Beginner Can't read music Where can i find note names to

[wsmith3460]

I can't read music...I need to find notes to popular songs.
i need the names of the notes...to some famous songs...Please..

Thanks Bill.....

 

[BigMartin]

I would advise you to learn to read music. Even if you can only read slowly it will open the door to a vast world of musical resources out there.

 

[trimmy]

Same as BM says, i couldn't read music when i started playing and it is certainly worth putting the effort into learning the dots, i can read them albeit slowly but i can see an improvement and over time it does get (a bit) easier.
Also if it helps you, why not write the notes under the dots in pencil then when you get familiar with the dots rub out the notes (hope you understand what i mean)

Welcome to the cafe

 

[Tenor Viol]

I agree with comments above - being able to read will enable you to pick up a piece of music and play it. It also helps with decisions such as whether something is too hard or not!

There are plenty of books and online resources to help.

 

[kevgermany]

or learn to play by ear. Prefer dots myself.

 

[ChrisC]

I can't read music myself (yet) but its not too hard to work out the letters. I hink to be honest it will be quicker if you start to learn to read music. I played guitar 'by ear' for 30 years and to be honest it has held me back. I intend to learn to play the sax and learn to read music at the same time 🙂

 

[Chris]

Bill, learn to read music. Take your time and it will happen. I started 2 years ago at 49, after playing the guitar for 20+ years moving patterns around. You'll soon pick it up.. Your post got me thinking though, if I gave you the note names to say " Autumn Leaves" how would you know which octave and what note length I was talking about. eg F# G# A D E F# G# would give you the first couple of bars..

Chris..

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

I can't read music...I need to find notes to popular songs.
i need the names of the notes...to some famous songs...Please..

Thanks Bill.....

Reading the above would sugest you have no intention of learning to read music....ok not a problem, just got to play the songs you like over and over again untill you find the notes that fit, or press a few keys and let the Jah do the rest...

 

[jazzdoh]

Welcome Bill

In the overall journey that is playing the sax reading music is the easy part and gets easier the more you doing it.
Its just seems hard at the start.
Just put the time in and it will become second nature.

 

[Colin the Bear]

Or buy a mouth organ.

 

[zannad]

I can't read music...I need to find notes to popular songs.
i need the names of the notes...to some famous songs...Please..

Thanks Bill.....

????
at least you should give us a bit more info...do you play Alto, Tenor? What tunes?
It seems to me like you got a sax out of the blue and starting to make some noise from it and wanting to play tunes without much effort?

 

[sushidushi]

Or buy a mouth organ.

Harmonicas are lovely, and even easier to play badly than the sax.

 

[Fraser Jarvis]

I can't read music...I need to find notes to popular songs.
i need the names of the notes...to some famous songs...Please..

Thanks Bill.....

The more i read this the more it comes over as a contradiction in terms, firstly you've got about three options: 1, be able to sight read and play the written piece. 2, be unable to read music and play purely by ear. 3, be able to do both and know what the notes, chords etc are called whilst improvising (because of your ability to sight read).........but why would you need to know what a certain note or notes are called if you cant read music, it's a total irrelevance?

 

[Kingsleyhk]

It's not that hard - notes go up and notes go down on the lines - as they do on the instrument. You only need to be able to count to four (or occasionally eight) - if you're a jazz/pop player. OK - sharps and flats complicate the issue a bit but take it one bite at a time and you'll get there. When I started in the 60s it was fashionable in some circles to believe that if you learned to read you could no longer play jazz. Fortunately I went to a school where the teachers were classical musicians so I had no choice but to learn. I wouldn't claim to be a good sightreader now because most of my playing these days is not with the dots but in my time - through sheer practice, not ability - I could find my way around a dance band part.

Here's an e-book (only 77p) you might find interesting:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-to-Read...=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356573835&sr=1-5

I think the big block is psychological - people believe it's hard when it really isn't. And, as BigMartin says, it opens so many doors.

 

[dooce]

I can't read music...I need to find notes to popular songs.
i need the names of the notes...to some famous songs...Please..

Thanks Bill.....

I presume you mean that instead of musical notation, someone physically writes out A, B, C# etc? Nothing like this exists as a resource, so far as I know. We all occasionally scribble out a line like that as an aide-memoir for intro's etc, because we have to do it quickly, but it's way better to use the musical notation. But plenty of guys on here get by extremely well and are very good players, but can't read a note of music so don't let it hold you back.

 

[thomsax]

Same as BM says, i couldn't read music when i started playing and it is certainly worth putting the effort into learning the dots, i can read them albeit slowly but i can see an improvement and over time it does get (a bit) easier.
Also if it helps you, why not write the notes under the dots in pencil then when you get familiar with the dots rub out the notes (hope you understand what i mean)

Welcome to the cafe

I know what you mean. I've been playing the saxophone for nearly 45 years and I'm still struggling with reading music. Not my thing. I use to write out all the notes with letters. It helps me. I just read music when I learn a song. My friends use to laugh at me and say my charts are so colourful!

 

[ArtyLady]

I know what you mean. I've been playing the saxophone for nearly 45 years and I'm still struggling with reading music. Not my thing. I use to write out all the notes with letters. It helps me. I just read music when I learn a song. My friends use to laugh at me and say my charts are so colourful!

View attachment 2134

I can't Turn you Loose? (just sight sang it) ..........

whatever works for you by the way!

 

[jbtsax]

I found it helpful with my students to point out the relationships with how the notes get their names from their placement either on the staff or on leger lines above and below the staff. The attached file shows those relationships. It boils down to memorizing Every Good Boy Does Fine (or your version of the saying) and the spelling of the word FACE.

For those who may have difficulty putting the names of the notes to the musical symbols, the fingerings to the symbols or vice versa, the exercise that helped my students overcome this difficulty was to "say and finger", or better still "sing and finger" the song or exercise. In other words the students would sing in pitch B A G A B B B---A A A---B B B---B A G A B B B---A A B A G---to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb in rhythm at the same time they fingered those notes on their instruments. When and only when they could do that perfectly on a new song, could they play the tune on their instruments. Once note names and fingerings were locked in, then we would move on to singing pitches using syllables for the correct articulations while fingering, etc.

 

[Eastman52st]

Smith your already starting off with the wrong attitude, no offense. Learn to read music so you can aquire the rythms not just note playing. Note playing will be all down notes out of rythm and you will never get good. Yes you can start off playing by ear if your good at that but sheet music is a fast guide to get you to the song you want to play. First get the notes down, rythm, effects, vibrato,while reading music and then through the sheet on the floor and play by ear.

 

[Tenor Viol]

I found it helpful with my students to point out the relationships with how the notes get their names from their placement either on the staff or on leger lines above and below the staff. The attached file shows those relationships. It boils down to memorizing Every Good Boy Does Fine (or your version of the saying) and the spelling of the word FACE.

For those who may have difficulty putting the names of the notes to the musical symbols, the fingerings to the symbols or vice versa, the exercise that helped my students overcome this difficulty was to "say and finger", or better still "sing and finger" the song or exercise. In other words the students would sing in pitch B A G A B B B---A A A---B B B---B A G A B B B---A A B A G---to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb in rhythm. When and only when they could do that perfectly on a new song, could they play the tune on their instruments. Once note names and fingerings were locked in, then we would move on to singing pitches using syllables for the correct articulations while fingering, etc.

In the UK it's often Every Good Boy Deserves Food (etc). The kind of school I went to, it was 'flogging' 🙂))