Sight reading is an important skill every musician comes across on their path to becoming a proficient musician—a skill that sets the stage for spontaneous and delightful musical experiences. A common misconception in the online world of music learners is the difference between true sight reading and learning a piece to completion. In today’s post, we’ll distinguish between learning a piece and sight reading but also delve into the common mistakes made during sight reading and the often overlooked, hidden benefits it offers. You’ll walk away with some concrete tips and tricks that you can use to improve your sight reading practice starting today. 

Learning a Piece vs. Sight Reading

Learning a piece of music involves a dedicated, focused effort over a period of time, encompassing challenging pieces. The goal is to play the music accurately and musically from start to finish. It’s a gradual process that requires patience, persistence, and an understanding of the musical intricacies. While technically the first time the piece is played would be considered sight reading, anything beyond that would be considered practicing and would not fall under the definition of sight reading anymore. 

True sight reading is the art of playing a piece accurately and musically on the very first try. Typically, sight reading is practiced with shorter, simpler pieces in a progression that makes sense for the skill-level of the player. The objective here is to read and perform the piece as precisely as possible without any prior practice. Sight reading hones skills such as quick decision-making, pattern recognition, and adaptability—attributes that are essential for any proficient musician.

Common Sight Reading Mistakes

1. Tackling Overly Difficult Pieces

One of the most common mistakes made in sight reading is attempting pieces that are too complex. When faced with highly intricate compositions, individuals are often unable to recognize complex patterns all at the same time, making the sight reading process cumbersome and ineffective. The goal with true sight reading is to play through the piece as well as possible on the very first try, and this simply isn’t possible if the piece is too difficult. The key to successful sight reading is to choose pieces that are suitable for your skill level, allowing you to read and play without struggling.

2. Rushing and Lack of Focus

Sight reading demands a certain level of patience and focus not only as a practice, but within the tempo of each individual sight reading example as well. Taking the time to analyze the piece, identify patterns, and understand the dynamics can significantly improve the accuracy and musicality of your performance. Picking a comfortable (which often means slow) tempo can make all the difference. Turning on the metronome and forcing a speed that allows for breathing and looking ahead is essential for successful sight reading. 

3. Inadequate Materials

Randomly opening up pieces of music to sight read is not an effective way to make progress with the skill. Effective sight reading requires the appropriate materials and a structured approach which means the pieces need to progress in a linear way. Jumping around to pieces of varying levels will result in a lack of progress and most likely frustration. Utilizing well-organized sight reading materials will enhance your ability to read and interpret music effectively. Ideally these materials are written for the sole purpose of sight reading practice or at the very least, the materials progress in a linear fashion. 

4. Neglecting The Process

Sight reading, like any other skill, benefits from a structured approach. Failing to utilize a proven process for sight reading can impede your ability to tackle pieces efficiently. The Process involves understanding the structure of the piece, recognizing patterns, and making informed choices about things like fingering or phrasing before you start to play. Setting a timer for at least 5 minutes and being a musical detective will do the trick. Take notes on your music by marking in anything that sticks out to you as a pattern, or anything that sticks out to you as a potential trouble spot. A systematic approach ensures a smoother and more successful sight reading experience.

If you’re willing to put in the time and effort required to practice sight reading the correct way, it can benefit you in a myriad of unexpected ways. Not only does practicing sight reading ensure that you become a better sight reader, it also strengthens a variety of skill sets that will serve you greatly on your path to becoming a proficient musician. 

Hidden Benefits of Sight Reading

Regular sight reading sessions can significantly improve your learning speed when tackling new, challenging pieces. By exposing yourself to a variety of musical styles and patterns regularly, you become more adept at quickly deciphering and understanding new compositions. Sight reading encompasses the same skills as learning a new piece, on a smaller level. When practiced regularly, it strengthens the abilities needed to learn any new piece at a higher level. 

Sight reading enhances your inclusive awareness of musical patterns, structures, and rhythmic variations. When you practice playing a piece from beginning to end on a regular basis, you get better at doing this with larger scale pieces as well. Your inclusive awareness allows you to not only stay in the moment and focus on what you are playing, but also to think about what is coming next, and how best to express the piece and handle any unexpected things that come up while you’re playing. 

