[Menvi-discuss] Note reading

Thu Jan 17 11:42:29 EST 2013

Hello,
I would say 3rd grade is a perfect time to introduce music to your student. If they are like me who does not like reading literary Braille and never has, but loves reading music, it will increase their literary braille speed as well as their music reading speed navigating through their scores.
It is like talking pig latten, it looks like English, but when you try to pronounce the words you get stuff like thoederouowwth, a perfectly ledgable C scale. 
I never had any problem with telling the 2 apart, and that is often times how I can figure out if I’m reading lyrics or not is by the way the word sounds. if it is between “caro mio ben” and thwowou, I think I’ll go for the first line...
Thanks,

Brandon Keith Biggs

From: STEPHANIE PIECK 
Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 1:10 PM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy 
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Note reading

Hello,

I am a totally blind concert pianist and piano teacher, with both blind and sighted students. I introduce music literacy to all my students, blind or sighted, with the understanding that, since both groups contain students with a wide range of cognitive abilities, some of them will get a better grasp of music-reading than others.

In Braille, there are only six dots, and so there are only a limited number of ways these can be combined (63, I think?--sorry if that's wrong, but I'm not a math expert!). Print can be written--drawn, really--in limitless ways. Just compare the Japanese, Russian, Arabic, and English alphabets for proof!

Keeping "English" (literary) and "music" Braille straight is a problem that many people make bigger than it needs to be, especially if they are responsible for making sure a kid can read in school. I have had many parents and teachers express doubt about whether it's a "good idea" to introduce Braille music at all. "Won't it confuse them?"

In most cases, done properly, the answer is "No". 
If the student understands that, even though there are still six dots being used, the WAY they get used is different depending on whether they're reading "English" or music, the confusion can be kept to a minimum.

In Braille, octave signs are used to show how high or low particular pitches are. So, when I begin Braille music with any student who is either just learning literary Braille; has other learning difficulties; or is just not a particularly strong Braille reader, I explain that there are certain combinations of dots that will "announce" that they are reading music, not literary, Braille. The octave signs--or in most of my students' cases, the right and left hand signs used in piano music--are the "announcers".

I have found this method works well with a majority of students. Will they sometimes make mistakes? Sure! But they often find it humorous to be told something like: "This sign means: Hey! Here's Music, Not English!"

They will also find it funny to try "reading" their music aloud as English Braille, but they'll know they're doing it.

And one more thing: Teachers only have to know enough to stay ahead of their students. (Of course, this is pretty simplistic, since I think we all would like to be thoroughly comfortable with what we're trying to teach!) For TVI's, knowing the way to write notes and rhythms; a few octave signs; time signatures and rests; double bars and measures will be enough.

After all, you probably aren't expecting your third graders to be reading Beethoven orchestral scores--let alone piano sonatas--at the end of one year.

There is an excellent little book, available from National Braille Press, called "Who's Afraid of Braille Music?" by Richard Taesch. It's available in both print and Braille, and while it isn't as comprehensive as other courses out there, it wasn't designed to be. It's meant to give everyone--teachers, parents, and students--a way to get started without the trepidation that this subject can often instill in people.

In closing, I applaud you for thinking about how to give your blind general-music student exposure to the Braille music code. This is how I was introduced to it, back in third grade. I use it for almost everything now--preparing for recitals and competitions; teaching; composing.

I was by no means an exceptional student--in fact, I was reluctant, didn't practice, and probably caused no amount of frustration to my parents and teachers. But if it hadn't been for a public school music teacher like yourself, who thought Braille was important or had an inkling that it might be, I wouldn't be in the profession I'm in today.

Stephanie Pieck

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Mary A. Walker 
  To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy 
  Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 2:58 PM
  Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Note reading

  Thank you for your thoughtful responses.  I will share them with my TVI and other colleagues.  I have taught students with a variety of special needs over the years.  I have been teaching a student who is blind for the past two and a half years in general music.  She is in a class with 22 sighted students.  I have done my best to give her the tools she will need to be an independent musician, however we are at the point (3rd grade) where the lessons progress into more complicated sight reading.  My student is still learning to read literary braille so I understand the debate about when to teach braille music very well.  The TVI in my building is a first year teacher and doesn't have much experience with music.  We are trying to navigate how and when it is appropriate to teach note reading.  

  It is invaluable for me to hear what is done in other schools in order to contribute to our discussion on how to handle note reading.  I'm not a stickler for note reading but I believe that all of my students should be taught to learn music both aurally and through reading for precisely the reasons Mr. McCann stated when he said, "But learning by ear can remove us from the source of the information because we end up mimicking the interpretation of whoever read that score and realized it."  This is precisely the reason why we teach note reading to any student. 

  Thanks again for all of your input. I've already learned a great deal since joining this group over the summer.  

  Sincerely,
  Mary A. Walker
  School #3 Music Teacher
  Oceanside School District

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: Menvi-discuss [menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of SClark6144 at aol.com [SClark6144 at aol.com]
  Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 2:00 PM
  To: menvi-discuss at menvi.org
  Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Note reading

  I wonder just how Laurie would notate music, other than linearly.  She doesn't offer a better way.  I don't mean to be sarcastic, but a print reader can see, and print music is a visual representation of sound.  Braille music is linear because the reader cannot see it.  When I did research for my book, I found some examples of raised print music (the pictures are in my book) that people had attempted to use for blind readers.  Obviously, that was not successful.  It's one thing to look at notes on a staff and quite another to touch the whole picture (which is what it is) and try to figure out what it is.
  Syl

  In a message dated 1/16/2013 1:36:52 P.M. US Eastern Standard Time, bnbdowning70 at embarqmail.com writes:
    Amen to that!!

