Rosalie….x asked:


I am currently 14 years old, year 10 and taking GCSE music.
I also have Singing lessons (Grade 4 exam in 2 weeks)
And Piano lessons (Grade 1 exam in 12 days)
Also recently took my Grade 5 theory exam (results in 5 weeks)

I’m not very confident when it comes to GCSE music, i’m terrified of doing solos when it comes to singing scales in so-fa (I’m not used to learning music this way) – this normally brings down my self-esteem. And I find it very hard to understand things I have never been taught before also.

Piano – I started one year ago, But in my opinion, being grade 1 at my age is poor…so I want to try to race though my grades as quickly as possible – how can I convince my teacher that I can do this? so hopefully I would be able to do a grade once every two terms

Singing – I have dramatically improved in 2 years, But I find it very hard to sight read or pitch notes (I am not very good singing back phases) And even though there are people in my year who are very much higher, grade wise in my year. And it gets me down a little bit – they are always asked to do solos which I can only wish singing. I so badly want to be noticed as a ‘good singer’. I just never am. What could I do to improve my chances?

Thank you in advance

how to sight read music

Blaze asked:


Hello,

I want to do A Level Music in college but in order to do that I need to have a GCSE in Music (Which i don’t have) Or i need to have a grade 5 or above in playing an instrument or singing.

My singing teacher recommended that i’d go for the level five as she believes that my singing is at that level. Having had a look at the singing exam boards the one that i liked was trinity guildhall (as it offerers musical theatre songs compared to ABRSM which only offers airas)

I have my three songs ready but now I have to choose from the two supporting tests (theres: Sight reading, Aural, Improvisation and Musical Knowledge)

my problem is that I have no idea how to sight read however I am pitch training my ear and proggressing well. If its any help my vocal range is from A2 – C5 (and A5 in falsetto)

(If you want to download the syllabus and have a look then it can be found here: http://www.trinitycollege.co.uk/site/?id=1056).

Since i don’t really know musical terminology well, which two of the supporting tests do you think would be easier and quicker to learn?

Thank you.
Blaze.

Sight Reading Music Lessons

Minna C asked:


it, I’m glad I’m getting started. I also play some basic guitar and VERY basic piano. Yet I can’t really read music, but I have quickly refreshed my mind over basics.

Ok, here’s the deal. Do you think I can be able to learn sight reading within a year?
A year, because I want to be able to make it to a singing group that you audition into, which is part of my school music program. Our school’s music program is VERY good, we went to Canergie Hall a few years ago, and this year in February and April for the Orchestra and singing groups.

A little about me, I’m very good with languages (a friend of mine says its like learning a language, and I’m proficient and top the class for Latin and French). Generally, I catch onto lessons quickly and have a good memory. I’m not so sure about music though; I’ve grown up around a Cantonese family which is a very tonal language (6 tones as opposed to Mandarin Chinese which has 4 tones).
When I do sing (and record myself), which is a bit rare (and never in front of my friends) I have good pitch.

For audition, you have to sing your scales and a piece of music (choose the key) then something where you see your sight-reading level (there are 15 total).

One of my friends who plays piano decently got 11 on the sight reading levels. What does this mean? Another one of my friends who is active in the music program got an 11 too.
Could anyone please expound on this? Does it take a lot of experience to get to that level, and I don’t understand how one is placed within a level.
I don’t know what that instructor looks for when she auditions the kids, but they all say that if you have an OK (not GOOD, but OK) voice but have good sight-reading abilities you’re likely to get in. I’m so nervous already, lol!
To sum it all up,
I’d like to get an idea about these “levels”
AND: suppose I intently study and focus on music all summer and throughout the school year- THEN by April could be good enough to reach a decent level?
Thanks to anyone who answers, I’m not learning all just to get in a prestigious singing group (though it would be nice if people could finally recognize me, lol!!) but so I can express myself like I’ve always wanted to. All my life I’d keep my thoughts pent up about me wanting to create beautiful music that makes people feel good.
I’ve always enjoyed many types of music- instrumental, and vocal too! (Most of my friends don’t, and when we attend the concerts they only talk about the boys performing! Oh brother! Hopefully they’ll see me up there and enjoy the music more!)

THANKS AGAIN!
((Sorry, I’ve written so much but before the first time I meant to say “I am signed up for vocal lessons this Tuesday, and it’ll be my first class. I’m so pumped for it, I’m glad I’m getting started.”)) Hope that clears everything up!!

How to Sight Read Music

Lizzy-Chan asked:


Okay, well, all of my friends are really frigging pissed off because these three girls named Mia, Michelle, and Ashley got the solos in chorus. Mia is an “okay-ish” singer but her voice is really quiet and scratchy and Michelle is really quiet and out of tune, and Ashley is pretty good, just a little to quiet and not the best quality of a voice. My friends and I think that they sing horribly and there are these amazing girls who should have gotten the solos. My friend Emma is amazing and so much better than any of them, same for my friend Julie, and I am also better than them (don’t take me wrong I’m not trying to brag although sometimes I admit I do but those girls really do suck). Everyone, even some of the boys, is really angry that it wasn’t us and it was them instead. Those girls can’t even sight read! And they are 12 and 13, how SAD! All the girls at my school told me I should have gotten the solo for Seasons of Love but of course Mia got it. He gave the solos to the girls who are real goodie two shoes and they all have super rich families that support the music program at the school. My family is really friggin poor and I am actually really smart but I never get anything for that, the only thing I have ever gotten in my life was a poem published in a book but no one cared. At school me and my wonderful-voiced friends come from really broke families and have like NO FRIENDS EXCEPT EACH OTHER. And even though those kids at school don’t like us even they were smart enough to notice that we are so much better than those girls who got the solos (I could say something else, but…). And also, at Regional Auditions I got such a better score than all of those chicks and so did my friends, the three soloists didn’t even make it in and we did! And the bus left me behind while I WAS STILL AUDITIONING, and later on I was told by Emma that instead of making sure I was on the bus, our teacher was in a conversation with Mia, who just happened to have a frigging 65 pounds in her poser hands! Those of you who agree with me say yes he picks favorites and why you think they got the solos, and those of you who don’t just say he doesn’t pick favorites and why you think they got the solos. Also please give me exactly how you feel about it, I want your opinions, guys.
Thanks~

how to sight read music

Toby asked:


Hi. I’m 17 years old and for several years now I have wanted to become an opera singer. Singing is my passion. I have been singing in choirs since a young age and I am taught by an ex-opera singer. Today I took my grade 8 singing. I can sing in different styles but I prefer opera above all else. I love the adrenaline and the excitement and the rush I get from singing an aria and getting into character. I have done my research. I know that my voice is nowhere near ready to a professional standard, and that I need a lot more training, but I have a few other problems too.

I can’t sight read, and singing is my only instrument (I play piano to a grade 4/5 standard, but NOT well). Obviously I have my Grade 5 theory (Merit) but I know this will not get me very far. I was hoping to get into a music college after university because I heard that post-grads are more likely to get in on one instrument. Please please pleeease can someone give me some tips on how to make it in the music world. I don’t care about money too much, and fame isn’t all that important, I just don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t sing everyday. I love performing, and while I’m singing I have been told I am a pretty good actress (when I’m not singing, it’s not so great).

Advice?

Learn How to Read Music