Music Video Lesson: How to Simplify Musical Notation?

Hi, and welcome. I'm Robert Estrin here at virtualsheetmusic.com. The question today is how to simplify notation. What does this even mean?

Well, you have your musical score that you're trying to read or learn, and sometimes it's very complicated. In certain instances, you'll want to simplify it. Why? Let's say, for example, you're called to go to a Christmas party, and maybe you play the piano. People say, "Hey could you play some Christmas carols?" And they give you the book. You say, "Sure, you know, I haven't played for ten years." Then, you look at the book, and you realize it's one of these arrangements that's fancy with all these flourishing notes. You go, "Well, I don't know if I can do this." Well, yes you can.

I'm going to show you some tricks that you can do. This is applicable to all instruments, by the way. I'm going to tell you some things that are applicable just to piano and some things that are for all instruments. Piano scores by their very nature are a bit more complex than many other instruments, because you have two hands playing in multiple stabs. But, all of these techniques are the same.

If you have a very, very fancy flute part, let's say, you can leave out some of the fast notes and just play the melody notes. On a piano score, get the melody. The top note is usually the melody. The bottom note is the base. Then, try to flesh out what you can in the middle. This is totally justifiable in arrangements which aren't etched in stone anyway.

I would not recommend this except in a pinch, so if you absolutely had to play something for somebody because they just wanted to hear something that's above your level of a great composer. Because after all, Mozart, Beethoven, or any of the other great composers, every note is written for a reason and really creative license to leave out notes is not the best thing to do unless you just want to get a sense of what something sounds like.

But, when it's an arrangement anyway of something, then I think all bets are off. You can not only simplify, but you can embellish. Why not? It's an arrangement to begin with. So, feel free to get a sense of a piece of music or to share with others to get what you can. Get the notes you can to get the general structure. Look for the longer notes. Look for the highest notes in a score of instruments that play more than one note at a time and you'll be able to simplify a score so you can enjoy it on a level just for fun or to get familiar with something.

Thanks for joining me, Robert Estrin, here at virtualsheetmusic.com.

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