Regular sight reading practice can help mitigate performance anxiety because you become very comfortable with being uncomfortable. Imagine that you sight read a small piece every day and you focus on playing from beginning to end without stopping, while breathing through the tension and accepting any mistakes that come up and moving on from them. You would become really good at doing this while playing any piece, regardless of level. The more you expose yourself to different musical compositions, the more comfortable and confident you become in performing in various settings, with various unexpected occurrences. 

Tips to Enhance Sight Reading Skills

1. Consistent Practice

Regular, consistent practice is the cornerstone of honing your sight reading skills. Set aside dedicated time in your practice routine to focus on sight reading exercises and pieces. It doesn’t need to be a large chunk of time each day, 5 minutes will often suffice. 

2. Pattern Familiarization

To excel at sight reading, invest time in learning the most common musical patterns and commit them to memory. This knowledge will significantly enhance your ability to recognize and interpret patterns quickly during sight reading sessions. A great way to do this is with flashcards that you can practice for just a minute or two each day to increase your knowledge of the most common musical patterns. 

3. Effective Practice Materials

Select suitable sight reading materials that align with your current skill level. These materials should be well-structured and organized, allowing for a progressive and effective sight reading practice. 

Here are some resources to help you get started:

• Free Class – Speed Reader: Discover the 3 simple steps to increasing your sight reading accuracy so that you can play with more expression and flow, every time.

• Sight Reading Studio: Generate unlimited sight reading exercises using customizable parameters to fit your needs. Practice your generated pieces and receive real-time feedback as you play along.

• Sight Reading Resources from Alfred Music: Find methods and materials for every instrument and skill level to help you practice your sight reading skills.

4. Master The Process

Understand and master a structured sight reading process that incorporates pattern recognition, understanding of musical structures, and effective decision-making. Following a systematic approach will streamline your sight reading practice and improve your performance.

5. Continuous Evaluation and Adjustments

Regularly evaluate your sight reading sessions, identifying areas for improvement. Make necessary adjustments to your practice routine and approach based on these evaluations. Consistent refinement is key to enhancing your sight reading skills over time.

Mastering the art of sight reading is a valuable asset for any musician. By distinguishing between learning a piece and sight reading, understanding the common mistakes, and embracing the hidden benefits, you pave the way for a more enriching musical journey as well as mastery of your instrument. Through consistent practice, focused dedication, and a structured approach, you can unlock the true potential of your music-playing skills.

The post Tips and Tricks to Improve at Sight Reading appeared first on MakeMusic.

A good reed can make a “mediocre” to “not so strong” player sound beautiful. A bad reed can make an exceptional player sound awful. Individual players need different things from a reed. On the market you’ll see reeds sold as soft, medium soft, medium, medium hard, and hard—that’s not the best way to “measure a reed”. Think of reeds in percentages of control to freedom: control = resistance and freedom = vibration. Generally, you want a little more resistance than vibration. The reed’s job is to vibrate and the player’s job is to make the reed vibrate. A beginner, for example, may need a reed that is 60% resistance to 40% vibration. Once they get their playing and embouchure working for them, they will likely get to the point where they need a bit more resistance that they can blow against (perhaps 70% resistance to 30% vibration). 

The difference between a “hard” reed and a “resistant” reed is that hard doesn’t vibrate. Hard reeds don’t vibrate well, so they encourage players to bite down on the reed, collapse their embouchure, and lose the need to maintain proper air pressure when making sound. 

Ideally, students should play on hand-made reeds. Look for an individual reed maker, teacher, or trusted store around you. Randomly ordering reeds is not advised—instead of the reed doing with the student needs, the student ends up doing what the reed needs, which is not ideal. If you are not in a situation where an individual can make reeds for your students, try a trusted reed maker (please not Amazon!). Bocal Majority sells reeds from vetted reed makers and categorizes them from beginner to pro. Machine made reeds are not consistent and not recommended. No matter where you source your reeds, do your research and select a source you trust!

Free resource: Oboe Reed Issues – click here to download

Habits to Avoid and Quick Fixes

Beginners

As you start to go into the upper register, beginners will inadvertently scoot their reed too far in their mouth. Remind them that the heart of the reed stays anchored on the bottom lip to avoid this common issue.

