[nabs-l] Braille Music

[Kaiti Shelton]

Hi,

I started learning by ear, and did that only for the first 4 years of
playing the clarinet.  I still did it most of the time in high school
because it was difficult for me to get print music to send to a
transcriber from my band director, and do it now in college along with
reading braille music.  What I've noticed is that by learning by ear I
picked up on a lot of the theoretical concepts through trial and
error.  I chunked things into scale and arpegio patterns.  I did not
know the name for a scale with a C major key signature but went from E
to E was called, but once I learned about modes it was just a matter
of matching the names to the different scale degrees.  I had a much
easier time in theory I in college than some of my sighted classmates
because I had these theoretical concepts under my belt.  I think what
happens with sighted musicians is that they get so robotic and just
play the notes they see on the page without actually thinking about
them.  That is one major advantage to using your ear and braille
music; you are forced to see music in harmonic chunks and to practice
these theoretical concepts whenever you play.

I do think learning by ear is important, because it does exercise
these skills, but braille music is important for accuracy too.

On 12/26/13, Wasif, Zunaira <Zunaira.Wasif at dbs.fldoe.org> wrote:
> I played piano for over ten years, but never learned braille music.  It's
> really important to have the music theory concepts, though, even if you are
> learning by ear.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kaiti Shelton
> Sent: Wednesday, December 25, 2013 2:30 PM
> To: louvins at gmail.com; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Braille Music
>
> The key with learning braille music is the same key for doing anything in
> music; practice, practice, practice.  Repetition is the best way to get it
> into your head so that you can pick up a page of music and just read it,
> like you would with a page from a literary braille book.
>
> On 12/24/13, Joshua Hendrickson <louvins at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi to all.  I've taken a few music classes in college, but none of
>> them required to use any kind of music notation.  I don't know how to
>> read braille music.  When I play the guitar and learn a new song, I do
>> everything by ear.  I first listen to the song I want to learn several
>> times and just listen to it.  Then I get out my guitar and figure out
>> what key the song is in.  Then once I've figured out all the chord
>> changes and the melody, I next decide if I can sing the song in its
>> original key, or if I have to transpose it.
>>
>> On 12/24/13, marissa <pianogirlforlife7 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> I am starting to read braille music as well.  I realize that it is a
>>> d in my head, but know it is an 8th note c because I have a page that
>>> has the basics of braille music.  I use this page to figure out small
>>> songs and keep at it.
>>>
>>>
>>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: <trising at sbcglobal.net
>>> To: <sandragayer7 at gmail.com>,"National Association of Blind Students
>>> mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org Date sent: Tue, 24 Dec 2013 12:22:04
>>> -0500
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Braille Music
>>>
>>> Hello:
>>>
>>>      I have a Master's Degree in Voice and also teach voice.  I am a
>>> soprano as well and sing in two or three choirs, depending on the
>>> time of year.  I also do as much solo work as possible.  I would
>>> really like to learn Braille music.  I read Braille at 300 words per
>>> minute and I have helped people improve their Braille reading speeds,
>>> but when I look at Braille music, what I feel is what the letter is
>>> supposed to be in real Braille and not in Braille music.  For
>>> instance, I feel dots 1, 4, 5, and my brain instantly says D and not
>>> eight note C.  I did all of my college work by ear and got high
>>> grades doing it, but I know Braille music would be of benefit.
>>> Sandra, how do you get your brain to turn off recognizing Braille as
>>> Braille and get it to recognize Braille music, since the symbols are
>>> the same? I hope this question is clearer than mud!!
>>>
>>> Merry Christmas from
>>> Terri and Nick Wilcox
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>
>
> --
> Kaiti
>
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-- 
Kaiti