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Post by davidmdahl on Dec 6, 2005 23:48:33 GMT
Hello Dick,
Yes, it has been quiet here among the crickets. If you would like, we can have a friendly discussion about synthesizers in traditional music, and a pinch of jianpu vs staff notation for good measure. <g>
Speaking of which, it was the study of the dizi that got me started on jianpu in the first place. Now I can't play Chinese music in staff notation on either erhu or dizi. That makes it a problem when I want to learn Vietnamese tunes on flute or fiddle. It is almost easier to learn a tune by ear. Since I already "know" a lot of tunes on another instrument, it is not that difficult to find it on flute by noodling around.
Best wishes,
David
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Post by Bryan on Dec 8, 2005 2:16:30 GMT
Oic....that's really interesting n.n
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Post by paulv on Dec 15, 2005 13:38:27 GMT
David, I understand your delimma. The other day I pick up a Christmas song in staff notation, and even though I was trained for many years in staff notation, I had to start translating it into jianpu. I couldn't even start playing it in staff notation. Maybe this is age related for me?
Regards, Paul (the oldest erhu player on this forum)
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Post by Dick on Dec 15, 2005 17:54:19 GMT
I can't believe you guys are serious. Maybe you're just trying to get a rise out of me? Let's review a couple of basics: - Music is a hearing art.
- Primary music skills involve listening and memory abilities.
- Secondarily many instruments require manual dexterity.
- Notation serves principally as a learning or communication medium, also as mnemonic aid. Reading (any) notation would be considered a tertiary level skill.
All of these skills are developed and maintained through practice. For this forum, let's assume this principle requires no further explanation. Question: want to be able to read notation? Answer: practice reading notation. A wonderful book about being a musician, "Playing the Piano for Pleasure" by Charles Cooke, suggests 10 minutes per day (in a one-hour practice session) devoted to sight reading. You have my personal guarantee that anyone who follows that regime will become a great reader. I am still learning how to learn pieces by listening, and by reading. And I intend to continue learning and developing those skills for the rest of my life. I enjoy exercising the skills, I enjoy the physical experience of playing my instruments, and I enjoy observing changes in my abilities. So none of it is dreary or like "work" for me. Seems we hashed over the wu xian pu versus jian pu thing some months ago. We all know (history books assure us) that western staff notation and solfege were introduced into China at roughly the same time, about a hundred years ago, so there's no argument for one or the other being regarded as more "traditional" or "authentic" or whatever. Anyhow, I read everything, and recommend everyone do the same. Unless they don't like to, in which case quit yer gripin, eh? Let me ask you this, jian pu or wu xian pu or whatever your preference: Can you read it accurately without an instrument in your hands? Try it! --Dick
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Post by davidmdahl on Dec 15, 2005 18:49:15 GMT
No, we were not trying provoke you, Dick. Okay, maybe a little. <g>
I will not try to continue the jianpu v staff argument. My comment was simply an observation that my use of notation has become somewhat compartmentalized such that for some instruments I am comfortable using staff notation, and for others such as erhu, I am only using jianpu. I have no doubt that I could play erhu from staff notation with a little work, but so far all the erhu music I play is from jianpu. If I want to play Vietnamese music on my erhu, I will need to either take the trouble to mentally map staff notation to my erhu, or just learn the tunes by ear.
I am much better at "hearing" music in my mind while reading staff notation, although I am getting better at reading jianpu away from an instrument. Sometimes I play an erhu tune I am learning on a keyboard to double-check the notes and tuning. Yes, it is all just a mind thing that gets better with practice.
Best wishes,
David
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