Posted by RandyB on August 08, 2003 at 12:42:31:
In Reply to: "Reading" Orchestra experience posted by keith C. on August 08, 2003 at 11:54:05:
I noticed that you mentioned a "mature adult brain." That also might mean mature adult eyes as well. I had similar problems sight-reading with my standard varilux progressive lenses. Focusing in on the problem (pun intended), I researched the archives here and discovered that eyeglasses might be the problem. When you wear bifocals, you have to look through a specific section of the lenses to see reading material or the conductor in focus. Most bifocals are built around a "near" prescription and a "far" prescription. Tuba players have two problems. First, we are trying to read music that is roughly about 2 1/2 to 3 feet away thus requiring an "intermediate" prescription - something that you can get tested for by your local eye doctor. My experience is that you have to be very specific in getting that measurement and how you will be using it.
The second problem is that when playing tuba, you can't move your head around to get the right part of the lenses to see the music clearly. I have two pairs of glases, one where I have the bottom on an intermediate prescription for the music and the top half with a far prescription so I can ignore the conductor clearly.
The cheaper and perhaps better approach is a single prescription pair of glasses with just the intermediate prescription.
Result of the change was immediate. My ability to sight read improved significantly as I didn't have to use those extra milliseconds to translate what I thought I saw to what was actually printed on the page.
So if you have mature adult eyes requiring bifocals, you might want to check out a pair of glasses with the intermediate prescription. After all, it isn't so much missing the note that's on the page as it is playing the note that isn't there.