Learn to Read Music Faster! (for the piano)
63Mnemonic Devices Are Tricks for Memorization
Mnemonic devices are tricks that we can use to help us remember things more easily.
Rhyming is a great memorization tool. If you can make anything rhyme, you'll recall it much faster simply by reciting the rhyme.
Acronyms are another great way to remember difficult bits of information. We'll use both these memorization techniques to help you read music faster!
For More Free Piano Lessons!
Instructions for the treble and bass clef reading
The top staff is called the Treble Clef. Use these Mnemonic devices for the Treble (top) lines and spaces:
FACE is for the Space
Every Good Boy Does Fine is for the lines
The bottom staff is called the Bass Clef. Use the following memory tricks for the bass cleff lines and spaces (bottom):
Lines = Good Burritos Dont Fall Apart
Spaces = All Cows Eat Grass
Use the memorization tricks, we talked about! You'll get faster at reading the grand staff (both clefs in piano music). Counting up each note works, but its a slower method than saying to yourself Every Good Boy Does Fine.
This is also a good tool for helping kids remember the lines and spaces on the grand staff of piano sheet music. Feel free to print it out!
- Fastpianolessons.com has more fun online lessons for free
On my blog, I've posted lots of videos that walk you through the basics of songs on the piano. You can learn a new song in 10-20 minutes after watching one video!
Rhyming and Reading Music
Notice that if you say it this way, "FACE is for the space" it rhymes.
"Every Good Boy Does Fine is for the lines," rhymes as well.
This will help with the hardest part for students, which is keeping the memory tools for the lines and spaces straighted out in your head. Also keep in mind that there are 4 spaces on each staff and 5 lines. So that helps narrow down the options.
Musical Scale to help Read Music
To be extra clear how the piano's keyboard relates to the grand staff (music notation). I have added a picture of a scale. Its helpful for young kids to see that as the keys go from left to right on the piano, the notes on the scale get higher.
Feel free to print it off and keep it by your piano!
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this is heaps helpful
thanks great job
glad to help! it took a bit of work to create some of these clear lessons
I've made a game with the purpose of improving note recognition and hence speeding up sight reading. It's great if you want to learn from scratch or improve your speed and accuracy. I've posted it up at:
http://martypapa.blogspot.com/2009/06/fast-keys.ht
Hope it helps!
your lessons are very understandable.
I am 78 years old and never played a piano in my life.
thanks.
Good information. I linked this hub to my hub about sight reading.
Thanks, I'm taking an accelerated Musical Theory course and this helps!
this is so good :D
this helped me get back in to piano music thanks
Can I use your picture of the grand staff with the memorization helps for an index card I am making up for Bible School?
my 5 yr old is a bit sluggish on the sight reading. this helps a great deal, but i would like to know if there are some other tricks?
this is not what im looking for and does not help
I love piano and i've been downloading piano games to keep learning and this note its very very helpful for me n now i just want a real piano:):)
thanks this really helps me memorize my piano notes
this was helpful thanks
without this i would have failed my music exams
this helped a lot. i am an 11 year old pianist and i wanted to write songs. i usually play without sheet music but i needed to know the notes on paper.
again helped a lot
Hi my name is Lorelei, i am a grade 9 info tech student. For class we are making websites, i was wondering if i could please use this picture?
http://s3.hubimg.com/u/536694_f520.jp
could you please email me your reponse so i can make sure i get it. catcrazy247@hotmail.com
thanks.
..its awesome. but i have difficulties in playing the grand staff because my eyes are just focusing only in either of the two cleffs,,,,
i need help to notes please help me i don't how to play to piano
i have an exam on friday and i would love to know if you have to play the hole sheet for sight reading thanks alot p.s. i hope there is'nt
chrismarx85 Hub Author 3 years ago
If you have any questions, Please post a questions and I'd love to help out!