Can you read music?

[hoby12 0]

Silly Question - but I am just curious.

[Jeshopk 8]

Yes, but I its easier for me to write my own down than it is to read something I've never heard and imagine it in my mind.

And I suck at sight reading with an instrument. I'm just not very coordinated. Thank god for computers.

[Kendal_Ozzel 36]

Sort of. I kind of have to de-code it with the the whole "FACE" and "Every Good Boy..." thing first. And even then it's kind of iffy. If I'm going to play something on a piano, I do better by ear.

[SeekUYoda 0]

Yes

SeekUYoda, whose degrees are in music performance

[John McClane 1]

I can't vote...I would have vote for "not anymore".

I studied piano when I was 7-8 years old, but it's about 15 years I don't study music anymore, so I can't remember how to read music.

Mirko - who now plays guitar, so he play with tablatures that are so damn easy to read.

[RomanticStrings 10]

I can read music. I can sight-read quite well, too, because I read rhythms and pitches easily, but when it comes to hearing something in my head, I have difficulty. A single line is easy, but add two lines or more, especially polyphony, and I don't hear it. I hope to eventually overcome this because I would like to conduct, but that will only come with practice, I guess, for which I don't have much time.

~Conor

[ChrisAfonso 186]

I can read very well, sight-read quite well on the violin, so-so on the piano and horn.

Regarding hearing read music in my head, it depends on the complexity and style of the music.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

"Can" yes. Not too well, but if I can't decode something in my head, a keyboard usually helps. I'm getting somewhat trained at reading again since I started singing in a choir last autumn.

Marian - who will start rehearsing Mozart's Requiem in slightly more than a week.

The Final Conflict (Jerry Goldsmith)

[Justin 2]

Treble Cleff, no problem. Bass I only just started to learn. But I'm ok with it. I'll get better.

Justin

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I can read individual notes, but I can't hear the music in my head as I read it, and I totally suck at reading the length of the notes. Especially when I've never heard a piece I quickly mess up the timing.

- Marc

[Melange 446]

Marian - who will start rehearsing Mozart's  

Requiem in slightly more than a week.

Lacrimosa :cry:

[Justin 2]

Quado judex est venturus...

Justin

[MrScratch 294]

I used to be able about 10 years ago...

Jeff - who voted 'Yes' anyway

[Justin 2]

That's the spirit!

Justin

[JoeinAR 1,949]

What do you mean by those of you who say I can read music, and the I can sight read music?

whats the difference?

[Trumpeteer 302]

I never could, though I wish I did.

I also wish I could play an instrument. Then I would drive my neighbors crazy with repeated playings of famous JW themes.

Jeff -- who gets by without it, though

[Justin 2]

Joe, sight reading is being able to instantly tell what note it is without having to think about it,

If you look at a note and say well it's on the third line so Every Good Boy.....it's a B. That's not sight reading.

Justin - Who can sight read a lot of notes in the treble cleff....not all of them.

[RomanticStrings 10]

In my audition for Syracuse University this past month, I was required to sight read. I was given a piece of music, and I had to sing it right on the spot without ever hearing it before. That is sight-reading. Sight-reading stems from the ability to read music and recognize what the notes mean.

~Conor

[ChrisAfonso 186]

Not exactly, sight reading means you're able to play/sing a piece of music that you've never seen before, and don't mess up much of the tempos, pitches etc.

e.g. the LSO musicians are amazing sight readers, as the get the Star Wars sheet music, and play it the way it's supposed to be without rehearsing it for very long.

/edit: Sorry Conor, I just saw my post is redundant, I answered to Joe's post (as did you).

[John Crichton 4]

I can tell a full note, half note, etc. but that's about it. I used to be able to read bass clef but that knowledge has vaporized due to lack of use for nearly 10 years.

So I vote no.

[Melange 446]

Quado judex est venturus...

Excuse me? What's that about Jesse Ventura?

"I aint got time to read"

[Lurker 5]

No.

Neil

[Justin 2]

Quado judex est venturus...

Excuse me? What's that about Jesse Ventura?

It's a quote from Mozart's Requiem. Translated: When the judge shall come...

Justin

[Greg1138 3]

I can sight read easily - I don't think it's something that can be learnt, but something that comes naturally (although with some people it does not click for some time that they can actually do it)....

Greg who as a conductor often has to sight-read between 10 and 40 lines of music at the same time.....but who can't read Piano music to save my damn life....

[John McClane 1]

Then I would drive my neighbors crazy with repeated playings of famous JW themes.

I do!

Expecially in summer, when windows are open, I play my electric guitar so loud!!

You might don't want to live near me while playing The Imperial March, for example!

[hoby12 0]

I make my living as a pianist - composer (as do a few other members of this board). So I can read music, and often get hired to sight read stuff like the Brahms Violin Sonaten and Mozart Arias hours before a concert. It is interesting that reading music doesn't seem to have much effect on how much you enjoy it.

