experienced instrument player please answer..?

Question

when you play your music instrument, do you always memorize the notes or chords you play in a song? or do you read the score or tab as you play? (cause i always find this very hard as it takes me a few seconds to see what notes i should play)

Answer 1

Well, it depends on what i m playing. If i m playing hard rock/metal, no i do not read anything. I memorize those things because sometimes i have to play really fast, and look on the fretboard (for example when playing Yngwie Malmsteen, Children of Bodom, etc) (i play guitar and keyboards). When i play easiest things and simple rock with fifths (smoke on the water, rock u like a hurricane, hotel california, smells like teen spirit, the trooper, etc) i also do not look at anything but i m not looking to the fretboard all the tie, dance, and make some figures. When i m playing just chord songs, wich are the easiest, and those that you can go to a beach with a guitar and start singin' the i play them by viewing the lyrics and the notes/chords, because they are so many, that i cant sit and learn them all.... If i wanna play live i memorize everything, when learning a song i read notes and tabs, when composing music, it stays on my mind, except if i want to transmit it to my keyboardist, so i write it down ina pentagramm with notes...

Answer 2

Before learning to play an instrument you may want to learn to communicate in English (and while you're at it your native language if it's another one). Your rant (and that's what it is) is next to impossible to read. And no, there's no difference whatsoever between what you can do on an acoustic and an electric guitar. Whichever website told you that was dead wrong. Whomever gave you the idea that all you need to learn is how to bang out chords is also dead wrong. If it's your teacher he's indeed a bad one. If however (as I suspect) your teacher is telling you to do other things and not just bang out some chords he's most likely a good teacher who's trying to teach a little brat that thinks it knows better than its teacher. Your statement that you're "real good at any instrument" pretty much proves that. If you've been playing for just 2 months you're NOT "real good", at most you may be making a bit of progress towards learning to play a few riffs or chords cleanly.

Answer 3

play until you "feel" the "sound" or "color" of each note. the music you are reading has been written down usually after the music has been played, which means that when it was being played, it was being "felt"; or just letting your fingers do what they feel, is necessary to convey a certain feeling. the art isnt in memorizing where you should go next, it is squelching the notes around the one you want so that all you hear is the targeted emotion

Answer 4

I mostly read the music and play it. If I play a song every time I practice I usually memorize it. I also play by ear when there is no sheet music available.

Answer 5

If you can remember entire songs by ear/heart, you my friend are a really good musician. If you have to read tab or scores to remember the notes, don't let it get you down. Chord charts and stuff can be really useful resources. Plus, the greatest symphonies and orchestras in the world have to use scores, and their music is REALLY complicated.

Answer 6

I play the cello, and sometimes I'll look at the music, but I usually try to play by memory. I'll sometimes take a peek just to remember the count of the note, etc, or when I'm first learning the piece.

Answer 7

You practise reading the music until you get to where you have it memorized. Some people have better memories, some can read and write faster, it depends on you, I used to memorize it and read it for referance if I got stuck!

Try reading ahead to the next couple of bars while playing the bar ou are on too.

Answer 8

Playing often enough, you will find yourself memorizing most of your music, and not always intentionally. So go ahead and memorize. I also find that when my part is memorized, I have an easier time listening to the othes around me, and I'm more aware of how we sound as a group, as opposed to concenrating on my sheet music and counting my own measures.

good luck:)

Answer 9

I play the keyboard.By experience i can conclude that it is always better to first memorize your notes and then play the song 'cause when u know the notes throughly,u can then concentrate only on the fingerings

Answer 10

been playing since the Bealtes began .. unfortunately I play by ear and memorize or write as I play sometimes I purchase sheet music but I have to read it first the biggest regret I ever had is that I never learned to sight read like my father who graduated
Philadelphia conservatory of music for violin before they used microphones if you can find a way to learn to sight read my hats off to you... peace out good luck and enjoy the life!