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Music

From classical to pop, join the discussion on our Music forum.

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Original poster

Does your dc read music

17 replies

goingforth · 27/07/2019 12:51

Just that really, when I had music lessons initially I would just end up learning exam pieces by heart and playing them, as I got older I got better at reading music and now can pick up a piece an play it.

My dc music teacher says that it’s unacceptable my dc has learned the music off by heart, is clearly not even looking at the music but I used to do this when I was young and it didn’t affect me in the long term.

Should I be concerned?

OP posts:

titchy · 27/07/2019 13:08

How can your child do the sight reading part of the exam if they can't read music?

PhantomErik · 27/07/2019 13:13

My dd plays the piano & reads music but she's memorised the pieces she's learning for her exam. Her teacher is pointing out she must look & read the music to see the dynamics & in case she makes a mistake & needs to know where she is.

He's making her start at random spots which has been a challenge but it's made a huge difference to her playing & confidence.

Also sightreading is usually part of the exam as well as the theory so not sure how you'd get around that!

GaraMedouar · 27/07/2019 13:16

I don’t think it’s an issue to learn the exam pieces off by heart. I never could - I’m sure it’s a different way the brain is wired. But they will still need to do sightreading practise alongside. If they can do both then that’s great.

Original poster

goingforth · 27/07/2019 13:28

@PhantomErik that’s what I mean, she can read music but ends up learning the pieces by heart from so much practise. She’s also learnt all the dynamics by heart so I’m wondering if it’s so she can look like she’s reading the music in the exam but not sure.
She can read music but just doesn’t even look at the score for her pieces.
If you play her a stretch of music she’s just good at playing it by ear so the teacher plays it and she can play it straight after (early grade obviously won’t be happening on later grades) so she just does that.

OP posts:

Pineapplefish · 27/07/2019 13:30

My DC do the same as yours, OP, and it doesn't seem to be holding them back at all.

dun1urkin · 27/07/2019 13:35

When I did music exams (albeit 30 years ago) there was always a sight reading test, do they not do this anymore? (There mustn’t have been sight reading in OP’s time of doing exams, so am guessing things must have changed)

OP if your daughter wants to do exams and there’s sight reading in them then the music teacher has a point. If she plays the sort of instrument where she might want to play in an organised group then fluency in reading music would be helpful to her.
If she just wants to play informally then who cares

Original poster

goingforth · 27/07/2019 13:36

Thanks @Pineapplefish her playing is great so I wondered if maybe she might lose points for not looking at the music.

OP posts:

Original poster

goingforth · 27/07/2019 13:36

@dun1urkin yes there’s a sight reading test. She’s ok with sight reading but she just ends up learning her pieces from memory over time and then doesn’t look at the book anymore.

OP posts:

dun1urkin · 27/07/2019 13:38

Awww sounds like it’s nothing to bother about then

BikeRunSki · 27/07/2019 13:39

My dc both play instruments, both read music. DS plays classical guitar and ukelele, and reads tab notation as well as tradition staves.

GaraMedouar · 27/07/2019 14:48

I think it’s a real skill and talent. Soloists playing whole concertos do so off by heart !

NeverEverAnythingEver · 29/07/2019 16:07

If she manages to learn the music off by heart including all the dynamics and stuff, and she can read music, then what'w the problem?

It does sound funny. Lots of people (including me) would kill to be able to memorise whole pieces ...

Pineapplefish · 29/07/2019 19:30

My DC1 who does this also learnt to read by recognising / remembering the words rather than the phonics method. His teacher didn't like that either! Whatever works I say!

FlukeSkyeRunner · 01/08/2019 15:51

Playing without reference to the music in an exam won't effect the marking

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 01/08/2019 17:44

Both my DS's are reasonably musical. Both can sightread (essential for doing grade exams) but both will learn performance pieces. DS1 is now at conservatoire studying piano, his recital performances are required to be learned by heart.
In a grade exam if you know the pieces by heart you will definitely not be penalised.

Original poster

goingforth · 02/08/2019 20:16

@Pineapplefish good point dd also does this and is second best reader in her class. Maybe I’ll let this slide...

Thanks to those who explained she won’t lose marks for learning pieces off by heart too.
And @Grumpyoldpersonwithcats well done to your ds at his conservatoire.
Piano is a hard instrument to get a place on!

OP posts:

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 02/08/2019 22:28

goingforth
Many thanks - you're right and we really didn't know if he'd get in; he applied to university to study music as well, but he ended up getting the conservatoire place he wanted.
He's absolutely loving it .

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