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I can't read music!
14/f
I love listening to music, but I can't read it! In my music class at school everyone alreadys knows how because they already learned it. I'm failing because my old school didn't offer courses in music. I hate this. I feel so ignorant and the teacher is so oblivious to the fact that I'm clueless when she talks about treble clefs, keys, beats in a note, creshendos, and all that. What sucks is, I don't even have any friends in my music class to ask for help. So what on earth do I do? My grade is an F!
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Maybe give some free advice about: Music?
The person before me had some great tips for learning the notes and such better. Using mneumonic devices will help you A LOT!
Your teacher is oblivious that you can't read music because you probably haven't told her that you need some help. She might not know that your other school didn't have a music program and probably just figures that you just don't care. If you don't want to admit that you don't know about that stuff in front of your classmates, stay after class and talk to her. It's early enough in the year that you can still bring your grade up with some extra practice before or after school.
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Lines are EGBDF. A good way to remember this is by making a mnemonic device- it'll stick sooner than you think. I've used Even George Bush Drives Fast, Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge, and Elephants Go Belly Dancing Fridays. Anything you can remember is good.
Spaces are FACE. Those spell out face, so they're a little easier to remember :] Someone also came up with Fat Anna Can Eat, but it's easier to just remember FACE.
A measure typically has 4 beats. At the beginning of every line, there will be a fraction, like 4/4. This means that there are four beats in a measure (top number) and the quarter note gets one beat (bottom number). Take 3/8 time. Three beats in a measure, eighth note gets one beat. Got it? :]
Here's a good site that I found on Google:
[[Link](Mouse over link to see full location)] It explains quarter notes, half notes, and whole notes very well, and has diagrams to help you.
This may seem daunting, but you'll catch on sooner than you think. My school had us learning this starting in third grade, and I felt like I'd never learn it. Don't worry, we all caught on fine.
Taking up an instrument will also help you learn how to read music. Whether it be piano, guitar, or a $15 recorder, it'll help you understand what's written better. Not to mention that it's veyr fun as well. I used to play guitar (its collecting dust in my room right now, but i USED to play it!!) but the lessons just irritated me. They were also $20 a session. If you're going to teach yourself (which I recommend if you don't want to pay for lessons), I suggest a beginner's practice book. You can get them anywhere you'd buy the instrument and they're under $15 (and many come with a practice CD too). Asking someone who already plays (preferably well) is a big help too.
As for the class itself, try talking to the principal, and/or having your parents come in for a conference. You should not be failing this class just because you can't understand sheet music, you should at LEAST get an A for effort. Honestly trying to do the task at hand should get you at least a B. If you knew everything already, nobody would need school.
hope I helped! Best of luck with everything!
♥
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