I learned to read notation in beginning band in 4th grade. About every piece had 3 or 4 notes. C, G, A, or some such. That was fine, and gradually, a note or two was added, and we spent some time living with that note until it was time to move on. As adults, that pace seems too slow, and the expectation is too basic. We think we should be able to pick it up in bigger chunks, just because we are grown-ups. But notation is hard. It is literally another language. Once you learn to speak another language, it isn’t hard, but you start slow and like a child.
When I got my bass fiddle, I wanted to learn the notation instead of just the notes. Learning bass clef was definitely a humbling experience. I learned with a kids book, note by note, rather than trying to decipher a tune on the fly.
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