5 Responses for "Identifying Notes"

1. Ruth November 15th, 2008 at 7:23 pm 1

   Don’t let them….or you will all be very sorry later on! Kiddos can only concentrate on one thing at a time, and it will be either the letter names they wrote in, or the actual notes. Drill, baby drill! Give them note-spellers to write the names of the notes and make words…..but not their music! Huge temptation….but a very huge mistake!

2. Lisa Hansen November 16th, 2008 at 7:43 pm 2

   I’m totally for writing in the notes initially- that’s practice in naming them. EVentually they won’t even look at the name of the letters anymore. I feel that copying the music, writing on the copy and then when comfortable moving into the “real” music without the notes is fine.

3. Stengel99 November 19th, 2008 at 7:50 am 3

   I have pretty strong feelings about this, and agree with you. I tell my students that the letters are “training wheels.” When you’re learning to ride a bike, it’s okay to use training wheels, but who would want to spend the rest of their life riding a bike with them on?

   In terms of specific policies, I allow my beginners to write in the notes for the Winter Concert music if they need to. But after that, no more!

   My string players use a method book which in my opinion gives them the note names for far too long. The students probably get tired of hearing me talk about this fact. I remind them often that they should be looking at the noteheads, and not the letters.

   (Okay, I’ll get off my soap box now!)

4. Will Hay November 19th, 2008 at 4:25 pm 4

   I try to avoid writing in note names completely. Some extra finger numbers can help beginners but I soon try to wean students off too many finger unnecessary finger numbers as soon as possible and only put them in if they seem to be particularly struggling.
   Having used the ‘Progressive Keyboard method for young beginners’ series of books for group keyboard lessons for the past couple of years which are printed with the note letter contained within the note itself, these students are now stumped when I give them proper music and they are struggling to even know what letters to write in to the music to help themselves!
   In the future I will try to avoid music with the note names printed within the notes!

5. Dan the Music Master November 22nd, 2008 at 4:27 am 5

   I write them in, but I recommend that my students learn notes away from the keyboard with a diagram.

   A bit of help in labelling notes, along with some theory supplements away from the keyboard, work better for my students. They learn with less frustration and ultimately understand notes through theory and repetition at the piano.

   I will concede that no letters means quicker learning. The problem is that there’s a good chance that the student might quit out of frustration. It’s a bit risky.

   Good luck. Remember, all of the above systems work if you keep things fun and inventive as a teacher.