m making any progress, any tips from an experienced or just any piano player in general is welcome:D Well thank you if you can help me

Sight Reading Music