Learn To Practice – Step 2: Identify The Notes

Before you play your music, go through and identify each note by the position number and the Low-Middle-High for that position. Low Bb is 1 Low, F is 1 Middle, upper Bb is 1 High, etc. (see Low-Middle-High Warmup).

When you identify the notes, you must say them out loud. This musical example would go like this:

This will help you learn your positions faster and help you memorize them quickly. Your goal is to know the positions so well that you don’t have to think about them at all. When you see the music, you know them instantly. You will start to get sick of doing this after awhile, but keep doing it anyway.

You will know when you have outgrown it and no longer need to do it. If you still have to think about the position numbers or whether it’s Low, Middle, or High, then you need to keep doing it. Identify the notes on all of your music until you know them by heart.

Copyright Norlan Bewley 1999

Learn To Practice – Step 1: Say In Rhythm, Stay In Rhythm
Learn To Practice – Step 2: Identify The Notes
Learn To Practice – Step 3: Rhythm Positions
Learn To Practice – Step 4: Practice In Bite-Size Pieces
Learn To Practice – Step 5: Intelligent Repetition
Learn To Practice – Step 6: Keep Going!
Learn To Practice – Step 7: Learn At Your Own Pace