Oboe Tone

Oboe Embouchure

Typically, whenever you add something new the first thing to go is the “air pressure.” Remind students consistently and to maintain their great air all the time, and especially when they are focusing on something new.

Oboe Air

Tuning

Oboes are great at playing out of tune. Playing in tune is a learned skill! Be sure to teach tuning skills with visual tools, and with lots of listening practice. 

Oboe Tuning

Learning personal pitch tendencies is essential and can be practiced with deliberate moments of looking towards and away from the tuner while adjusting.

Helping Students Understand Personal Pitch Tendencies

Vibrato

Do not move the jaw to create vibrato—this just closes and opens the tip of the reed and impacts intonation. Students can self-monitor whether or not their jaw is moving on their own by placing a hand on their jaw while playing a left hand note. Oboe vibrato is air-oriented and should not simply be even, rhythmic pulsing. When it is added to notes, add it in odd numbered groupings. Adding vibrato maintains integrity to the pitch center! 

Oboe Vibrato

Dynamics 

When students can consistently produce a solid and strong tone, dynamic contrast can be addressed. Try this: begin with just the reed using soft air and slowly add air pressure (not air) until the reed speaks and then sustain it. This is piano when added to the oboe. On the oboe, start on half hole D and do the same thing: soft air, add pressure only until the D speaks, and then maintain it. Adding air and air pressure will create a crescendo, maintaining air pressure and diminishing the air volume creates a decrescendo. 

Dynamics on Oboe

These exercises for vibrato, tuning, pitch tendency awareness, and dynamics can be used with players of all levels to reinforce and practice these important fundamental skills!

Recommended Oboe and English Horn Repertoire  

Beginner Oboe:

• Haydn – Andantino
• Bach – Menuet
• Buttstedt – Aria
• Purcell – Menuet
• Grieg – Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite No. 1
• Dvorak – Largo
• Borodin – Polovetsian Dance
• Mozart – Menuet K. 164
• Tschaikovsky – Swan Lake

Intermediate Oboe:

• Handel – Concerto Grosso No. 8 in B-flat (all movements, an advanced beginner could ply the 4th mvt.)
• Bach – Sinfonia
• Telemann – Sonata in a minor (all movements)
• Marcello – Largo e Allegretto (both)
• Handel – Sonata No. 1 (mvt. 1,mvt. 2)
• Handel – Sonata No. 2 (mvt. 1, mvt. 2) 
• Handel – Sonata No. 3 (mvt 1,2)
• Albinoni – Concerto Op. 9 No. 2 (transitional from inter to adv)
• Telemann – Concerto in f minor (all mvts.)

Advanced Oboe:

• Mozart – Concerto in C (all movements)
• C. Saint-Saens – Sonata Op. 166 (all movements, but ESPECIALLY the 2nd mvt.)
• Haydn – Concerto for Oboe (all movements)
• Cimarosa – Concerto for Oboe (lst and 2nd mvts.)
• Marcello – Concerto in c minor (all movements)
• Boni – Sonata in G (1st and 2nd mvts.)
• Eichner – Concerto for Oboe (all mvts)
• Grovlez – Sarabande et Allegro (both)
• Paladilhe – Concertante
• R. Vaughn Williams – Oboe Concerto (all especially 1st mvt.)

Beginner English Horn:

By the time a student plays English horn, they are a more intermediate/advanced player.

Intermediate English Horn:

• Satie – Gymnopedie No. 2
• Granados – Intermezzo
• C. Saint-Saens – The Swan from The Carnival of Animals
• Mozart – Adagio K. 580A
• Telemann – Sonata (all mvts.)
• Advanced English Horn:
• Marcello – Concerto in c minor (all mvts.)
• Borodin – Notturno
• Faure – Sicilienne
• Sibelius – The Swan of Tuonela
• Donizetti – Concertino in G major

Method Books:

• Beginner: Rubank Elementary Method for Oboe
• Intermediate: Gekeler – Method Book Two
• Advanced:
  • Ferling – 48 Famous Studies for Oboe
  • Barrett – Grand Studies for Oboe
  • Ferling – Eighteen Studies (Opus 12)

*All method books will work for English Horn

Moving Beyond Technique and Fundamentals to the Art of Performing

Fundamentals, technique, attention to reeds or equipment, and lists of appropriate repertoire are all important pieces to the puzzle for oboists (or any musician!). Learning and practicing the art of performing requires all of the elements above and adds in a new skillset that includes dealing with stress. Moving beyond the technical to the mental space can be a challenge, but with supportive guidance and a few pro-tips even the youngest performers can find success!  

