Tackling Sight Reading

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about tackling sight reading.

Sight reading is a skill within music that needs to be developed over time. In some cases, learners can get it straight away; but more often than not, it doesn't naturally come to others - and thats okay. There's no right or wrong way to develop your sight reading skills, but all I can say is just keep working at it, and it will happen.

Scales and Arpeggios

Before you even tackle sight reading make sure that you have practiced a few scales and arpeggios, just to warm up and familiarise yourself with the scales and arpeggios that you are working on.

Keep it Simple

If your just starting out developing your sight reading, please keep it simple to begin with. If you are learning a one octave G Major scale, then choose a sight reading exercise that also has the one octave G Major scale. 

Graded Sight Reading

If you are doing sight reading as part of your graded music exams, then start sight reading one to two grades below the grade that you are working on. This will enable you to gradually build up your sight reading skills up to the grade that you are working on over a period of time. By doing it this way, you also won't get as much of a shock, as if you would jumping straight in to the grade that you are working on.

You Can Always Go Back

If you aren't happy you can always take it back to basics and start again at a lower grade. There's nothing wrong in taking things back slightly to help you to progress a little further. Sight reading can be tricky to grasp and understand, especially in the beginner stages of learning a musical instrument. You can go back as many times as you want throughout your musical journey. You might also want to reinforce an unusual time signature or a more advanced key signature.

The 30 Second Rule

Don't throw yourself into this straightaway. For some exam boards, as part of their sight reading element of the exam; they will ask you to look at a piece of music that you have never seen before, and look at it for 30 seconds before they will then ask you to play that piece of music. 

Once you have become more familiar with doing sight reading, you can have a go at reading a new piece of music for 30 seconds and then have a go at playing it. Just to give you a feel of what it would be like during the exam, and get yourself more comfortable with the exam sight reading process.

Sight Reading Books

- Trinity Sight Reading (Initial - Grade 2)

- Trinity Sight Reading (Grades 3 - 5)

- Trinity Sight Reading (Grades 6 - 8)

- Improve Your Sight Reading (Grades 1 - 3)

- Improve Your Sight Reading (Grades 4 - 5)

- Improve Your Sight Reading (Grades 6 - 8)

- Schott Sight Reading Book One

- Schott Sight Reading Book Two

- ABRSM Sight Reading (Grades 1 - 5)

- ABRSM Sight Reading (Grades 6 - 8)

* The 'Improve Your Sight Reading' books by Paul Harris varies in the number of books, depending on the instrument you are learning. In some cases, its one book per grade.

 

Deep Dive Studies: 125 Easy Classical Studies

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about 125 Easy Classical Studies for flute.

This book is a great start for beginner/ intermediate flute players who would like to get into learning studies. 

This book starts off fairly easy, but it does get a little more tricky the more that you progress through the book. Most of the flute studies featured within this book are fairly short, but they are a few towards the back of the book that go up to two pages in length.

The book starts off with really easy studies that are suitable for flute players who are just starting learning the flute, and then progresses up to around Grade 6/7 standard. Towards the end of the book the studies also start a few tricky techniques such as octave leaps, and also more advanced key signatures.

The composers that are featured in this book are :-

- Devienne

- Drouet

- Furstenau

- Gariboldi

- Hugot

- Wunderlich

- Kohler

- Nicholson

- Popp

- Soussmann

- Tromlitz

I would recommend this book for anyone whose just starting out on the flute, and would like to explore the world of flute studies. There's also some really nice studies for you to learn and explore from beginner level right the way up to advanced level. Also, don't let the more complicated studies put you off from buying the book, as the more you progress through your own learning; the easier it will become to understand the studies and the benefits of learning studies. 

Another thing you can do with the easier studies, is to incorporate them as part of your scales and arpeggios section of your practice routine. To do this, all you need to do is find one or two easy studies to work alongside the scales and arpeggios that you are working on. What I mean by this is; if you were learning the G Major scale and arpeggio, you find find an easy G Major study to learn alongside that scale. If you would like to do this, but are unsure; ask your flute teacher as they will be able to advise you on what study/ies would be suitable for your level of playing.

Creative Keepsakes

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about creative keepsakes, and why you might want to keep them and how to store them for future reference.

The idea of having creative keepsakes is so then you can look back into your past from the future, and say "I used to do x, y, z when I was younger", or 'This is how far I progressed and developed in a certain area". Keepsakes can be kept for anything, not just creative subjects. These can you be your results from your GCSEs, AS/ A Levels, Vocational Courses and your degrees; just as an idea of what you can keep as a keepsake.

