Could you be dyslexic if you can't read piano notes?

Question

I was just wondering, because I have a hard time reading piano notes. I got so frustrated one day so I took a break, and it's been almost a year. I've never been able to read the notes but I was good at memorizing a piece once I got good at it, but if I looked at the notes, it would mess me up. I also think the sound of the notes has color, so that's how I could memorize the notes. Like the note C would be yellow, and A would be a pinkish color, while G is a dark purple color. Could it be linked to dyslexia or synesthesia?

Answer 1

When you see notes as you discribe then you have a great gift.

Painting music is far easier then playing it.



Richard Strauss was dyslexic and he wrote wonderful music.



Are you dyslexic? I dont know, But very gifted to be able of visualising what you hear.

Answer 2

You would only be dyslexic if you had trouble reading print, numbers, etc. It wouldn't be restricted to JUST sheet music which does take a lot of time and practice to be able to sight read easily.





Synesthesia is an extremely rare condition and if you were to look at notes and actually see color instead that would be just one indication. However, it seems you are describing a mnemonic device that you created to help you remember which note is which.



I'm sure you also tend to play by ear (if you have any sort of inkling what the tune might be). I tried to get away with playing by ear instead of looking at the music when I was taking guitar lessons as a young teen, but my guitar teacher knew what I was doing and made me stop and do things like count out loud or do something else that would force me to look at the music. He very often gave me pieces that he knew I had never heard before (or just random notes to play that he wrote out).

Answer 3

I don't know if it's dyslexia really, since even people who've been doing piano for years (like me) still have a hard time sight reading. Reading music notes is pretty hard and confusing, whereas dyslexia is with words and letters, isn't it? As for the colour thing, yeah, it sounds like synesthesia (as long as you didn't just make up the colours). I have heard of other music synesthetes who find it hard to read written notes. Maybe that's the reason you find it so hard.