EAR BEFORE EYE
Shinichi Suzuki’s talent education method focuses on first developing the auditory-motor skills involved in playing a musical instrument and then, significantly later, the visual skills needed to read music. Listening and imitation are able to directly communicate aural memory skills and beautiful tone much better than reading.
Learning by ear also allows time to strongly establish good skills on the violin before reading is introduced, such as good posture, tone and stability of technique. Maintaining those things while adding the skill of reading is quite a challenge. Once we can play fluently, we can learn to read without sacrificing those hard-won skills.
Learning by ear also allows time to strongly establish good skills on the violin before reading is introduced, such as good posture, tone and stability of technique. Maintaining those things while adding the skill of reading is quite a challenge. Once we can play fluently, we can learn to read without sacrificing those hard-won skills.
“Listening develops aural skills.
Listening provides a role model.
Through listening, learning is absorbed.
Listening makes learning easy.
Listening solves most problems.”
- With Love in My Heart and a Twinkle in My Ear
by Sheila Warby
Listening provides a role model.
Through listening, learning is absorbed.
Listening makes learning easy.
Listening solves most problems.”
- With Love in My Heart and a Twinkle in My Ear
by Sheila Warby