    On Jan 16, 2013, at 12:25 PM, Dale Lieser wrote:

    > Well stated, Bill.
    >  
    > From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Bill
    > Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 1:09 PM
    > To: 'This is for discussing music and braille literacy'
    > Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Note reading
    >  
    > Dear Ms. Walker,
    >  
    > Here’s a quote from an interview Laurie Rubin gave to the Wall Street Journal blog:
    >  
    > “There is braille notation, but I don’t tend to use it. I came to braille music very late. The thing that I don’t like is that it’s so linear, and you’re taking in everything piecemeal. A sighted person can look at a whole score and they can see where it’s going. When you’re looking at braille music, it’s note by note by note. It just gives me the willies. It’s like putting thread through a needle. It’s painstaking. I do most everything by ear.”
    >  
    > So Miss Rubin would not seem to be a valuable source of encouragement on the topic of note-reading in braille.  One excellent singer who completely understands how braille music works and how to integrate it into her own work is Jessica Bachicha.  I am not sure if she is a subscriber on this MENVI listserv but I am sure that she is a member.  You should be able to find her listed in the MENVI directory.  In addition, there are numerous subscribers here who know a great deal about the subject as many of us are blind musicians who have used braille music for a long time.  That is, you have come to the right place to ask.  J
    >  
    > An observation on Rubin’s quote: yes, “A sighted person can look at a whole score and they can see where it’s going” and a sighted person can also look down the road while driving a car and see things like traffic signals and roadblocks.  The sense of sight allows people who have it to perceive objects without having to touch them.  The human eye can zoom in and zoom out.  The medium of print music notation matches the visual capabilities of sighted people fairly well. 
    >  
    > But so what?  If we cannot see, we must find another way.  Certainly learning by ear is a coping strategy which I have used myself when braille scores were not available.  But learning by ear can remove us from the source of the information because we end up mimicking the interpretation of whoever read that score and realized it. 
    >  
    > Louis Braille designed his ingenious music system to match how blind people perceive information by touch.  In a sense, we are always zoomed in to the braille character that fits beneath the tip of a finger.   The medium of braille notation is well suited to how blind people acquire information tactually.  Linear presentation delivers information in a logical progression.  The order of braille music signs supports memorization. Blind vocalists can actually read while singing but instrumentalists must memorize the score before performing it.
    >  
    > Just as sighted musicians must synthesize score information into an internal picture of the score, so too must we blind musicians.  We all must internalize the music before we can competently perform or analyze it.  In other words, our brains must understand the music.  Print and braille music notation are just different methods to deliver the information to our brains.   
    >  
    > Bill McCann
    > President
    > Dancing Dots Braille Music Technology, L.P.
    > www.DancingDots.com
    > Tel:  610-783-6692
    >  
    >  
    > From: Menvi-discuss [mailto:menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Mary A. Walker
    > Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 8:51 AM
    > To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
    > Subject: [Menvi-discuss] Note reading
    >  
    > Hello Everyone!
    >  
    > I am an elementary general and choral music teacher interested in learning how to read braille music.  I have two questions. 
    >  
    > 1.  Do you have any course recommendations for braille music and/or teaching music to the visually impaired?  My colleague recommended the Hadley School for the Blind online course. 
    >  
    > 2.  In what context do students typically learn to read braille music?  From a private music teacher?  A TVI?  Or a public school music teacher?  I recently read Laurie Rubin's book, hoping to gain insight into how to best support note reading in the classroom setting.  It was a great book but she did not go into specifics related to note reading. 
    >  
    > Any recommendations are greatly appreciated! 
    >  
    > Thank you!
    >  
    > Sincerely,
    >  
    > Mary A. Walker
    > School #3 Music Teacher
    > Oceanside School District
    >  
    > From: Menvi-discuss [menvi-discuss-bounces at menvi.org] On Behalf Of Timothy Clark Music [timothyclarkmusic at me.com]
    > Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2013 3:10 AM
    > To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
    > Subject: [Menvi-discuss] Fwd: [Members] I have four magic questions for you...
    > 
    >  
    > Timothy 
    >  Your friend in the music industry 
    >  http://www.timothyclarkmusic.tumblr.com 
    >  7244011224
    >  
    > Begin forwarded message:
    >  
    > 
    > From: **Chris Rockett** <contact at promoteyourmusic.net>
    > Subject: [Members] I have four magic questions for you...
    > Date: January 13, 2013 12:21:20 AM EST
    > To: Timothy Clark Music <timothyclarkmusic at me.com>
    >  
    > Hey Guys,
    >  
    > Just wanted to share a few questions I've started asking myself
    > every morning to stay on track...think they will help you too.
    >  
    > Here goes...
    >  
    > 1) What five things must I do today to move my music career
    > forward?
    >  
    > 2) Who do I need to speak to today who can help me 
    > on the journey?
    >  
    > 3) Who have I already reached out to and need to follow up with?
    >  
    > 4) What are the main things I must complete today,
    > no matter what? (Do this stuff first)
    >  
    > That's it!
    >  
    > Try and hold off looking in your email inbox until you have got the
    > most important things done, because your email will usually be full of a
    > bunch of stuff that other people want you to do and you suddenly 
    > have no time left for yourself.
    >  
    > I'd love to hear some of your answers.
    >  
    > - Chris
    >  
    > --------------------------------
    >  
    > Founder of Music Marketing Classroom
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    >  
    > .
    >  
    > 
    > Flat 6 109 Warhouse Rd, London, SW8 9EP, UNITED KINGDOM
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