Re: Reading Music

["Tinus" <tinus@xxxxxxx>]

> I do find it odd to have to
> picture different layouts in my mind- and I can't help
> but think this complicates things; as far as a
> PRACTICAL approach to site-reading technique etc..

I don't see it as so much a different layout, but more as a mask over the
notes of the harmonica.
I have a constant picture of the notes on the harmonica and think of the
notes in shades when I switchs to a different key. It is almost like the
notes that are in the scale I am thinking of light up in my mental picture
of the harp.

I think that this is a very practical approach to sight-reading.

The key signature on the music informs you which scale is the current one
you are playing so if the notes of that scale light up in your mental
picture of the harp you will likely play them and not notes that are outside
the scale. When reading the music any accidentals you come accross will
stand out clearly as notes that are not in that scale.
Reading the relations between notes rather than what note they stand for
will come gradualy but will make reading much easier.

Write down a C major arpeggio and you will see that it is quite easy to
identify thirds in written music.
You might think that you need to know whether they are major or minor
thirds, but when you are aware of the keysignature the major and minor third
intervals are not something you think about, they are there in the scale.

By the way I designed the layout page I made on my mental picture of the
harp, where the notes of the scale or chord I am thinking of lights up and
where the tonics have a special emphasis.

http://www.overblow.com/harmonica

Now that I think of it I forgot to make a movable DO option.
I will try and put that in for you, that might help.

> It takes an
> awful lot of drilling to, not only ~know your way
> around the harp~ [as Mike Will used to say], but also
> always be able to know where your next fa or la is.

Take it one position at a time and I think you will find it to be well worth
the effort.

Tinus
http://www.tenhole.com
Overblows and Overdraws on the Diatonic Harmonica.

http://www.overblow.com/harmonica
Scale and Chord finder for the harmonica and all alternative tunings.