Can’t I just learn to play an instrument by ear? Do I really have to learn to read sheet music?
Yes, you can learn to play an instrument by ear, but to excel in your musical abilities and to be better prepared to make music with others, reading sheet music is an indispensable skill.
If you’re not overly excited about reading sheet music, we hope this guide will spark a new interest and appreciation of the art. We’ll help you learn how to improve your sheet music-reading skills and share some benefits that will pay off in your music-making journey.
Table of Contents
- 9 Tips for How To Get Better at Reading Sheet Music
- Habits To Avoid When Reading Sheet Music
- 5 Benefits of Improved Sheet Music-Reading Skills
- How Long Does It Take To Get Good at Reading Sheet Music?
- Learn To Read Sheet Music Better With Music Lessons From the Instructors at Northwest School of Music
9 Tips for How To Get Better at Reading Sheet Music
Are you ready to commit to improving your skills at reading sheet music? That’s the first step. We’ll help you with the rest with these practical tips to help you on your way.
#1: Start With the Basics
It probably goes without saying that to get better at reading sheet music, you’ll need to have a fundamental musical foundation.
To read music well, you’ll need knowledge of:
- Staffs
- Scales
- Notes
- Time signatures
- Keys and key signatures
- Symbols
- Notations
With a solid understanding of these foundational musical principles, you’ll be better prepared to read sheet music and understand how the music is moving and how to play it stylistically and with feeling.
When looking at a piece of music for the first time, use your understanding of the basics to get an overview of the piece. Before playing (or singing) a note:
- Look at the key signature.
- Take note of the time signature.
- Look at rhythms and note the ones that might be tricky.
- Identify the tempo markings.
- Note changes in time signature, key signature, and tempo in the piece.
#2: Understand Clefs and Key Signatures
Along with basic music theory knowledge, it’s helpful to have a firm grasp of clefs and key signatures — and there are quite a few!
Most musicians will play or sing music that is written in the treble or bass clef. Knowing the notes on those clefs by sight is key to reading music seamlessly. If you have to stop and think “Every Good Boy Does Fine” or “All Cows Eat Grass” before knowing which note to play or sing, your music-making will be extremely tedious and laborious — and probably not very enjoyable.
The same goes with those few special musicians who play instruments using the alto clef. Playing the viola or alto trombone well will mean being very familiar with the alto clef.
And when it comes to key signatures, do you easily know which major key has four flats? Three sharps? (In case you didn’t know the answers, the key of A-flat major has four flats, and the key of A major has three sharps.) Recognizing each key and which flats and sharps are played will not only mean you play your instrument accurately but also more easily.
Does all this musical lingo throw you for a loop? Let Northwest School of Music help. Along with learning to play an instrument or sing, our experienced team will also help you understand music theory and teach you how to read sheet music successfully.
#3: Make Use of Note Landmarks and Chord Charts
Music landmarks are much like geographical ones, helping you relate places to what is around them. In music, landmarking involves recognizing notes and chords by their relation to landmarks — like middle C.
Rather than figuring out the position of every note, with landmarks, you can more easily process notes based on intervals and spacing.
Additionally, a chord chart may especially help those who are skilled at playing music by ear. Marking the chords in a piece can help you know what notes to expect in the melody.
#4: Recognize Rhythm
Rhythms are made up of notes, and like clefs and key signatures, there are lots of rhythmic possibilities.
When looking at a piece, take a look at the general rhythms and then pick out the ones that might be challenging. Break them down piece by piece to ensure you’re playing them correctly.
Rhythms can be tricky, so taking them slowly and getting them correct is a big step in reading sheet music better.
#5: Conquer Multiple Staves
Many types of music require learning more than one staff. These include:
- Choral music
- Piano music
- Orchestral scores
So, whether you’re playing the piano, directing a choir, or conducting an orchestra, learning how to read more than one staff at a time can help you become better at reading music in general.
#6: Look for Patterns
Most music — maybe with the exception of some modern music forms — incorporates patterns. Choral music may include verses and a bridge, and classical music very often makes use of patterns. Listen to an example from the third movement of Brahms’s Symphony No. 4. What patterns do you recognize?
Once you recognize one pattern, it can help you see other ones and anticipate them.
#7: Locate Anchor Notes
When you’re learning to read sheet music, it’s a good idea to break things down into smaller parts. This is where anchor notes can help.
Anchor notes are notes that repeat themselves in a measure. Locate the anchor notes and name them. Then, when you see them in the music, you’ll automatically know what they are and won’t have to read them every time. This can help with memory and save time.
#8: Articulate Rhythms
Though this tip may be most helpful for pianists, it can be applicable to any musician.