Practice Journals

Keeping practice journals are a great way to see how far that you have progressed and developed over the years. I usually write out my practice sessions in rough first, and I then I transfer those practice session notes over to a really nice notebook. For a really nice notebook I like to use a company called 'Papier', as their paper quality is really nice and you can customise the front with whatever you want. I have one Papier notebook per Grade. 

Certificates

These certificates can be from any graded music/ drama exams that you have taken over the years, any dance exams or anything else that you have gained a certificate for. In some cases, you may have a pay a small fee to get an 'official' certificate; or you may have the option to download and print off your certificate/s at home. For storing certificates I really like to use the display books from Shopake, and these come in about four different colours; so you could have one/ multiple for each area of study that you do i.e) one for music, one for drama and one for dance; or one colour for each of the different instruments you are learning and that you are doing your grades in. For any diplomas, you may need a larger display book as I think the certificates are slightly larger than A4.

Exam Feedback

Feedback from examiners is also a really nice thing to keep, as that again you will be able to look back at and see how far you have progressed and developed over the years. You could keep the feedback behind the relevant certificate that you have achieved, so that way you have the complete picture for your progression at that time of your learning and development.

Trophies & Awards

These could be trophies and awards that you have earned by entering into competitions, or just taking part in general.

Score Studies

Score studies start to get introduced at the higher grades, and this is when you do a score analysis of your instruments part, your part with the piano, and any recordings that you have listened to of those pieces of music to form part of the study; as well as any practice plans and ideas on how you like to interpret those pieces of music. For Score Studies I like to do mine in rough first, and then transfer them to a nice notebook. The notebooks that I like to use are from Kenji; and I use one notebook per piece of music.

Scripts

These scripts could be from all of the works that you have had to do as part of your graded drama exams, or from any productions that you have taken part in.

General Notes & Planning

These notes could be from planning your performance diploma and doing performance notes as part of that diploma; or planning on what order you would like to play/ perform your pieces/ monologues/ short excerpts in. This is just really any about keeping any planning that you do, and how you have progressed from the beginning stage to the end stage. This could also include any colour schemes and outfit ideas that you have for your exams.

 

Music Literature: The Complete Classical Music Guide (DK Encyclopaedias)

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about 'The Complete Classical Music Guide from DK Encyclopaedias.

This is a brilliant book for anyone whose interested in learning about the world of classical music, as it covers a wide variety of different subject areas. It's also goes into depth, but without being overwhelming for the reader.

The areas that this book covers are :-

- Understanding music notation and the stave

- Families of musical instruments

- Going to see an orchestra and what to expect

- Different genres of classical music & their composers

- Well known pieces of classical music

This book is great, as it gives you an understanding of the different eras of classical music and the composers that was within those eras. But, it also gives you a a brief history of the composers, as well as a few of their well known compositions and a little timeline of their life.

Another area covered within this book is the different types of orchestras that have occurred throughout history, and the formats. It goes into detail about solo recitals, modern orchestras, professional musicians and the modern day audience. It also explains what to expect from going to orchestra, and how to behave when attending an orchestra.

The DK Complete Guide to Classical Music is a brilliant resource for anyone whose looking for gaining some more knowledge about the world of classical music. The book is also written in manageable chunks to make it so much easier for you to digest the information, and to also understand it a little more easily.

Refining Your Exam Pieces

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about refining your exam pieces before you take your music exam.

When it comes to refining pieces of music for your exams to get them up to a high standard of playing, you may just need a little more time to go through just a few areas that need some minor attention in your practice sessions.

Play the Piece/s Through 

To help you identify any areas that need a little more work, play all of your pieces through fully a few times. As this will help you to figure which areas needs some more attention within your pieces.

Tone

Also when refining your exam pieces, you may also want to work on your tone and tonal colours for these pieces; to see if thats what you would like your piece to sound like. You may also want to work on giving your pieces a fuller, and richer tone; which will enable you to create more depth.

Phrasing

You might find that you may need to smooth out a few areas of phrasing, to make your piece flow a lot better. Also, you may want to work on your air support to enable to phrase a longer phrase/ section as smoothly as possible.

Articulation

You may find that your articulation isn't as clean and crisp as you want to be in certain areas of your pieces. You might want to work on an easy study to help you to crisp up your articulation, and to make it easier for you to articulate within your pieces of music.

Slow Practice

Playing the pieces through at a slower tempo to help you to identify any additional areas that need work, or just play the pieces through slowly to solidify any improvements that you have made to your pieces.

Feel free to do what ever it is that you need to do to get the best grade possible in your music exams, but also make sure that you take your time. Also, you can also analyse your practice as you go along; and this will also identify any areas that need working on earlier on in your music practice.

