[Menvi-discuss] Note reading

[Brandon Keith Biggs]

It is written for fixed Do because if you are playing in F major and have an 
F to C, (1 to 5), you have to put the octave mark. If you then go back down 
to F you have to put that octave mark again. If you are in A major and go A 
to C without an octave mark it would go up to the C above it. If you went to 
D how ever, you would need to go down to the D below.
When you are singing in different keys, you have to change in your mind what 
each letter means. You can't look at the spaces between each note and read 
the intervals from that. You have to think:
I'm in A major. A = do, B = Re, C# = Mi...
Next moment you transfer to D major. Now you have to put in your brain:
D = Do, E = re, F# = Mi...

If everything was fixed do, we would just to see a D and think that it is re 
of some sort. None of this rushing around to think what step it is in the 
key I'm in.

I was joking when I said I was great at reading Alto clef. I would not have 
known those exercises were in Alto clef but for my teacher saying before we 
started reading. They were really easy exercises that looked normal.
Thanks,

Brandon Keith Biggs
-----Original Message----- 
From: Bettie Downing
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2013 2:08 PM
To: This is for discussing music and braille literacy
Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Note reading

No.  I already explained that.  Print is different from braille.  You know 
print uses lines and spaces and because of instruments in different keys 
(Not C like the flute, but B-flat like the clarinet or trumpet or some in F) 
they use different clefs and the middle C is not located on the same line 
that it is in a G clef.

The transcriber must transpose the clef and put the correct octave for the 
actual pitch for the blind reader.  It's a headache for a transcriber, 
believe me.


On Jan 17, 2013, at 3:44 PM, Chris Smart wrote:

> how is braille written for fixed do? I've never heard anybody make that 
> assertion.
> and, isn't something written for alto cleff the same in braille as it 
> would be for any other cleff, except for the octave signs?
>
>
>
> At 11:46 AM 1/17/2013, you wrote:
>> Hello,
>> I sight read just fine without learning the music ahead of time. We 
>> actually just were introduced to alto clef and everyone followed me 
>> because I was the best at reading in that arcane cleff!
>> Open-mouthed smile
>>
>> Of course I must see the format of the music before hand and trust there 
>> are no signs I don’t know, or jumps I can’t make. I’m also horrible when 
>> it comes to keeping within the right octave. I don’t like moveable do 
>> when Braille is written for the fixed do.
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Brandon Keith Biggs
>>
>> From: <mailto:SClark6144 at aol.com>SClark6144 at aol.com
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 16, 2013 12:55 PM
>> To: <mailto:menvi-discuss at menvi.org>menvi-discuss at menvi.org
>> Subject: Re: [Menvi-discuss] Note reading
>>
>> For sight reading music, the blind student should always have the music 
>> ahead of time to learn it.  My student who played violin did the sight 
>> reading at contests with the other students, and we got the music ahead 
>> of time so he could learn it.  They said he couldn't do it because he 
>> couldn't see, so I had to fight for it, but I got the message 
>> across...it's done that way in the UK also.  I figured if he felt he 
>> couldn't do it, he would disqualify himself...no one should do that for 
>> him.
>>
>> In a message dated 1/16/2013 2:58:43 P.M. US Eastern Standard Time, 
>> MWalker at oceansideschools.org writes:
>> 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
>> > Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Thank you for subscribing to MENVI.  Should you wish to unsubscribe, 
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