| You may recall my earlier article entitled: | | | | Sharps and Flats. The Sharps have this sign: "#" |
| Songwriters - can you sight read? In this article I | | | | and the Flats this sign: "b". More about black notes, |
| touched on how easy it is to be able to read and | | | | or Sharps and Flats - in my next article. |
| write music. | | | | Right now, when you start off learning to sight |
| Let's expand on this. Whether you play a musical | | | | read, the first thing after memorizing the names |
| instrument or not, if you're reading this article, you | | | | of the notes, is to play a "Key". These are known |
| can easily read and write music. What's more, I'll | | | | as "Major" and "Minor" Keys, and are named after |
| prove it to you. Reading notes is as simple as | | | | every note. |
| reading the alphabet. | | | | C Major is the easiest of all the keys to play - |
| Remember, in music only the first seven letters | | | | simply because there are only white notes (i.e no |
| are used - A - B - C - D - E - F - G. | | | | Sharps or Flats). That is the key I recommend |
| Look at any piano or keyboard - you will see that | | | | you start with when you are learning to read and |
| the black notes are always in groups of TWO and | | | | write music. As a point of interest, some people |
| THREE right across the keyboard. | | | | write all their songs in C Major - as a convenient |
| When you're starting off, the first note to look | | | | key, especially to register their music - but there |
| for on a keyboard, is the "C" note. It's really easy | | | | is no reason why you shouldn't be equally |
| to find. | | | | proficient in all keys! |
| The "C" note is always the white note just before | | | | Playing a scale in the key of C Major starts on a |
| any pair of two black notes. Once you know the | | | | "C" note, then playing every white note up to the |
| "C" note, you will know where every other note | | | | next "C" above. This is called an octave. Once |
| on a keyboard is - just by reciting the alphabet! | | | | you've done this - you've played a scale in C |
| For example, the next note above "C" is "D" then | | | | Major. In my follow up article, I'll show you how |
| "E" "F" "G" and so on. Remember, once you get | | | | this looks written in music. |
| to "G" you start all over with "A" "B" "C" and so | | | | Happy sight reading! |
| on. How easy is that?!! | | | | Look out for my next article - Reading And |
| The black notes are the "in betweens" we call | | | | Writing Music - part 2. |