Stress is a feeling of emotional and/or physical tension. It can come from any event that makes you feel frustrated or nervous. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. Your body reacts to stress by releasing hormones. These hormones make your brain more alert, cause your muscles to tense, and increase your pulse. Stress affects all of us. As musicians, stress in performance is a prevalent issue.

A student who loves to play will not mind putting in the hours of practice required for an exceptional performance. They owe themselves their best effort every time they play. In striving for their best effort, they learn the importance of adequate preparation, mental focus/discipline, and goal setting. In essence, they learn what it takes to succeed. They start to build confidence in themselves and in their abilities. If they establish very clear expectations in their minds, they will learn to be as consistently correct in their playing as is possible. 

Students who demand excellence in their playing will learn to play the necessary mental games to become physically relaxed and therefore successful in stressful situations. Students must discover and understand the things that will keep them calm and in control of a situation. There are as many different relaxation techniques as there are individuals.

By using the relaxation techniques that are most comfortable to them, students will gain control of their situation. Then they must never relinquish that control. They must learn to shut out all sources of distraction such as judges, audiences, peers, etc. They must learn to focus into themselves. They must always think about “how” they are to play. They must create an atmosphere in which to play that closely resembles their home. They will learn to create a comfort zone that is free of stress. This comfort zone allows them to always relax and do their best. 

If they want to know their greatest source of strength, they should go look into a mirror. They possess minds with no limitations. The notes before them on the page are merely ink blots with no brains. We breathe life into them. Therefore, when we have the opportunity to share a part of ourselves with an audience, we should never be afraid of that opportunity. We should be excited by the chance to give an excellent performance of something we have worked very hard to achieve. Above all, students learn to believe in themselves and in their abilities. They learn that the ability to attain excellence lies within themselves.

I believe that handling stress is a learned process. I feel this process should start when the student is a beginner and be nurtured throughout their career. The best way to deal with performance stress is thorough preparation.

“Excellence can be attained if you … CARE more than others think is wise … RISK more than others think is safe … DREAM more than others think is practical … EXPECT more than others think is possible.” Success is only around the corner if you are headed in that direction.

Explore More Power Up!

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Learning to play an instrument is a rewarding journey that can bring joy, creativity, and self-expression into your life. However, it’s not uncommon for individuals to encounter certain beliefs that can hinder their progress and dampen their enthusiasm. I often refer to the mindset work around learning to play an instrument as the ‘head work.’ It often surprises people that they would need to do mindset work when learning how to play an instrument, but I assure you, it’s essential.

Musicians don’t always even realize that they’re having mindset issues until they understand some of the symptoms that stem from mindset issues and also some of the mindset issues themselves. Mindset issues can hold you back in big ways. These issues keep you feeling small and can ultimately prevent progress from being made or even lead to quitting music completely. If you’ve ever felt any of the common symptoms from the list below, it’s likely that you need to make some mindset shifts when it comes to your music practice and playing. 

Common (and sometimes surprising) symptoms of mindset issues are: 

• A lack of motivation to practice, even if you were initially very excited to get started
• Feeling like your practice sessions aren’t enjoyable
• Being anxious when you make mistakes or when it feels like your brain can’t go fast enough to keep up with the task at hand
• Comparing your progress to other musicians
• Disappointment in the amount of progress you make during each practice session
• An inability to receive compliments about your music skills or abilities 
• Performance anxiety 

These symptoms are common among adult music learners, and if you are experiencing any of them, you’re not alone. It takes a lot of time, energy, and effort to get to the point where you can play pieces through with freedom and fluidity. Along the way, there are bound to be some road bumps. 

Let’s dive into the beliefs behind these symptoms and get you some tactical things that you can do to overcome these beliefs. 

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Belief 1: Practice Makes Perfect.

The belief that “practice makes perfect” is a pervasive and damaging one. Contrary to popular belief, perfection is not an attainable goal in music playing or in life in general. Setting perfection as the ultimate objective can lead to frustration and disappointment. Instead, focus on the idea that “practice makes progress.” Progress is the key to growth and improvement in playing an instrument. 

