You should not try to study all of one volume in one practice period.? Split each lesson up into easily managed sections and make a point of learning one section at a time.? Learn that section well before proceeding to the next section.?

The main thing is to be so familiar with the various points contained in each lesson that you can readily turn back to any point for reference.? Make sure that you do refer back as hazy half conceptions can create difficulties in the future.?

Take full advantage of your course by reading each lesson through so that you get an overview of the contents, then go back and study it thoroughly in sections, then go back again and study it in depth with actual practice.? Certain paragraph and entire pages may require more concentrated study and frequent reading helps tie things together.?

How is your latest piece going?? Can you play well enough for your family and friends to listen to it?? If you can then pat yourself on the back as you are making good progress.? If not, don't worry about it as some people are slower than others.? Whatever your progress you can rest assured that with practice you will improve.? You are at the beginning and if you continue to practice regularly and study carefully you will improve and derive great satisfaction and enjoyment.? When you have completed your course you will have gained a good knowledge of music and will be able to play in a way that can bring you many opportunities.

Well whatever it is you have been trying to play I would like you to put it aside for a moment and try this simple tune.

First of all try the melody notes only and when you have got that down try the chord sequence.? If you have a friend handy then you can play together.? One on melody and one on chords.

Although not mentioned you can see that this is three four time or waltz time so make sure you have your 123/123/123 counting right.? Take it slowly at first.? If you have downloaded your 'Finale' example of 3/4 time you can set that up at a suitable tempo and play along with it.

HOME SWEET HOME WITH CHORDS.?

A familiar tune with some modifications.? We have done away with the bass stave altogether so that all you have to read is the treble melody and the chord symbols which are the letters indicated above the stave.?

The capital letter C is the chord symbol for C major.? Hold this chord until you come to the next chord symbol which is F for F Major.? Hold this for just 2 beats as indicated and when you come to the 3rd beat the? symbol is NC which means 'no chord' so remove your hand for this 3rd count ready to play C major again on the first count of bar 3.? Hold this chord until you come to the next chord symbol which is G for G major.?

If you have memorized your chords you will find this much easier than trying to read two stave music.? Simply look at the treble stave and chord symbol in any music you care to try.? It is really that simple.?

You can use chord notes to add to your melody as well, as indicated in the last bar.? This really does add a richness to your playing that is not possible with just one note.?

Tab for Home Sweet Home

????????? C???????? F??? NC?????? C????????????????????????? G????? NC????? G????????????????? C???????????????????????? NC???????????????????

e |--------------------------------------------------------------------------

b |--------------------------------------------------------------------------

g |--------------0----0--------0--------------------------------------------

d |----2----3-------------2--------3----2----3----0----2----2-------0-----

a |----------------------------------------------------------------3---------

E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

?

???????? C???????? F????????????????? C????????????????????????? G????? NC????? G????????????????? C???????????????????????? NC???????????????????

e |--------------------------------------------------------------------------

b |----------------------------------------------------------------------1---

g |--------------2----0--------0-----------------------------------0----0---

d |----2----3-------------2--------3----2----3----0---------2---------2--

a |-------------------------------------------------------3--------------3---

E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------

?

You can also access the "Finale" sample by clicking on?hsh1.MUS If you haven't got friend handy you can play the melody on your computer and play the chord accompaniment yourself.

If you give some time to practice you will quickly get the hang of playing from chord symbols and as you do, try looking less at your fingers and more at the music.? You can do it - but you might have to make a special effort.? It's not much more different than learning to drive, or type or any number of any other things we do every day.? At first it might be necessary to look at everything until you get used to where everything is but soon you don't need to look and the sooner you can play without looking at your fingers the sooner your playing will improve.

Ok! So I hear you saying how tough it is to change from one chord to another but just look where you fingers are for each chord.? The change from C to F and back again requires very little movement as you are doing no more than dropping your fingers down a string.? The change from C to G is a bit more tricky but as I've said before, if you don't like it - CHEAT.? Just move your 2nd and 3rd fingers up a string and forget about the 1st string altogether.? The 5 string chord you now have is still a legitimate G chord and allows for a very smooth finger movement.? After a very short space of time you will find that you can progress from one chord to another with little effort.? Oh! don't forget to try the full G chord later as your ability improves.

