Technology
George Litterst, Editor
Over the years, I have observed teachers employ a variety of techniques for training their students in the art of sight-reading. Some of the techniques have included:
Interestingly, most of the techniques that I have observed can be provided quite effectively by features found in MIDI keyboards, MIDI playback devices, and music software programs. The only sight-reading technique for which I cannot think of a technological solution is the matter of covering up the student's hands.
In order to employ technology to teach sight-reading, we need:
In the end, our implementation of technology will be as effective or as ineffective as our own teaching strategies.
Our three contributors to this article have approached these matters from three interesting perspectives, that of a researcher, private teacher, and college professor.
from Sara Hagen's article
What we know from research
Sight-playing can be trained on a number of levels with the use of various technologies. First, it is important to understand some of the underlying psychological and physical requirements of sight-playing in order to target technologies that will help students reach their sight-playing potential-from the top-down and from the bottom-up. Each of these strategies has multiple layers of problem-solving and performance skills within them.
Top-Down Strategies
Top-down strategies are those that depend on understanding the information being presented on the page, such as knowing key signatures, how accidentals function, how rhythm is executed according to the notation, etc. In addition, Boulanger and Dalcroze both considered sight-singing ability to be a prerequisite to sight-playing. Agay also recommended that the student should be able not only to read the notes and play them, but also to hear them. These combined abilities (knowledge, sight-singing, and inner hearing) allow the performer to form a mental picture of the score, anticipate in advance what is necessary to perform the piece, have an internal sense of what the music should sound like, and then actively create a performance based upon those expectations. . .
Dr. Sara Hagen teaches music education, theory, and technology
courses at Valley City State University in Valley City, ND. She
is an active adjudicator, presenter, and clinician focusing on
the applications of technology to music teaching and learning.
She has written several articles for professional magazines and
journals and serves on the editorial board of the Journal for
Technology in Music Learning (JTML).
from Michelle Gordon's article
Technology for the private student
Sight-reading is an important skill for students to learn. It is easy to address sight-reading very early because beginning students face new music at every lesson. Building these skills right away is important so that students can progress in their lesson books and feel successful. In order to help them achieve their sight-reading goals, I utilize the technology that I have in my studio.
One thing that we do fairly often is to sight-read pieces in
lesson books that are a level below the student's current level.
In order to make this fun, I use my Roland MT300s Music Tutor
(www.rolandus.com)-a
standalone MIDI player/recorder-to record the sight-reading pieces.
I only record every other measure. We then play the recording
at a slow tempo with the metronome on, and the student plays in
the empty measures. As the repertoire gets more advanced, I record
two measures at a time, and the student has two measures to fill
in. . .
Michelle Gordon is an Independent Piano Teacher in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. She is also a church musician, a licensed Kindermusik educator, and is the Immediate Past President of the Massachusetts Music Teachers Association.
from Lori Rhoden's article
Technology for the college student
Even if you are new to technology, there are some basic things that you can try that will be easy to learn and will help you gain confidence in using technology. As a pedagogy professor at Ball State University, I combine traditional teaching techniques with various contemporary technologies to help my students work on sight-reading. In my studio I use a Roland Music Tutor and a Yamaha Disklavier connected to a computer through a MIDI interface. Our BSU keyboard lab has a computer, Visualizer, 16 Yamaha Clavinova student keyboards, and a Yamaha Clavinova CVP 207 teacher keyboard. This collection of equipment has enabled me to take advantage of MIDI technology to improve the learning experience for my students in a variety of different ways.
What techniques promote good sight-reading?
Let's now consider some of the important techniques that promote good sight-reading:
How can technology help us achieve these goals? Here are some
things that I have done that might help you get started! . . .
Lori Rhoden is Assistant Professor of Piano
at Ball State University where she is Coordinator of Piano Pedagogy
and Group Piano. A specialist in performance pedagogy, she is
in frequent demand as a performer, adjudicator, and clinician.
Dr. Rhoden is a board member of the Indiana Music Teachers Association,
currently serving as student chapter chair and editor of the Indiana
Music Teacher. She received the Doctor of Musical Arts degree
in piano pedagogy and performance from the University of South
Carolina. Dr. Rhoden also holds the Master of Church Music degree
and Performer's Certificate from the Southern Baptist Theological
Seminary, and Bachelor of Music Education degree and certificate
in piano performance from Florida State University.
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