Every practice session should leave you feeling like you’ve made some advancement, no matter how small. Celebrate these incremental steps toward your musical goals. If you aren’t making the progress that you want during each practice session, it’s likely that you need to focus on smaller sections of music or that you need to slow down. Sometimes simply taking a breath and refocusing can bring the desired result. 

Belief 2: It needs to be fast.

Many music learners fall into the trap of believing that progress should be fast or that they should play pieces at a lightning-fast tempo. This belief manifests in two ways:

• Impatient Progress: Some learners expect rapid results, hoping to master a piece in a short span of time. However, learning any instrument is a gradual process that requires consistent effort over time. It’s about the accumulation of small, deliberate actions.
• Racing to Tempo: The desire to play a piece at its intended tempo can lead to rushing through practice without attention to accuracy and precision. This haste often results in persistent mistakes.

To overcome this belief, shift your focus from speed to consistency and accuracy. Take your time to master each section of a piece thoroughly before increasing the tempo. Remember that speed is a natural byproduct of precise and consistent practice. A great concrete measurement you can use to know if you’re playing something consistently accurately enough is to ask yourself if you are playing the section or piece with 95% accuracy 95% of the time. If the answer is yes, you are ready to speed up or increase the length of the section you’re working on. If not, there’s a need for more slow, deliberate practice. 

Belief 3: I Can’t Do It (because I’m too old, or because I lack an inherent ability, or because of x, y, z).

Believing that you can’t do something instantly or that you lack certain abilities can be a significant roadblock to progress. It doesn’t matter how many good reasons you have to support the belief. They aren’t true. This belief often sneaks into your practice when frustration sets in, leading to negative self-talk.

To combat this belief, adopt a growth mindset. Understand that your capabilities are not fixed, and you have the potential to achieve your goals with the right strategies and dedication. Consider maintaining a list of affirmations or reasons why you can achieve your goals. Remind yourself that you have the capacity to learn and improve over time.

These common beliefs have the potential to stifle your progress in learning your instrument, but with the right mindset and strategies, you can overcome them. Embrace the idea that progress, not perfection, is your goal. Focus on consistency and accuracy, not speed, and trust that you can learn and grow as a musician.

Remember that learning music is a journey, and every step forward, no matter how small, is a step closer to your musical aspirations. So, banish these limiting beliefs, practice with intention, and go easy on yourself. 

If you want to dive deeper into the topic of mindset as it relates to your music learning journey, check out this YouTube tutorial that discusses the differences between growth and fixed mindset when it comes to piano playing. 

The post How a Growth Mindset Can Transform Your Practice appeared first on MakeMusic.

How do you set goals that are both inspiring and achievable? 

This is a question that all musicians grapple with. While raw talent can offer a promising start, the combination of focused practice and well-defined goals leads to true success. The S.M.A.R.T. framework, an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound, provides a structured approach to goal-setting that can transform your musical journey.

The Initial Concept

The S.M.A.R.T. framework was first introduced by George T. Doran in a 1981 article titled “There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives,” published in the “Management Review” journal. The original purpose of the framework was to provide a structured approach to setting objectives in a corporate environment. 

The Five Criteria

Doran’s original S.M.A.R.T. criteria were Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, and Time-related. Over time, the “Assignable” criterion has often been replaced by “Achievable,” and “Realistic” has sometimes been replaced by “Relevant” to make the framework more universally applicable. The essence of the framework, however, has remained consistent: to create goals that are clear, trackable, and achievable within a specific timeframe.

Beyond The Boardroom

While the S.M.A.R.T. framework was initially designed for business management, its utility was quickly recognized in other fields. Educational institutions began adopting it to help students set academic goals. Healthcare professionals use it for treatment planning. Personal development coaches employ the framework to help individuals develop and achieve life goals. And, as we will discuss, it has also found a home in skill-based activities like sports, arts, & music!

Now that we’ve explored the origins and evolution of the S.M.A.R.T. framework and its broad applications across various fields, it’s time to bring it home. How can this universally practical approach be tailored to meet musicians’ unique demands and aspirations?

Whether you’re a vocalist aiming for a broader range or a drummer wanting to master complex rhythms, the S.M.A.R.T. framework offers a structured pathway to help you realize your musical dreams.