[Melange 446]

It's a quote from Mozart's Requiem. Translated: When the judge shall come..

I've never delved much into the text of the Requiem mass itself. I prefer to call the Requiem "A Mass based on a very rough sketch by Mozart" because only the first movement was complete at the time of his death. The rest was fragmentary. Various people were commisioned by Mozart's wife to complete it, because she was in dire need of some dosh. 2 of the later movements are entirely the creation of one of his students. I've gone to watch Requiem performed live, and do enjoy it. But for a more authentic Mozart Mass experience, look for his Great Mass in C, and his Coronation Mass. That's just my opinion and a reccomendation anyway.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

Quado judex est venturus...

"Quando".

Marian -

[SturgisPodmore 0]

I voted yes. I play percussion, and I am good at reading and sight reading rythms, so I'm quite good at snare drum, bass drum, timpani, etc. Bells/xylophone, on the other hand...I can play, but not sight read very well at all. I go for the "Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge," "FACE," etc.

So basically I can sight read and play drums quite easily, but not all percussion instruments like bells/xylophone. I can not read piano music, but I can play a very simple peice by kind of sounding it out at first, then getting the rythms right, etc.

~Sturgis

[OrchDork 0]

I can read music (and sight-read on an instrument or singing) well. Though I was never really taught how to sight-read, I would imagine that my early piano training (I started studying privately when I was 7) subconciously improved my sight-reading skills. As an aspiring composer (and conductor), I'm training my inner ear to hear multiple parts when looking at a score (if I'm not near a piano); my sight-singing skills help me to do that.

...except in the case of stuff by Stravinsky (i.e. The Rite of Spring), because there are so many meter changes; the crazy rhythms are nuts, and... it's just too much to handle without a piano. When I saw it in a store once, I opened to the middle, and my eyes bulged out! But I bought it anyway.

[QMM 4]

In my audition for Syracuse University this past month, I was required to sight read.  I was given a piece of music, and I had to sing it right on the spot without ever hearing it before.  That is sight-reading.  Sight-reading stems from the ability to read music and recognize what the notes mean.

~Conor

What you're describing is sight-singing, which I'm ok at.

I can read music and sight read very well IMO with treble cleff, bass clef is a little harder but i'd manage. Composition is my new challenge that I'm undertaking now.

[Composer_Fan 2]

Well, there's two different kinds of "I can read music".

You have those who say: "I know where Middle C is"

and those who say: "I can sight-read a song in C# minor, with a 5/8 time signature"

I'm probably half-way between those, leaning more to the latter. And I can hear/sing different melodies at a glance. But I can't sightread that darned classical music.

-Tyler, anxious about sightreading in his upcoming audition.

(well, I finally did it....adding my name to the bottom of the post, to add some other point)

[Henry B 50]

I can read simple melodies and hear them in my head; more complex stuff I have to play to understand.

[King Mark 3,631]

Not really,but a year ago I spent 3 days reading a music theory website to understand all the basics so I could understand the technical posts.

K.M.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Yes. My Mum likes to tell everyone how I could read music long before I could read words. However, I seem to remember being pretty backward at reading words until I was about 6 or 7, so that's not as clever as it sounds. I was playing mozart on the violin, but I was still reading about Spot. Spot is a dog. See Spot run. Look at the ball. The BIG ball. The big RED ball.

[Justin 2]

I've never delved much into the text of the Requiem mass itself. I prefer to call the Requiem "A Mass based on a very rough sketch by Mozart" because only the first movement was complete at the time of his death. The rest was fragmentary. Various people were commisioned by Mozart's wife to complete it, because she was in dire need of some dosh. 2 of the later movements are entirely the creation of one of his students. I've gone to watch Requiem performed live, and do enjoy it. But for a more authentic Mozart Mass experience, look for his Great Mass in C, and his Coronation Mass. That's just my opinion and a reccomendation anyway.

Dies irae, dies illa

Solvet seculum in favilla:

Teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus.

Quando judex est venturus,

Cuncta stricte discussurus!

Dies irae, dies illa

Solvet seculum in favilla:

Teste David cum Sibylla.

Quantus tremor est futurus.

Quando judex est venturus,

Cuncta stricte discussurus!

Quantus tremor est futurus.

Dies irae, dies illa

Quantus tremor est futurus,

Quantus tremor est futurus,

Quando judex est venturus,

Cuncta stricte discussurus!

Cuncta stricte discussurus!

Justin - Who doesn't give a hoot about what Adam says.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

It's a quote from Mozart's Requiem. Translated: When the judge shall come..

I've never delved much into the text of the Requiem mass itself. I prefer to call the Requiem "A Mass based on a very rough sketch by Mozart" because only the first movement was complete at the time of his death. The rest was fragmentary. Various people were commisioned by Mozart's wife to complete it, because she was in dire need of some dosh. 2 of the later movements are entirely the creation of one of his students. I've gone to watch Requiem performed live, and do enjoy it. But for a more authentic Mozart Mass experience, look for his Great Mass in C, and his Coronation Mass. That's just my opinion and a reccomendation anyway.

