As it stands/sight reading the piano

Hello there tuners,

In one of my characteristic slacking off manerisms, I have let the darn
email build up again, and I will have to work back from the beginning.

So, don't be surprised if old concepts arise.

One thing that I am really interested is, is if there is any such animal as
to a software package(s) that enable one to practice, and to perfect their
sight reading skills.

The reason that I ask this, is that I beligerantly took a touch typeing
class at the age of 13 years old, and found, to my surprise that I actually
liked it!!!

I have never really forgotten the skills of touch typeing, and found this
skill essential, and very fundamental, and they have come in handy.

However, I cannot sight read pianoforte music, and I would love to learn to
do so, and I feel that it would be really neat if there could be some sort
of software package, that had a, well, shall we say "hands on" or
"kinesthetic" type of computer game, with the MIDI keyboard plugged in, and
a way to test reaction times, note time estimation accuracy, not pitch
estimation accuracy, and set skill and speed levels, all with a hands-on
approach.

I do know that, after some research, I found a website at:

http://www.datacom.ca/~ron/mtwin.htm

....and after some research, found that this was all placed into one
package, whereby a mouse and screen were needed.

I thought, however, that this somewhat defeated the purpose of playing with
10 fingers.

I mean, a concert pianist dosne't have a mouse and pad, dose he?

What I would like is some package, available, that enabled me to do a
formal, and a structured course, via varying degrees of skill and
complexity, WITH ALL FINGERS NOTATED, that would, shall we say, "guard and
guide" me through a sight reading system, that would (eventually) enable me
to become fairly proficint as sight reading.

This could act as a piano tutor.

Such a system would need speed, and skill level adjustment, and a way to
feedback and to correct mistakes.

I saw a similar thing in an APPLE computer, called "caharacter attack", and
I thought that the concept was BRILLAIANT, so I see no reason what this
couldn't be adapted for the score with clefs and staves with MIDI.

What would such an item be called?

What could such an item be called?

Attack of the killer notes?

Seriously,

I want an awnser to this, as I am dieing to disipline yself and up my poor
sight reading skills.

Any comments?

--Sarn.

--- In tuning@egroups.com, Sarn Richard Ursell <thcdelta@i...> wrote:

http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/16419

> One thing that I am really interested is, is if there is any such
animal as to a software package(s) that enable one to practice, and
to perfect their sight reading skills and they have come in handy.
>

There are all kinds of software packages "out there" that fit this
description... whether it's possible to assess how "good" they are
without trying them is another matter. Of course, they all work with
a MIDI keyboard attached to your computer...

Like many people on this list, I suppose, I get lots of catalogs of
this nature and one I happen to have right here is "Ederol."

In their "educational" section they have such entries as "Musicware
Piano Course" 1,2,3 ($75 each), something a little less comprehensive
called "Adventus Piano Suite" ($39) and many others.

You can, naturally, order on line:

http://www.edirol.com/index.html

Is any of it any good?? Dunno. It is, however, pretty ubiquitous
amd not very expensive so you may want to try out different
packages...
_______ ___ __ _ __
Joseph Pehrson

> --- In tuning@egroups.com, Sarn Richard Ursell <thcdelta@i...> wrote:
>
> http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/16419
>
> > One thing that I am really interested is, is if there is any such
> animal as to a software package(s) that enable one to practice, and
> to perfect their sight reading skills and they have come in handy.

> There are all kinds of software packages "out there" that fit this
> description... whether it's possible to assess how "good" they are
> without trying them is another matter. Of course, they all work with
> a MIDI keyboard attached to your computer...

[snip]

Perhaps a trip to a local music store will allow you to select such a
package. I remember seeing a few at the store where I bought my WX5 and
VL70-m. You'll at least be able to see them in action and demonstrated,
rather than trying to select one from specifications / ad copy on a web
page. Once you know what you want, you can always order off the web if the
music store's price is too high. My guess is, though, that a music store
will be competitive and you'll be able to take whatever you chose home with
you. Maybe I should take my own advice and see if they have any training
tools for the WX5 :-).
--
M. Edward Borasky
mailto:znmeb@teleport.com
http://www.borasky-research.com/

"There's No Fuel Like an Old Fuel" -- National Coal Institute