Sheet Music Discussion - *Official Thread*

Is there anyone out there who can read sheet music? I've asked everyone I know, and none of them can. All I know is the notes (A to G). I found some SW sheet music on www.musicnotes.com but there's no notes on it.

If anyone knows how to read it, and could be bothered to translate it, I'd be massively grateful!

The music I wanted is here: the Imperial March or Across the Stars in particular.

EDIT: I'm making this official, so that we can keep the sheet music discussion/questions to one thread.

 

i can read sheet music... well, afterall, i've been in music since the 4th grade and reading music is the first thing i learned...

 

Actually, this leads me, too, to wonder - how hard is it to learn how to read sheet music? I only ask because there are numerous pieces, like "Across The Stars", that I would love to be able to demonstrate musically; indeed, it's when pieces of music like this come up that I'm all the more galvanized to finally apply myself to a musical instrument. Naturally I'm leaning most towards the piano, but I also have certain yearnings for the violin as well....soulful, passionate, at times heartbreaking instrument that it is. I don't like to think that it's a matter of getting in over my head, exactly....I mean, I *do* very much want to learn, if only so that I too can finally play beautiful pieces like "Across The Stars"....and this is why I dearly hope that even I, too, can learn musical notation fairly readily and naturally.

Although, oh, do I ever have regrets that I never learned earlier, it's true....but by the same token, it's never too late to start, though, is it? Just so long as I try it at all....


Dawn.

 

Sheet music is very easy. The shape of the note determines its duration and the placement determines its tone. Then there are rests and some other things.

 

wow thats cool! i can read music too. ive been reading for about 9 years now.

 

Learning to read sheet-music isn't especially hard, but it does take time and dedication. It is easiest to learn by starting off on the piano - the theory makes much more sense if you can see the notes in front of you - and it is fun to be able to play what you are learning to read. I strongly dissuade anyone from starting off with a string instrument, however - I am a long-time violinist and cellist, but would have found it exceedingly difficult without some theory and piano background. As soon as you learn to read, string instruments are the realms of heaven - but they take exceptional amounts of time to learn and master, and are much more difficult to start off with than piano. I recommend that you speak with someone in your area familiar with music before doing anything - go to a violin or piano dealer, for example, for they are often quite experienced and can find you a teacher or class to start off with. I'm glad you're interested in learning - I think you'll find that playing a musical instrument is one of the most fulfilling things you could possibly be doing in life.

 

I started off playing the cello without any piano background, and without being able to read music at all. It takes a little time, but I think learning to read music is actually kind of easy. Of course it's hard at first and it takes some getting used to, but after a little while you adjust and you have little or no problems.

Oh yeah... Cellos rock.

 

I can read sheet music. i play a few intruments. oboe, piano, and clarinet

 

Ummm...ok, can anyone give me a translation or give tutorials in reading sheet music? Or does anyone know of a website that gives tutorials?

 

FurryDuck: Actually, I did too. But I think if someone is going to start now , its a lot easier to start with an instrument that logically makes sense - that is, unless you are very good at hearing, b/c you should be able to find the notes quickly. But from my experience with watching others learn string instruments at older ages, I've found people enjoy it more if they start off with piano... Just an observation.

 

lines bottom of the staff to top are e,g,b,d,f and the spaces bottom to top are f,a,c,e. and if your playing on the piano, c is the white key next to the two black keys. and a c# would be the black key to the right of the white. notice you dont see a lot of e#'s in music, because there is no black key next to the e, e# is the same as f natural... the same goes with b... also if you see a flat... like Bb... that is the black key to the left of b... same as a#... and so on...

 

Hey, guys....listen, thanks so much for all the helpful suggestions and encouragement; it's a great relief to know that this is something I *can* in fact do. One thing I have noticed, though, in looking at some ads for piano teachers....why does it seem like they focus so much on teaching younger children (which is good, of course, and is to be completely encouraged) - but to the detriment or exclusion of adults....or, in my case, adults who thrive on being all child-like - when we, too, *do* want to learn? It's not necessarily a criticism, so much as it is just a general wondering....ment, on my part. I mean, it's obviously not just the young'uns who are plenty eager, ready and willing to learn this stuff. And I just - I do hope that it's not too difficult for me to find those same resources. Thanks to everyone's advice here, for sure I'll be lookin' straightaways....wish me luck.

And to be honest....I've always wanted to learn the piano first and foremost. Now, that may have been piqued in me to some extent after being told that I had excellent hands for the piano - nice, long, slim fingers....hey, what can I say, I thrive on stuff like that. And I've always figured....surely it stands for something when I keep practicing my fingering on an imaginary piano....air-playing, as it were. Although....surely this doesn't make me crazy, right? Right?


Dawn.

 

im not the best piano player, but i do know how to play it, if you have any questions please drop me a line.

 

I know what the notes are: I just can't understand this kind of sheet music...

 

what's so different?

 

Sorry; I didn't see your post up there...

I do have a question though...what does it mean when there are two (or more) notes on top of each other? Do you have to press all of them at the same time or something?

 

Yes. But sometimes just the theme is with one note and the other notes are accompiananment.

 

How can you tell which is the main theme and which is the accompaning notes?

 

Its in the direction of the Stem. The "Main Theme" normally has the stem pointed up while the accompanyment is pointed down. Also, in a chord, the note that is on the top is the melody while the rest is accompanyment.

 

How about if there are 3 on top of each other and the stems are ALL pointing up?

 

That could be a chord.

 

anytime you see notes stacked on top of each other, its a chord. you play them all at the same time whether the stem is pointing up or down.

 

In regards to Qui-Dawn...

The main reason that music is usually pitched (sorry for the pun) to youger children is that the brain process and learns musical skills the same way that it learns Languages. Just as kids are more prone to learn a language easily, they can pick up music quickly.

Also, there is a theory that all children are born with perfect pitch, and that they loose that ability during the ages of 3-5. The amount of musical training they have during this time is crucial to retain these abilities. After 5, a child innate musical abilities continue to develope until about 10, which is called thier Musical Aptitude (NOT talent). So, in giving a child musical training, they are more likely to have strong musical abilities.

This is not to say that it is "too late," not by any means. I myself never learned piano until I got to college, and I am trying my hardest to become skilled at it. However, it requires more work for me than it would a child.

Hope this helped

 

TenorAprentice - ah, I see. Thanks for the clarification. That does make some sense, I suppose....but neither do I like to feel like I'm being neglected when it comes to the art of learning how to read music, and then from there it's on to an instrument....I mean, it's never too late to do that, I've always thought. Fortunately I'd have to say that I'm not at all adverse to the work so long as I know it's all for a purpose, for a very good cause....and I can't imagine a better cause than this.


Dawn.