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Since I do have a slight problem with sight-reading, I'm interested in the process of playing by intervals as an alternative.
I've heard that this process can work well.
Does anyone here play by intervals, and how exactly does it work?
Thank you for your help, Kathleen
Chopin’s music is all I need to look into my soul.
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I have taught the concept of learning to play by intervals.
Actually that is what linear playing is.
You are here. Do you go up? down? and how far?
STEP UP (2nds) recognizable by line space or space line; 5 finger position, 12 23 34 45 54 43 21
SKIP UP (3rds) recognizable by line line or space space; 5 finger position, 13 24 35 53 42 31
5THS recognizable as line to line with 1 line inbetween; space to space with 1 sp inbetween; 15 51
At the same time I introduce triads 135 531
This is with adults as well as kids.
Both hands separate
The concept is learned this way and built upon. This way one can learn a simple piece without worry what the name of the note is and thinking, on the page, D, find D on the piano. ETC.
Names of notes of course are taught at the same time, but READING MUSIC is taught by recognition of the interval and the FEEL of the interval on the keyboard.
Hope this makes sense. I don't want to complicate reading until this is learned. And several pieces in 5 finger position are played.
Also during the first few lessons TRIADS are played without music, and BLOCKED CHORDS and ARPEGGIOS of C F G are played up and down the piano.
LL
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything."
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If it ain't fun I ain't doin' it:)
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Thank you, LL and Funburger:
Yes it does make some sense. I guess it's something I'll have to practice a while before I really "get it."
Let me walk through it to see if I get the concept. I'm playing a piece and the next chord is (in RH) with notes on E,A,C (unusal, I know), so here is my thought process.
I put the correct finger on E, (I count the steps between E to A...so it would be F,G,A [3 steps] then do the same thing for A to C [B,C] 2 steps.
You never count the note you are beginning on, right? But you do count the note you are ending on, right?
And you obviously never count the black notes? Opps, what if the chord's first note is a black note?
Let's say F#,A,C. You start on the F#, and start counting with the G (as 1) then to A [which is two steps}, then from the B to C [which is 2 steps].
Now, I'm sorry I am so dense, but I have always wondered how people do this.
It would appear that you ignore the black keys, just using the white keys when counting.
Is this correct?
Let's take the chord F#,C,D#. I start counting with the G to C [which is 4 steps] then next with D to D#[which is 2 steps]. In this case you have to go up to the D# and use it as a step.
Wow??? Am I making myself clear at all?
Oh, then one more thing. I would use the sheet music as the counter. Using spaces and lines each, as individual steps.
Many, many thanks for your help. It's quite interesting.
Kathleen
Chopin’s music is all I need to look into my soul.
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EDIT - Kathleen has edited the post above which is responded to later. My response below is a continuation of part 1 above.
You are welcome Kathleen. I know I wrote it to be rather simple, but you never know who is reading here or as this get archived.
I have no idea what level you are on, but it sounds like you are frustrated with something which makes you want to try another way.
To me, 'names' of notes are just needed, expected to be learned, etc and for point relationship after the reading of the name and relating that name to a note on the keyboard.
Next step would be to recognize GROUPINGS of notes.
IN A ROW, and for how long?
PATTERNS that are repeated. Both almost like learning to recognize a WORD rather than the letters in a word.
This might be the point at which you are at?
Then chords, chord patterns, scales, apeggios, etc within a piece.
Take baby steps. Since I teach this from the first lesson, by the time someone has played for three years (ex), they are very comfortable reading this way.
LL, after another break, and ready for practice session 4 today! I really need to be paying bills but that's no fun!
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Hi LL:
My comments are above and again, many thanks for going through all the trouble explaining this to me.
Kathleen
Chopin’s music is all I need to look into my soul.
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Will get back later Kathleen. I see that you have added on to your post above before which was after my part 2!
A quick response.
A step is from C to D (different name). Think back to very simple, c d e f g
From where you stand, it is NO STEP, so a step is to the next note.
What you are referring to above is HALF STEPS (chromatic on the keyboard)
As well, you have gotten into chord reading which I would then attack AFTER linear reading. As that involves playing chords comfortably while reading what sometimes is a 4th interval which is NOT easy to read. It is a third, skip plus one or thinking line to line plus the next space. But again, this is getting way ahead of the initial linear interval reading.
With chord reading / playing, I teach by triad placement and inversions. One usually plays RH fingers 135, 125, 135 and back to the triad, 135. This on the staff paper usually shows the BIG SPACE between notes 2 and 3 in the first inversion and the BIG SPACE between notes 1 and 2 in the 2nd inversion.
EX. C triad
C E G 135 E G C 125 G C E 135 (not sure if the spacing will come out to show the inversion online)
Once this is comfortable to READ with the 4th in there, one can think of the FEEL on the keyboard.
Oh...so much easier to explain in person with a piano in front of us. ;-)
Gotta work....ask questions and I will try to explain.
LL
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My teacher wanted me to learn intervals and once I understood what intervals were I started trying to use it instead of trying to read each note (I still learned to read notes btw). After a while you learn to recognize the distance from one finger to another.
for example if my thumb is on e major and the next note is on the next line I automatically know that I have to skip one finger so my middle finger would play that next note. it takes practice to recognize the intervals but once you get used to seeing them you get better and better.
good luck kathleen
Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear, Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair.>>> Herman Munster
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kathleen, sorry i erased my post, anyhow i would just keep it simple. if you try to jump in on the hard stuff it will be much too hard. start learning it simpler. alfreds adult theory 1 goes through this stuff. but you can really write out your own intervals and practice them that way. also do harmonic intervals when you are comfortable. then move into the triads and recognizing the intervals in them.
If it ain't fun I ain't doin' it:)
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Thank you all, SO much. I think I am getting it. And, as Funburger suggested, I am going to make up some "flashcards" to get more practice at spotting the intervals and playing them on the keyboard immediately. This opens a whole new door to me. And, I will get the Alfred book. Kathleen
Chopin’s music is all I need to look into my soul.
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