Sight Reading for A Beginner.
I noticed recently, as a beginning Euph player that my scale drills, long tones and other exercises had some limits. As I started working on reading, using typical parts for the community bands I hope to play in, the difficulty of the parts was interfering with getting comfortable with my fingers finding the right combinations for what was on the page. I can sing the parts and buzz them, but making my fingers behave was a problem with that music. My progress was slower than it should be.
I thought about it, and finally realized that for an old woodwind player, there was a conceptual problem, and that 16th note passages weren't helping. What to do?
I think I've found a solution. I grabbed an old hymnal from the piano bench. By sight reading the tenor and bass lines, in a wide range of keys, the frustration is less, and I'm able to play almost in tempo. The music is far from challenging, but I'm able to play something as I build the necessary eye to finger coordination.
I really think my progress will be faster using this strategy. Interesting. Teaching yourself is always a challenge, it seems, but I've done it before with several instruments, so I can do it again.
Last edited by Garcky; 01-21-2015 at 10:26 AM.
3-valve Blessing B-350 Euphonium