Pretzel Face asked:
I’m really not at all gifted at sight reading, I really want to be good at piano but it takes me so long to be able to play any piece of music. I have to memorise each note before I can play the whole piece!
Please, can anyone give me any tips on how to become a good sight reader?
I’d really appreciate the help.
music reading tipshttp://www.SpeedyMusicReading.com
It is hard to sight read, but as you practice more and more, you get better at it.
Learning to Read Music
I am a competition judge, and I am always saddened at how many students FALL DOWN in this area – so I am VERY glad you asked! I wrote a LONG response about this a few months ago – in GREAT detail. Before you worry about sightreading piano literature, you need to improve your ability to read horizontally ADN vertically. I have always used the old hymnal trick. You get a standard church hymnal, and play ONLY two line- maybe soprano and bass. Then you try alto and bass, alto and tenor – all combination. You eyes is rapidly moving zig-zig, not just horizontally. THEN – you SING one verse – NOT the first one – while playing two OTHER lines. Talk about visual and pitch multi-tasking! If you can juggle these independent skills, then you wil have made some progress.
I always warn the competing students to LOOK AT THE FIRST INCH of the music!!!!! People play in the wrong meter, wrong key signature, wrong CLEF – because they just dive in, and start playing NOTES. LOOK OVER the selection – can you tap the rhythm of each part? Can you play each hand separately? It takes MERE SECONDS to check this – and makes ALL the difference!
I wish you luck – and commend you for being SO SMART as to ask about improving this skill. Good luck!
How to Sight Read Music
This may sound a trifle bizarre but join a choir!
How to Read Music Notes
It’s actually really cool once you get it. I got it like, a month ago. You don’t need to analyze anything, you just know. You just look and you know already, your fingers are the only things doing the work. I have been practicing piano for about 6 years, but if I had practiced sight reading, I think I would have gotten it faster.
I would recommend practicing fairly easy pieces to play, and try not to think about the notes. It’s one of those things that will come naturally over time, you should just keep practicing hard.