This Musing is the result of an Email exchange with a friend. Her very gifted young son is displaying a high musical aptitude:
Dear XXXX,
You asked:
Forgot to tell you: XXXX is becoming quite the little cello player. His teacher says he has a perfect ear—he can sound out any song and play it, but he has no interest in reading music. Any suggestions?
Wow, it’s great that he likes to play and no one is forcing it on him. The most important thing in a musician’s ability to play for life is just enjoying playing music!
It’s really difficult to try new things and stumble as we try to master them. Nobody wants to sound bad! It takes patience! Everything must be approached slowly and deliberately, very hard principles for kids to grasp. How does one explain the principle of “means to an end” to such a young person?
If XXXXX truly wants to consider a lifetime of playing the cello, or for that matter, master anything else in his life, it’s important to learn the history and traditions. In displaying an aptitude for “playing by ear” XXXXX is just scratching the surface of what is possible. There are centuries of knowledge to be assimilated before you can really take things to a place of your own.
I can’t begin to express how I’ve enjoyed tackling the Bach Cello Suites and many other classical pieces, they’ve made such a difference in my approach to jazz playing. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to say that I’ve mastered any of them, but I’ve learned to enjoy the attempt!
There are techniques to learn that can help to advance your progress in a much more efficient manner if you can learn to read music. There are wonderful methods to study that have been left for us by the great masters. Your line of communication with them is your ability to hear and read their music.
The feeling of accomplishment when you’ve reached a new plateau of musicianship is indescribable, and playing music for life for a dedicated musician is hopefully a constant climb to the next plateau. It never ends! A truly committed musician learns to enjoy the accomplishments but to always aspire to reach the next level. The gnawing frustrations become your friends if you embrace them and just keep attempting to slowly work out the task in front of you.
Learning to read music will open XXXXX up to a huge amount of learning resources and performance repertoire. It will make it possible for him to play in all kinds of ensembles. I too, “played by ear” when I was younger, learning to read music was the thing that made my career possible.
Here’s what I’d tell him:
Approach learning to read music slowly. Take it one step at a time. Repeat each exercise over and over before moving to the next. Build a foundation!
Here’s what I call the practice axiom, think of it as your mantra for learning to play music:
ACCURACY PLUS REPETITION EQUALS SPEED
SPEED PLUS REPETITION DOES NOT EQUAL ACCURACY
You will find that after your abilities improve, when you just play for fun, (away from your studies), and “play by ear” you will reach a whole new level of enjoyment and personal expression.
Hope this helps!
God luck XXXXX!
Love,
Jennifer
February 1, 2007
