[MusicTlk] Two quick questions about learning piano pieces and getting better at Braille music

Tue Apr 20 01:22:31 UTC 2021

thanks for all the great advice. I welcome any and all suggestions.
I'm kind of bummed out that the Hannon and John Thompson books don't
appear to be in Braille, though. I hope I'm wrong. I really appreciate
everyone's help.

Jen

On 4/19/21, Sandra Gayer via MusicTlk <musictlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello Jennifer,
> I am a Braille Music Teacher and one of the best ways of improving
> reading skills is to keep reading and playing. One way of learning
> music quickly is to read and play sections one hand at a time and, as
> it were, glew them together. For example, reading the lefthand part of
> bars 1-4 with your righthand so that you could play it with your
> lefthand at the same time. Then swapping over and then you have a 4
> bar phrase learned before moving onto the next chunk.
>
> Very best wishes,
> Sandra.
>
> On 4/19/21, Mike Jolls via MusicTlk <musictlk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> Dear Jennifer
>>
>> I can’t speak to reading Braille music, but I can speak to playing
>> classical.
>>
>> First, find a good method book series that can prepare you with some
>> simpler
>> music, give you theory, etc …  I studied the John Thompson books (I would
>> suggest avoiding the Shuam books … too juvenile).  And while you’re doing
>> that, make sure you study your scales, keys, and exercises such as Hannon.
>> I have the book with all 60 exercises.  Hannon is good for stretching your
>> fingers, and there are some exercises that you will use in classical
>> pieces.
>>  The Trill (covered in Hannon) is a critical skill, for example.  I’ve
>> found
>> other skills in Hannon that I practice on a regular basis to keep the
>> skills
>> up.  Starting off with the method book and Hannon and other exercises will
>> give you a background when you eventually get to the classical works.  And
>> it won’t take you that long to get through this prep work if you’re
>> serious.
>>  I think I studied for a couple of years before starting to tackle my
>> first
>> classical piece (Chopin Nocturne 9 No. 2).  And I really NEEDED to do that
>> prep work.
>>
>> Make sure you have a good teacher.  If you don’t have one, get one.  A
>> good
>> teacher is worth their weight in gold.  They will save you time.  They’ll
>> show you fingering patters that will be important when learning certain
>> pieces.  They will correct mistakes from becoming bad habits that have to
>> be
>> broken.  And trust me on this … ALL TEAHCERS ARE NOT CREATED EQUALLY.  The
>> teacher I had before COVID was a teacher of blind students.  He knew how
>> to
>> teach me to play by feel.  That was important because with my poor vision,
>> seeing to hit the keys rapidly was a bit beyond my visual ability.
>> Playing
>> by feel and using muscle memory has been key to my success.  My first two
>> teachers didn’t have a clue about helping me with my vision problem.  My
>> third teacher really cut through the problem and helped me a lot.
>>
>> And let me say, if the teacher that you find that works for you is more
>> expensive, PAY IT.  My third teacher was $35 a half hour, but he was
>> SOOOOO
>> worth it.  The first two teachers were less money, but they couldn’t help
>> me
>> deal with the vision problem in the way I needed help.
>>
>> Also, if the teacher tells you all you need to learn is to play chords in
>> the left hand and melody in the right (which is what my first teacher did
>> ..
>> who worked at a music store) .. and says you don’t need Hannon, find
>> another
>> teacher.  I improved so much with learning Hannon, and I wasted a year
>> with
>> him.  Well, I did learn SOME THINGS, but I eventually left.
>>
>> When playing classical pieces, repetition will be key.  Take it a line on
>> the page at a time, or maybe even a couple of measures at a time.  Play
>> hands separate, and a bit slowly on each hand until you get it in your
>> brain.  Then when both hands can play their part and you know the timing,
>> play hands together slowly.  As you get the passages you’re working on,
>> you
>> can speed it up.  Remember what my third teacher told me.  If you can’t
>> play
>> it slowly, you can’t play it fast.  SO TRUE!!
>>
>> In your case with Braille music, you’ll be reading it a measure or two at
>> a
>> time and learning each hand and putting them together.  I’m a low vision
>> sighted player.  I play off of sheet music and read it with a telescope,
>> and
>> I have to do that too.  The only difference is that I’m reading sheet
>> music
>> and you’re reading Braille.
>>
>> I hope that gives you some tips.  So far I’ve learned how to play (with my
>> third teacher’s help)
>>
>> Scott Joplin … Maple Leaf Rag, Easy Winners, The Entertainer
>> Claude Debussay … Claire De Lune
>> Chopin … Nocturne in Eb major
>>
>> Each of these pieces took about 3 months at minimum to learn.  It takes
>> time
>> and dedication and practice on a regular basis but it is sooooo worth it
>> as
>> you’re going along and you get it.
>>
>> I’ve been on my own for about a year because of COVID and I’m learning
>> Franz
>> Liszt’s Liebestraum.  It’s definitely challenging.  Maybe I can get back
>> to
>> my teacher.  I miss working with him.
>>
>> Good luck.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows
>> 10
>>
>> From: Debra Baxley via MusicTlk<mailto:musictlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2021 4:23 PM
>> To: Jennifer Bose via MusicTlk<mailto:musictlk at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Debra Baxley<mailto:debrabaxley330 at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [MusicTlk] Two quick questions about learning piano pieces
>> and
>> getting better at Braille music
>>
>> The Dancing Dots series of books is a good resource.  Though an older
>> resource, try Primer Of Braille Music by Bettye Krolick. Also, How To
>> Read Braille MMusic is a good one.
>>
>>
>> Debra
>>
>> On 4/17/2021 4:13 PM, Jennifer Bose via MusicTlk wrote:
>>> Hi, listers.
>>>
>>> I hope you're all well. Two quick questions here for anyone interested
>>> in answering:
>>> 1. What are good strategies to learn complex classical pieces (besides
>>> practicing, of course): A combination of Braille music and playing by
>>> ear? Any apps helpful with this?
>>> What are the best current resources for getting good at reading
>>> Braille piano music?
>>>
>>> Thanks, everyone.
>>>
>>> Jen
>>>
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>
>
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>
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