What Are S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

S – Specific
The first rule of thumb for effective goal-setting is clarity. Let’s say you’re an aspiring vocalist. Instead of stating, “I want to become a better singer,” specify what “better” means to you. For instance, “I aim to expand my vocal range to four octaves by practicing specific vocal exercises daily.” Specificity provides a roadmap outlining the steps necessary to achieve your goal.

M – Measurable
Vagueness is the enemy of progress. For example, if you’re a guitarist, a measurable goal could be, “I will master the ‘sweep picking’ technique by practicing for 20 minutes daily and increasing the metronome speed by 20 BPM every week.” Measurable criteria help you know when you’ve hit your mark and allow you to make data-driven adjustments along the way.

A – Achievable
Enthusiasm is great, but overreaching can result in burnout or disappointment. If you’re learning to play the flute, an achievable goal might be, “I will master the chromatic scale in two months by practicing it three times a week.” Here, the goal is ambitious enough to inspire growth yet realistic enough to attain.

R – Relevant
Relevance keeps your goals in line with your overall vision. Suppose you’re a drummer interested in jazz. Instead of delving into drumming styles unrelated to jazz, a relevant goal might be, “I will learn to play two classic jazz drum solos by the end of the month.” This will serve your long-term objectives better than spending time on death metal blast beats (unless you’re also into that!).

T – Time-bound
Open-ended goals risk becoming endless endeavors. If you’re an aspiring songwriter, a time-bound goal would be, “I will write, arrange, and record a three-song EP in the next six months.” Having a timeline forces you to prioritize, focus, and take actionable steps.

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Examples of S.M.A.R.T. Goals

Master the Major Scales on the Piano

• Specific: I will learn and master all 12 major scales on the piano.
• Measurable: I will be able to play each scale hands together at 100 BPM.
• Achievable: I’ll practice scales for 20 minutes each day.
• Relevant: Mastering scales is fundamental for both improvisation and understanding music theory.
• Time-bound: I aim to achieve this within two months.

Develop Vocal Range for High Notes

• Specific: I will expand my vocal range to hit high C without strain.
• Measurable: I will document my range every week.
• Achievable: I’ll practice vocal exercises designed for range extension for 15 minutes daily.
• Relevant: Being able to hit high notes will make me a more versatile singer.
• Time–bound: I aim to achieve this within three months.

Learn The Basics

• Specific: I want to master basic drumming techniques, including the single stroke roll, double stroke roll, and the paradiddle.
• Measurable: I’ll record videos weekly to track my technique.
• Achievable: I’ll spend 30 minutes a day practicing these techniques.
• Relevant: Mastering basic drumming techniques is essential for becoming a skilled drummer.
• Time-bound: I will achieve this in six weeks.

Whether you’re a budding musician taking your first steps into the world of music or a seasoned pro looking to refine their craft, the S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting framework offers a structured approach for improvement. Originating from the corporate world, this framework has transcended its initial purpose to become a universal strategy for achievement!

Integrating reflection and enjoyment can elevate the S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting process, transforming it into a S.M.A.R.T.E.R. framework. While meticulous planning and ambition are pivotal, finding joy in the journey is equally vital!

Regularly evaluating your progress, celebrating your accomplishments, and recalibrating your goals are integral to this method. This continual cycle of reflection and adjustment ensures that your musical journey is marked by perpetual growth and learning. It’s essential to pause, reflect on your work, your goals, and your dreams, and assess whether they are still aligned. It’s perfectly normal for aspirations and goals to evolve over time, and the flexibility inherent in S.M.A.R.T. goals accommodates this evolution, leading to the creation of even s.m.a.r.t.e.r goals.

By adhering to the principles of Specificity, Measurability, Achievability, Relevance, and Time-bound criteria, you not only set a clear path for yourself but also create a structured approach that makes your musical aspirations attainable. These aren’t just goals; they’re stepping stones that lead you through a journey of continuous improvement!

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Your ability to play with musicality and freedom is intricately tied to the depth of your memory from your practice sessions. Whether your goal is to memorize a piece from start to finish or simply enhance your playing with greater musicality, memory plays a pivotal role in musical mastery. In this comprehensive blog post, we will explore three crucial steps to help you solidify your music memory.

