# help me in taking the next steps in understanding sheet music



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Ok this got me to wondering. Ive looked at lots of "read sheet music" sites but they only ever really go so far. Most are just repeats of each other.

Then I encounter something that looks playable (ie simple) and so I download it and then my confusion begins.

I think this piece originates here (Im not from the region so I am not sure or as versed in the music of the area):

http://travelingluck.com/South America/Bolivia/Oruro/_3909588_Negrillos.html#local_map

this is the page with the sheet of music on it (yes, pause the music to the right).

http://quenaperu.blogspot.com/2008/06/negrillos-danza-arequipea.html

It is, I believe written for the Quena first, but the notes are just as guitarable I think. BUT how is this meant to be played? There are repeats mid line there are 1's and 3's and 2's and 4's and A and C and the timing is different here and there :O

:/ any pointers would be a help, and certainly going past the "this is the notes, this is how to play the notes" information would be greatly appreciated!!


----------



## Guest (Oct 12, 2008)

keeperofthegood said:


> this is the page with the sheet of music on it (yes, pause the music to the right).
> 
> http://quenaperu.blogspot.com/2008/06/negrillos-danza-arequipea.html
> 
> It is, I believe written for the Quena first, but the notes are just as guitarable I think.


The true beauty of learning to read music is you speak a language that independent (mostly) of any particular instrument or region. If it's in standard notation (and that chart is standard western notation) it is understandable. That's a powerful thing really and all the answer kids need when they ask, "Why should I learn to read music?" So good on you for taking the plunge.



> BUT how is this meant to be played?


The tounge-in-cheek answer of course is: as it's written. But with your personal embellishments. Maybe I can help answer some of your questions though...



> There are repeats mid line there are 1's and 3's and 2's and 4's and A and C and the timing is different here and there


A and C refer to sections. A is "the head" or the main section. C is the outro section to the piece. I actually think there's a missing B section label at bar 13 in that chart.

Yup, there are different time signatures at the top of the A section. Not much to say here other than that's really what gives this piece it's characteristic feel. Take your time. Use a metronome (preferably one that doesn't accent the first beat so you can move between the time signatures) and start slowly. Count it out as you play: One Two, One Two, One, One Two, One Two, One...

The repeats are just a nice shorthand so the whole piece fits on one page. You play to the repeat symbol and then the next time through you play the alternate section instead. In the A, if you wrote it all out long hand, you'd be playing the bars in the following order:

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 -8 (first repeat, so back to 1...)
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 9 - 10 (second time through so you take the second ending of the section, and another repeat so back to 1....)
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 (third time through, take the ending labeled 3, and you hit a repeat so back to 1...)
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 11 - 12 (fourth time through, this time there's no repeat so you move on to bar 13)
13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 (and you hit a repeat so back to 13...)
13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 19 - 20 (take the second ending on the second time through the section, no repeat so on to bar 21...)

Hopefully that'll help give you an idea of how you read repeats with alternate endings.

Nice song BTW.


----------



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Thank you indeed!! Wow, wonderful answer


----------



## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Whoa Paul @[email protected]

Interesting, I've not hear that about how guitars sound before. I will bear it in mind and maybe do some experimenting with that idea too.

I imagine that the Quena flute is also higher pitched than a guitar (or sounding I gather, my flute was a sad fail in making this week).


----------

