RE: [Harp-L] A question for sight readers

["Michael Peloquin" <peloquinharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> From: "Tinus Koorn" <tinus@xxxxxxx>
> > C harp down and pick up a Bb harp, the relationship moves.
> > How to you deal
> > with that?
> Don't play anything other than a C harmonica,
> transpose the sheetmusic.
> or learn to transpose on sight.
> I have been playing with trumpets and alt sax a lot so I have sort of
> learned to read Bb and Eb scores for the c harmonica.
> (In general I am a very bad reader but I sort of manage some off the time)
> This is easier than you think as long as the music stays more or less in 
> one
> key so you can read it in functions.
> If the note you see on the page is the fifth of the key you are in it will
> still be the fith of the scale when you move the piece to a different key.
> When a lot of chromatisism occurs it gets difficult to relate the notes to 
> a
> certain scale and things get messy.


Learn to connect your "ear" playing on diatonic to functional theory (ie: 
scale numbers.)

Start learning how to play simple melodies and all major scales (up to the 
9th degree) and back down on CHROMATIC.

Learn the notes that you are playing and then relate them back to the scale 
numbers.

Learn simple chord arpeggios and melodies in every key.

Work on 1 key every day for a week and then proceed around the circle of 
5ths/4ths.
I say chromatic because it is all there, you have the technique to play the 
instrument already. Go slowly, use the chrom as a tool. Maybe eventually you 
might like it and become a chromatic player!
Keyboards are great too and so much more visual. Learn the same elementary 
stuff on a keyboard and don't worry about technique, it is only a tool for 
you at this point.
Internalize, and viualize.

Learn your intervals by sound and sight and know them inside & out by sound 
and sight.
Plenty of computer help free and paid to work on ear training.

Reading on diatonic can then be done as Tinus says by scale numbers. 
Chromaticism is a hurdle but read the simple stuff; get an elementary flute 
or sax band method book.

It then starts to be like the way that singers sight read. (Solfege)

Or don't do any of this and just have fun. I think all of this is fun too 
though!
Oh yeah, don't shoot the messenger or spin his message. Put the effort into 
raising the bar.
Gotta go play a session where they need some 3D-4D warble for a prison 
scene, oh well.

Michael Peloquin
http://tinyurl.com/5tpjg
http://www.harpsax.com