Step 1: Understanding the Four Types of Memory 

Before you even think about trying to actively memorize music, you need to understand the four types of memory that are at play when it comes to your brain and music.

• Muscle Memory: The fastest-developing yet least reliable memory type. It’s very important, but it’s not the most reliable form of memory. When you are playing through a piece and you make a mistake that completely throws off your train of thought and you have to start the piece over, you know that muscle memory was at play. 
• Aural Memory: Remembering how the music sounds. If you can hum or sing your piece away from your instrument, you have aural memory.
• Visual Memory: The ability to remember both the music’s appearance on the page and the hand positions on the keys (or on your instrument).
• Cognitive Memory: The ultimate memory goal, where you can write out the entire piece from memory, including notes, rhythms, dynamics, and more.

Strengthening all these memory types, especially cognitive memory, will elevate your musicianship skills. 

Step 2: Creating Memory-Enhancing Puzzles

The more puzzles (exercises) that you create for your brain to solve, the more solid your memory will be. There are endless puzzles (exercises) that you can use to strengthen your memory. Here are a few: 

• Muscle Memory: Practice efficiently using revolutionary techniques, such as the Post-it method or rhythmic practice. These methods expedite the development of muscle memory. If you’d like a more in depth explanation of these revolutionary practice methods, check out this youtube tutorial that describes these methods in detail. 
• Aural Memory: Sing your piece as you play it, even if you’re not a trained singer. This technique helps you internalize the melody and anticipate musical elements. If you can’t sing and play your instrument at the same time, sing your piece away from your instrument while following along in your music. 
• Visual Memory: Take your sheet music away from your instrument and follow along with a recording of your piece. This exercise reinforces your visual memory as you learn to track notes and rhythms without the keyboard. This actually also strengthens your aural memory at the same time!
• Cognitive Memory: Analyze the piece for patterns, including intervals, chords, scale passages, and repeating motifs. Mark your sheet music to highlight these patterns. You can also try memorizing one hand at a time before combining them. If you are fluent in music theory, you can do a formal harmonic and structural analysis of the piece. 

Remember that these exercises can be challenging, but the difficulty is a sign that your brain is actively strengthening its memory.

Additionally, you can use MakeMusic Cloud to help strengthen your memory. Sing or listen along to the professional level backing tracks to improve aural and visual memory, or use the looping feature to improve muscle memory in difficult sections. You can even adjust the tempo to increase as you practice as an added challenge! Built in assessment will track your note and rhythm accuracy so you can easily see your progress as you practice.

Step 3: Increasing Difficulty 

As you progress, it’s crucial to keep challenging your memory to prevent stagnation. Memory isn’t always linear, and recalling information out of order is common. There are hundreds of ways that you can practice to ensure that your memory is always being strengthened. These suggestions are a great place to start: 

• Experiment with different starting points in your piece instead of always beginning from the start. This helps deepen your memory. The best way to do this is to go through the piece and label your phrases numerically. Then, practice jumping between the starts of the phrases from memory. Do this backwards, out of order, and randomly. When you start the phrase, do so with the correct tempo, fingering, notes, and musical expression. 
• Practice sections of your music backward, a technique that reinforces your memory in a unique way. This can be done with individual measures that are difficult, with entire phrases that are causing trouble, or even with entire sections of music. It will be difficult, but ensure that the correct rhythm, fingering, and notes are used while playing backwards. 
• Is it possible to notate the piece on manuscript paper with correct notes, fingering, dynamics, rhythm, and musicality symbols? This is a great end goal with memory and through the process of trying to notate the piece, it will become clear where the gaps in memory are. Practice exercises can be created depending on the gaps that come up. For example, if you are able to notate an entire page except for some of the rhythms in a transition section, you know to go back and work on the rhythmic memory of the transition section. 

Mastering musical memory is a journey that requires patience and dedication. By understanding the four memory types, creating memory-enhancing puzzles, and progressively increasing the difficulty of your memorization exercises, you’ll find yourself well-equipped to memorize any piece of music. Additionally, consider joining a supportive community of fellow piano enthusiasts (if you’re a piano player) for valuable insights and guidance on your musical journey. Ultimately, a solid foundation in memory will pave the way for the musical freedom and expression you aspire to achieve.

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