Survey Results: Note Name Recognition
Topic: Participants were asked to rank the importance of note recognition, both on the staff and on the instrument:
Identifying a note on the staff (by letter name)
Identifying a note on the instrument (by letter name)
Results:
85% of responses ranked identifying notes on the staff by letter name as critically important.
¾ of respondents ranked identifying notes on the instrument by letter name (as opposed to by fingering or position) as critically important.
Analysis:
Students who can first identify a note or interval on the staff and then quickly find it on the instrument emerge as capable and fluent readers. Coupled with a strong foundation in rhythm, these skills provide musicians with essential tools to learn new repertoire quickly and stand out in their ability to sightread.
Let Core Music Theory help you become a fluent reader!
Respondents rated the importance of the above teaching techniques on a scale of 1-5.
Results are listed as a percentage.
String teachers had some fantastic feedback!
"These answers depend on the level of the student. I start with sound production, playing the rhythms of words and with left hand by ear, not reading notes. There's too much going on in the beginning to incorporate intervals and note reading.”
Deborah Kauffman Mishoe, Huntersville, NC
Private Studio Teacher
"Knowing note names and intervals is not at all needed to be proficient on an instrument, not to say it isn't helpful, but it's not necessary. One can play proficiently without having to identify or name these things. It is, of course, critical to look at a note on the staff and be able to find it on their instrument. When the note name and perhaps interval are important is if a teacher or conductor uses this terminology in class and the student can't keep up because they don't know what the note names are.”
Lisa Shaw, Green Oaks, IL.
Private Studio Teacher