playing in orchestra

[woof]

I was wondering for those of you skillful players
that read music. When playing in a band or orchestra of course everyone has
sheet music in front of them. Do they actually read each note as they play or
are they playing mostly from memory and the music just a sort of "cheat sheet"
kind of thing? At this point in my learning curve it seems impossible that one
could learn to read music well enough to play flawlessly following only the
notes-- from memory makes more sense to me???

[BandGeek16]

When I play with a band or orchestra, I read the
music note by note.

[embum79]

I also read note by note, but then, everyone is
different. It sounds like you would do better with memorizing. As long as you
get everything right, that's all that matters. It is helpful to be able to
write things down on the music, though.. notes to yourself about conductor's
comments, dynamics, etc. You are lucky that memorizing comes naturally to you. I
think it is a skill that most of us need to practice more.

[FluteDiddy]

I agree as long as you get it right either way
works. Actually I play the notes I want to and if it doesn't agree with the
score I have the band director change everyone elses music. jk

[flutietootie4lyfe]

I play note for note. But after playing songs
about a billion times they begin to stick in your mind, I still look at the
music for articulations, dynamics, and notes I don't remember. Just incase I
forgot them, but I don't acually try to memorize them (unless it's marching
band lol)

[woof]

Thanks all. I am impressed that anyone could read,
play and keep tempo etc. one note at a time especially since you are probably
looking 1-3 notes ahead(?) while playing a different note? Obviously a skill
that takes a lot of time and practice. Soloist do memorize their pieces so I
suppose at some point a certain piece played over and over becomes almost
automatic. It just seems to be a very different mind set to actually read each
note as oppossed to just "glancing" at them.