Articulating rhythms involves slight changes to notes to make them more pronounced or to better fit the feel of the music. For example, a flowing piece may include slurs to connect the notes in a smooth manner. On the other hand, staccato markings may be included to add punch to short, heavily accented notes, like in the second movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in F Major.
We mentioned understanding rhythms above, but here, we’re talking more about the subtleties of rhythms and pitches — things like:
- Slurs
- Dynamics
- Tenuto
- Staccato
Not only will correct articulation help with more expressive music-making, but it’s also one more tool to employ in improving reading sheet music.
#9: Practice
At Northwest School of Music, we like to say, “Practice makes progress.” This also holds true when it comes to getting better at reading sheet music. Nothing can take the place of repeated, effectual practice — doing something over and over and over again.
How do you practice reading sheet music? Try these tips:
- Study each piece from beginning to end to get the “big picture.”
- Annotate the piece to understand the individual parts and the tricky parts.
- Use your sheet music to practice your instrument regularly — a little every day if possible.
Habits To Avoid When Reading Sheet Music
When you want to know how to get better at reading music, in addition to implementing the tips above, here are a few things to avoid and why:
- Memorizing a piece from the start keeps you from the practice of reading sheet music.
- Especially with piano or guitar, looking at your hands will slow you down.
- Writing the note names stunts your music-reading abilities and crowds the score with extra notations.
- Playing too fast from the start of a piece means you have to slow down for the more challenging pieces. Start slow and work up to the correct tempo.
5 Benefits of Improved Sheet Music-Reading Skills
Now that you’ve learned some tips to help you read music better, you may be wondering if it will really be worth it. We are here to say resoundingly, “Yes! Learning to read sheet music well has many benefits!”
Here are just a few!
#1: Helps To Understand Musical Structure
Without understanding and reading sheet music well, you’re likely going to play or sing a piece of music note by note. The notes might be correct, but they will lack life and expression.
Understanding the structure of a piece involves taking note of:
- Melodies
- Chord structures and progressions
- Timing
- Rhythms
- Dynamics
- And more
Reading sheet music well can help to understand the structure of a piece, which can result in beautiful and expressive music-making rather than a robotic performance.
#2: Provides for Versatility and Creative Freedom
When you can read music easily and thoroughly, you’ll be more prepared to play any type of music. Imagine having a varied repertoire and how that can set you apart as a musician.
If you like to create your own music, improving your ability to read sheet music can foster and enhance your creativity. You’ll be able to add your spin on pieces, include your interpretation, and perhaps even compose some pieces.
#3: Makes Collaboration More Accessible
Music is a language, and when it’s notated in sheet music, it becomes a language that all musicians can share. Learning to read music well means you can understand classic pieces by masters like Beethoven and Bach and by modern composers like Max Richter and Hans Zimmer.
If you like to make music with others, reading sheet music is a must. Not only does it help keep everyone on the same page (literally), but it also paves the way for collaboration with other musicians who are all speaking the same language.
#4: Fosters Precision and Accuracy
Reading sheet music takes the guesswork out of making music.
Of course, you can look at a piece and play some sort of rendition, especially if you are playing by ear. But with a solid understanding of how to read sheet music, you can make sure that you are playing a piece the way the composer intended, correct notes and all.
#5: Improves Sight-Reading
Sight-reading is an invaluable skill, and reading sheet music well may be the best way to hone that skill. Though you likely won’t play or sing a piece perfectly the first time you see it, reading sheet music will allow you to get the feel of a piece when you can sight-read it smoothly.
How Long Does It Take To Get Good at Reading Sheet Music?
The answer to this is “it depends” — on things like:
- How old you are
- Your history with music instruction
- How much and how effectively you practice
- The complexity of the music you’re playing
- Your learning resources
One of the most effective resources you can employ when attempting to get better at reading sheet music is a trained and experienced music instructor. They not only have the know-how, but they have loads of experience and tips they can share with their students.
Contact Northwest School of Music today to find out more, and when you register for your first lesson, you’ll get a session free.
Learn To Read Sheet Music Better With Music Lessons From the Instructors at Northwest School of Music
Are you ready to get started improving your sheet music-reading abilities? Northwest School of Music in Salem, Oregon, is here to help.
Why choose us?
- We offer a variety of lessons, including:
- Ukulele
- Piano
- Guitar
- Violin
- Voice
- Woodwind
- Brass
- We offer individual and group lessons.
- Our instructors are highly skilled, educated, and experienced.
- Morning and afternoon lessons are available to fit your schedule.
- No contracts are required — you can schedule lessons month to month.
- Lessons are available for all ages.
What are you waiting for? If you’re ready to take the next step on your musical journey, choose Northwest School of Music. We are committed to helping you make music a part of your life and enjoying every moment of the process.