Getting Started with a Practice Journal for Music

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about getting started with a practice journal, and what to include within your practice journal.

A practice journal will be different for every person, as everyone is at a different stage within their learning. 

Before even starting a practice journal, I would recommend making a list of areas that your teacher has set you to focus on for that week, two weeks or that month. So then, you will have a visual reference to see what you need to work on.

Music

Areas in Music to Cover in Your Practice Journal

- Scales & Arpeggios

- Sight Reading

- Studies, Etudes & Exercises

- Exam Pieces

- Pieces

- Orchestral Excerpts

- Tutor Books

Scales & Arpeggios

Scales & arpeggios form the basics of any musical learning, and its important that these are included within your practice journal. Work with your teachers to see which scales and arpeggios they would like you to focus on for a period of time. These will also change over time, the more you progress through your grades. Scales and arpeggios also form part of graded music exams.

Sight Reading

Your teacher may want you to work on your sight reading, so this is why I have included this, and this can also form part of graded music exams.

Studies, Etudes & Exercises

Studies, etudes and exercises can work in two ways, and they are that they can form part of a graded exam or just as an something extra for you to learn and focus on. For exam material studies usually start around Grade 4, and exercises for exams usually run from Grade 1 - Grade 5. But, if its just additional material for you to learn then studies can range from beginner level right the way through to advanced level.

Exam Pieces

This is for any exam pieces you are currently working on, and depending on which exam board and format of exam you are doing this can vary between three and four pieces.

Pieces

This is for any additional pieces of music that you need to learn and focus on. But, you may also be learning another piece of music on top of your exam pieces.

Orchestral Excerpts

Orchestral excerpts are for more advanced players, and these maybe introduced around Grade 6 for you to learn and master. Orchestral excerpts work in a similar way to studies, but these are shorter excerpts of well known orchestral music.

Tutor Books

This is for anyone whose just started learning a musical instrument, and within these tutor books are easy exercises, scales and short pieces of simplified music to enable you to get used to your musical instrument. Your teacher will most likely set you tasks to do from these tutor methods, and these books will also get you ready to start working towards your grades.

This should give you a better idea of what to include in your own music journal, but also some of may not apply to the earlier stages of music such as Orchestral Excerpts. Please adapt this list to your stage of your musical learning.

My Music Literature Collection

Hi everyone,

In todays post I thought that I would share with you my collection of music literature.

I have been collecting books related to classical music over a number of years, and this collection resides alongside my sheet music.

DK The Classical Music Guide

This is an encyclopaedia filled everything you would ever want to know about the world of classical music, and its done in small chunks that are easy to understand. It goes through everything from musical instruments, reading music, the orchestra, as well as various composers and well known works of classical music.

On Playing the Flute (Quantz)

This book is brilliant if you want to gain a better understanding of playing Baroque music, and it gives really nice explanations on how play in a Baroque style and the techniques used in the Baroque era. Even though this is aimed at flute players, don't be fooled as anyone can use it and apply the theory to their instrument. You just might need to adjust it a little bit to get it to work for you. If you are unsure about playing in the Baroque style; I would recommend that you talk to your teacher.

Year of Wonder & Another Year of Wonder (Clemency Burton-Hill)

If you ever wanted to learn about classical pieces of music, then these books are fantastic. These books are piece a music for to read over the course of a year - one a day; and they go through a range of different composers. They also range from Early Music right the way up to the modern day era. Each page is filled with information regarding the composer, the era and explanation of what that piece of music is about. Short, and easy to understand 'bursts of information' of classical pieces of music.

Everything You Have Ever Wanted to Know About Classical Music (Classic FM)

This is also a fun little book to help to gain a better understanding of classical music. It goes through composers, eras, styles, concert halls; as well as well known pieces of classical music. It's also written in a format that is easy to digest, so then it isn't overwhelming for the reader.

The Art of Practicing (Madeline Brusser)

This is really well book that musicians and learners use to help them to develop their practice, and to become better at practicing a musical instrument. It's filled with loads of information to help you to get the most out of your practice sessions.

Advice for Young Musicians (Robert Schumann & Steven Isserlis)

Even though this book is aimed at young musicians; there's still a wealth of information that all players alike can benefit from. There's also some really nice quotes throughout the book, along with explanations of what the quotes mean. 

Oxford Dictionary of Musical Terms

This is also a pretty standard book that most musicians and learners have; and what this is, is a dictionary that goes through all of the musical terms that you will use throughout your musical journey. It's similar to the music glossary that you will find at the end of each music theory grade, but this dictionary covers a lot more.