Mozart's mass in C minor is one of the all time great choral masterpieces. I'm fortunate enough to have sung both that AND the Requiem on several occasions (though never on the same program!!!). Although I confess to having a slight preference to the Mass in C minor I don't think the Requiem can be overlooked. Tuba Mirum is incredible, as is the Requiem Aeternam. However the crowning glory has to be the stunning Confutatis. The word-painting in the music is simply breathtaking. It's one of the cleverest, most powerful and dramatic pieces ever composed in my humble whatsits. Of course it's difficult to listen to it now without thinking of the climax of the excellent 1984 film Amadeus. But hey, there are far worse things to think about. Like premature balding. And taxes.

[diskobolus 3]

Yes, I can read music, and can sightread music. Except for C clef.

[Docteur Qui 1,544]

Yes, I can read music and my sight-readings pretty good too. I'm only Sixth Grade qualified (two more to go) but I skipped ahead... twice. My sight reading is one thing, but playing music I'm familiar with is quite another. If I've heard it twice and have the music in front of me I can do pretty well and could probably have it performance standard in a few weeks. I guess it isn't that good, compared to the LSO players for example...

[nightscape94 965]

I've been playing the guitar for 14 years, so I can do just fine. I studied classical and jazz style guitar at a professional school. It was pretty expensive, but my father wanted to have musical offspring (he studied piano, but didn't start until late, then my sister and i ruined his study time upon our subsequent births). I had the great fortune to play in quite a few musicals in high school and college (Godspell, Pippin, Grease, Cabaret....).

Tim - who has tried to keep the gloating at a bare minimum

[diskobolus 3]

I've been playing the guitar for 14 years, so I can do just fine.  I studied classical and jazz style guitar at a professional school.  It was pretty expensive, but my father wanted to have musical offspring (he studied piano, but didn't start until late, then my sister and i ruined his study time upon our subsequent births).  I had the great fortune to play in quite a few musicals in high school and college (Godspell, Pippin, Grease, Cabaret....).  

Tim - who has tried to keep the gloating a a bare minimum

I believe gloating is difficult if you acknowledge how lucky you are.

[Ray Barnsbury 8]

I can read music, yes. I played the trumpet for seven years throughout middle school and high school, and about two years ago I switched to French horn and have done significantly better. I'm a fair player I guess, for music being just a hobby as opposed to my field of study. I got Assistant First Horn here at my school's top ensemble, which was was very flattering.

Ray Barnsbury

[nightscape94 965]

And for the record....Verdi's Requiem kicks Mozart's ass!

[ChrisAfonso 186]

And Britten's War Requiem kicks both Verdi's and Mozart's ass!

[Musicmaster 0]

And Britten's War Requiem kicks both Verdi's and Mozart's ass!

...yes I´ve played it, really nice...

[Melange 446]

Mozart's mass in C minor is one of the all time great choral masterpieces

Yes, beautiful. The Kyrie is so mystical. You can really feel the love in it, for his wife. Where the choir rises from below about 3.5 minutes into it, it's like being bathed in divine light. Gives me goose bumps everytime, and i have to close my eyes and be swept away. Laudamus Te, is fantastic too. Lots of fun. But i still prefer the Coronation Mass. It's a real celebratory barnstormer (if that term can be used here). It's fantastic, particularly in the Credo movement, where there is a re-enactment of Pontius Pilate's sentence against Jesus. The music is so menacing and pure operatic in the way it unfolds the story. In terms of liking the "Whole thing", it's the Coronation Mass for me.

Justin - Who doesn't give a hoot about what Adam says.

I understand. Everybody loves the Requiem initially. But his other masses are amazing stuff too. Check out this Double CD by Philips. Good price. It's got my favourite performance of the Coronation Mass on it, and 2 pretty good performances of the Requiem and Great Mass in C.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Yes, I can. But I've long since dropped playing any instrument, so I don't do it too often.

[Marian Schedenig 8,191]

And for the record....Verdi's Requiem kicks Mozart's ass!

So I used to think, until I examined the Mozart one more closely. It's hard to find many more impressive choral works. As far as fragments go, I believe (at least that's what I've read) that most of the solo vocal and choral writing is Mozart's. Except for minor differences in the Sanctus, the original sketch seems to be pretty much identical to the typical Süssmeier version performed these days. Of course the finale is just a reprise of the Introitus.

Marian - who doesn't know the C minor mass yet.

STTMP (Jerry Goldsmith)

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Er... i dont know about you guys but i usually hear music...

How does one Read it?

Luke, who can identify the notes. Counting the lines where they are...

[Melange 446]

And for the record....Verdi's Requiem kicks Mozart's ass!

Not sure what you mean when referring to a Mass in that way. I dont think composers wrote them to "Kick Ass" or Kick other Composer's "Ass". In what way do you mean it Kick's the "Ass" of Mozart's Requiem?