Beyond “Line by Line”

Abstract

A variety of excellent method books aim to help student musicians develop skills in music reading and instrumental technique, but sometimes the best approach is not simply to move ahead line by line through the book. Rather, teachers will find it beneficial to consider apposite strategies to be used before, during, and after rehearsing a line so that skills and knowledge are mastered, retained, and applied in performances of subsequent lines in the book as well as other repertoire. This article proposes a sequence of instruction to enable good sight-reading, facilitate fluent performance, and promote transfer of learning. The sequence involves five steps: (1) Prepare: through sound-before-sight instruction, students develop instrumental skills and aural readiness for the task at hand. (2) Present: the teacher introduces the notated musical symbol in a memorable, meaningful way. (3) Practice: an array of rehearsal strategies are used to develop accurate, confident performances. (4) Persist: through creative repetition, performance skills are solidified. (5) Proceed: by advancing to a related line in the book, students are challenged to transfer learned skills and concepts. The instructional sequencing and rehearsal strategies suggested in this article were influenced by Edwin Gordon and Madeline Hunter as well as by research in motor skills learning. The five-step model and presented strategies are also relevant to learning ensemble literature.