In printed music there are several signs you must carefully observe before you begin to play.? Train yourself to watch for them before attempting any piece.? If you do not you will find yourself making careless and unnecessary mistakes.?

Some of the things which you have already learned and which you must always watch out for are:?

??????????????????????????????????????????????? Treble and Bass Clef.

??????????????????????????????????????????????? Time Signature.

??????????????????????????????????????????????? Tied Notes.

??????????????????????????????????????????????? Note Values.

??????????????????????????????????????????????? Dotted Notes.

??????????????????????????????????????????????? Sharps and Flats.?

You have learned quite a bit already haven't you? and there is much more to come.?

By now you may have already tried playing other pieces from printed music, if you haven't you should certainly have a go.? Many popular pieces are written in a style suitable for you to try.? Keep away from the really complex and stick with music written in the key of C (no sharps or flats) in three four or four four time.? Your music shop will be able to advise you on what to try.? Now you know that all you have to do is concentrate on the treble ( melody ) line and look for the chord symbol which all music will indicate.?

In every piece of music many bars in one section are exactly the same in another section.? This means that once you learn one part you have automatically learned other parts.? Learning any new piece need not take as long as many people imagine and with the skills you have learned you will be able to amaze those people who still don't realize just how easy music really is.?

Assuming you have now purchased some 'real' music for yourself, read it through carefully remembering your special musical observations then try it very slowly.? If you have purchased music which is suitably at your 'level' then any problems should be answered by previous instruction.?

pencil in any note names that do not readily come to you, making sure you name them correctly according to the CLEF and STAVE position.?

When playing, watch that you do not speed up your counts as you go from bar to bar.? You should finish the piece at the same tempo as you started it.? As you get to know the piece you will be able to play it faster.? If you have difficulty with certain bars, practice them separately 5 or 6 times and you will soon have them mastered.?

If you get stuck and can't get it right after several attempts, leave it alone for a while.? Make a note of the problem and try again a day or so later.? Try a bit of mental practice in the meantime.? 90% of the time this break will clear the problem up and you will wonder why you ever had the problem in the first place.?

Don't be put of by your mistakes.? All players make mistakes.? Realize mistakes will be made and use your failures to springboard you to greater success.? A mistake is simply part of the learning process and many listeners don't pick up the odd mistake any way.?

This is the most common time signature used in popular music, light classics, ballads, etc.

Four four time is indicated by a time signature as follows:

?

This is found at the beginning of the piece just the same as three four time signature.

This time signature tells you that there must be 4 beats in each bar as indicated by the TOP figure and each beat has the value of a crotchet, as indicated by the BOTTOM figure.?

As four four time is the one most commonly used it is called Common Time and is sometimes indicated by a large capital C instead of figures.?

???????????????????????????

Both of the above illustrations are therefore correct and indicate the same four four time.?

Remember that the time signature has nothing to do with the tempo or timing

It's purpose is to indicate how many beats you count in each bar.

Your counts must be kept even.? You remember that when dealing with three four time you learnt to count 1 2 3 evenly for each bar.? In four four time you count 1 2 3 4 evenly for each bar.?

Practice counting up to 4 evenly and slowly and remember there is no pause in between each group of counts

?????????????????????1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4?

When trying four four time counting for the first time you can imagine you are walking down the street and your steps are left, right, left, right. but try instead to say one, two, three, four.? This is exactly the beat of four four time.

Click on? Four Four Time.MUS for 'Finale' example of Four Four time.

"Jingle Bells" is a simple tune which provides an exercise in four four time.? You can obtain a "Finale" copy of? "Jingle Bells" by clicking on?? JingleBells.MUS

Don't expect your new piece to sound pleasing until you have given it reasonable time.? Keep to the rules for learning to play and remember that even the best players make mistakes.? If you play a wrong chord, simply lift your left hand and find the right chord while you continue to keep to the time, that way very few people will even notice that you have made a mistake.?

Make sure you have memorized the three chords and that you understand the simple rule for forming chords before you continue.?

You have just mastered a very simple secret regarding chords which will improve your playing no end and once you have mastered this you should be very pleased with yourself.?

Continue to practice this lesson until you are thoroughly familiar with the chords, chord symbols and common time signature.