A main feature of western music is its meter, a repeating pattern of pulses with a regular accent pattern.

Music has three different meters: duple time, triple time, and quadruple time.  The names of these meters reflect the number of pulses or beats in each measure of music:  duple time tells us that the meter has two pulses per measure, triple time has three, and quadruple time has four pulses per measure.

 For each of these meters there is also a basic accent pattern.  Duple time has a strong-weak pattern, a triple meter usually has a strong-weak-weak pattern, and quadruple meter has a strong-weak-medium weak pattern for each measure.  There are variations to these accent patterns for specific genres or styles, or occasionally  composers will play with our expectations of these meters, but for our purposes here, we shall stick with these basic patterns.

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Accelerando (Italian: becoming faster) is a word used to show that the music should be played at an increasing pace. It does not normally show that the entire piece should be sped up, but that a particular part of the score should be accelerated.

Accompaniment is an additional part for a performer of any kind that is less important than another, which it serves to support and enhance. The piano is often used to provide an accompaniment to a solo singer. In instrumental works the roles may be reversed. (For instance, a violin may accompany a piano solo or vice versa)

These are basics music reading terms, and there are many terms in music theory and music education that we’ll begin to cover slowly. Stay tuned to learn all about how to read music notes, music terminology, and music reading tips.

You and your teacher have chosen a new piece to learn, and you are expecting this to be a mid to long term project, say at least a few months.  It is useful to have a clear approach to learning this piece that will maximize your practice time.

To begin with, listen to several different recordings of the piece.  This will teach you many things about the piece, but in some ways more importantly, you will hear more than one particular interpretation of the music; we don’t want to be tied to any one performance as being the correct one.

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1. Repetition is critical if you want to learn to read music.

OK, not the most exciting form of learning in the world, but the simple fact is it works. Even as children we learn to speak through repeating our parents and the others around us. The more you read music notes (even if slowly), taking it in, ensuring you mull over the points made, again and again, visualising it in your head, the more it will stay in your brain…

Most of you have studied for exams by reviewing, and the first stage or two of learning to read music is much the same thing – BUT – take your time. Do not cram. Read small sections, and really take them in, concentrate on that small musical “phrase” and let it settle in the brain. You’ll start to ease it in to the subconscious quite easily this way, just the way top musicians do. They study music reading in small pieces and then proficiency comes all of a sudden.

 2. Visualize Music Notes and Musical Basics.

By breaking down subjects into similar groups (for example, particular music notes, the signs for different keys, different musical notation, basic music theory) you can learn their value and meaning very easily. But do this by using prompt cards, or even better, an online music reading course. If you’re going to use cards, here’s what to do:

Write down in large print, notes and their names, key signatures and so on, on one card each. Stack them in a pack, and turn each over one at a time. Concentrate of what you see, focus on its exact detail and meaning, take a mental snapshot of that card. Then move on to the next. The amazing part is that your mind quickly picks up on the information, even when you don’t realize it.    After doing this for several days, cover up the music note, or the time signature, or whichever you happen to be practicing, and try recognising and reciting the note without help. You’ll be suprised how much you retain. (Hint: to really speed up your learning to read music, integrate as many senses as possible… More to come in the next post)

3. Use “Dead” Time Studying Music Reading.

Do not over do it. You’ll get frustrated, tired and bored if you go at it too hard. Too many people try to learn to read music in an evening and after 3 or 4 solid hours of studing they’re burned out and their brain hurts! (Not to mention it’s not even an effective way to learn)

Put in 15-20 minutes per day studying your music notes, music theory and learning how to read music. Use 5 or 10 minutes ‘here or there’ between classes or on a break at work. Most people find this small amount of time each day, without disrupting other parts of their lives, and it means you get a good, regular session of learning.

Perhaps even more important than learning how to read music in the first place is retaining what you’re learning! Small but consistent amounts of time often will have far more retention benefits than a four hour cram!

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