Sheet music is nonsense.

[BrokenBoy]

I don't understand it. Whenever I try to learn it, it really overwhelms my brain and I then stop. How do I fix this problem?

 

[tree]

I don't understand it. Whenever I try to learn it, it really overwhelms my brain and I then stop. How do I fix this problem?

Can you read music?

 

[BrokenBoy]

Can you read music?

No.

 

[GadAbout]

This might be a skill best learned with formal instruction. Did you ever take musical instrument training of any kind? If not, don't be too hard on yourself for finding sheet music confusing!

 

[BrokenBoy]

This might be a skill best learned with formal instruction. Did you ever take musical instrument training of any kind? If not, don't be too hard on yourself for finding sheet music confusing!

No I never did training.

 

[tree]

No.

There are basic music theory lessons available for every level.
Child or adult.

 

[Starfire]

It’s nonsense to say a language is nonsense, simply because you have put insufficient time, energy or effort into learning it and putting it into practice!

Treat it as you would any foreign language. Get a teacher, go to a class, practice it alone and with others. Find your weak points and focus on them. Break it down as you would a math problem, into ever smaller sections until
you understand them, then practice similar problems. Find and join online music student forums and participate in them etc etc etc.

Perhaps above all, change your mental attitude towards learning the language of music. Don’t be lazy or entitled and think you should be able to read music and put it into practice after 10 minutes, just because you want to.

You get out of it what you put in like many things in life, this is something many young people seem to struggle with in this age of google and instant gratification. You can do it and you will, but it will take time and effort on your behalf.

 

[GadAbout]

Don’t be lazy or entitled and think you should be able to read music and put it into practice after 10 minutes, just because you want to.

This was ever so slightly too harsh. Broken Boy never had the instruction in school and therefore doesn't know what it is that he doesn't know. That does not equate to a "bad attitude" on his part.

 

[Aspychata]

Piano is a fun way to learn and read music. I can't get beat counts for the life of me. People clap out beats, and it's like what, and what again. It reminds me when l couldn't read the clock as a small child.

 

[Aspychata]

This was ever so slightly too harsh. Broken Boy never had the instruction in school and therefore doesn't know what it is that he doesn't know. That does not equate to a "bad attitude" on his part.

This is a poster who just is confused about music and it's nice to beable to make suggestions without being critical. Musical notes do have to be learned and piano is fun or an organ is practical. Going to YouTube probably has a ton of music instruction.

 

[Trophonius]

I don't understand it. Whenever I try to learn it, it really overwhelms my brain and I then stop. How do I fix this problem?

Exactly how are you trying to learn sheet music? What method are you following?

 

[BrokenBoy]

Exactly how are you trying to learn sheet music? What method are you following?

I just watch random youtube videos to try to have the information fed to me.

 

[Aspychata]

I don't understand it. Whenever I try to learn it, it really overwhelms my brain and I then stop. How do I fix this problem?

YouTube Reading beginning musical notes- a huge amount of videos came up.

 

[GadAbout]

I just watch random youtube videos to try to have the information fed to me.

See if you can get started in group instruction for whatever instrument you are trying to learn, or choral music if you just want to sing. Then, ask lots of questions, because some of the other students will be more knowledgeable than you and the teacher won't know your level unless you tell them what you struggle with.

Youtube instruction isn't for everyone. First, you can't ask the instructor questions. Second, speaking personally, I tune out the video before long. It takes a fair amount of discipline and concentration to benefit.

 

[Fino]

Why do you want to learn how to read music? Each line is a letter, each space is a letter. You can memorize them by rote or by using acronyms. That's it. It's just memorizing. There's nothing unusually complicated about it that a youtube video could do anything to help.

 

[BrokenBoy]

Why do you want to learn how to read music?

I wanna play keyboard.

 

[GadAbout]

Why do you want to learn how to read music? Each line is a letter, each space is a letter. You can memorize them by rote or by using acronyms. That's it. It's just memorizing. There's nothing unusually complicated about it that a youtube video could do anything to help.

Oh come on, there's a lot more to it than that. Time signature, different clefs, dotted notes, Italian terms, different keys with all those sharps and flats, naturals (I don't even remember what that is), those things that mean "hold the note a little longer," rests (of different durations) - yes, you can memorize all that stuff but it sure helps to have someone explain it.

 

[GadAbout]

@BrokenBoy, good for you! Try to have this be fun, not confusing and demanding. Get someone to explain stuff to you so you don't get too overwhelmed.

 

[Aspychata]

Wow. Keyboard. I know someone who took piano lessons and can play keyboard. Can you sign up for piano at a music store? They usually have teachers. Some piano stores have teachers to refer out. Probably after a couple months of weekly lessons you will have it. It's just memorizing and you will pick it up fast.

 

[Starfire]

This was ever so slightly too harsh.

No it wasn’t, it was bang on the money I would say according to this -

I just watch random youtube videos to try to have the information fed to me.

This suggests trying to learn a language with the absolute minimum of effort as I suspected. You can’t learn a language by watching a few YouTube videos and doing nothing other than trying to have the information fed to oneself!

This whole thread is like me saying cantonese is nonsense, because I’ve watched a few random YouTube videos and I can’t speak and read cantonese fluently.

On the other hand I’m not sure that this thread isn’t just @BrokenBoy having a laugh, in which case haha good job, there’s one born every minute as they say!