Questions tagged [sight-reading]
Playing or singing a piece directly from sheet music, without prior rehearsing or studying.
13
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6answers
3k views
How can I help a piano student who doesn't slow down to read the notes
I have a student who, when he tries, can figure out what notes he's looking at on the score at a decent pace. He couldn't sit down and sight-read something fluidly, but the foundation is there.
The ...
-1
votes
1answer
35 views
What are the solfege syllables?
Are they C,D,E,F,G,A or do re me fa so la to do? I have an online assignment due and my classmates say it’s CDEFGA but I’m confused.
3
votes
1answer
62 views
Vocals : How to practice accidental notes in sight singing
So I have been practicing sight singing since last 5-6 months. I think I'm able to read the notes in the scales quite easily using the solfege method (each scale somewhat resembling the Do-Re-Mi ...
2
votes
2answers
52 views
Music Note Flashcards [duplicate]
Beginner looking to improve music note recognition, particularly for bass clef and tenor clef (I'm proficient in treble). Any suggestions besides just slugging my way through music?
Unlike the other ...
2
votes
3answers
108 views
Are there exercises or techniques to improve sight reading?
Short story: The question is self-explanatory
Long story:
I play the piano and I know how to read scores, and I always struggle a little bit to learn new pieces of my level because my reading is very ...
3
votes
5answers
145 views
Sight reading chords—pay attention to bass, treble, or none of the above?
I am currently a very novice piano player trying to get by with Czerny's Op. 599 Practical Exercises for Beginners. As suggested, I'm playing the exercises by sight reading the notation, minimizing ...
0
votes
2answers
87 views
Three Treble Clefs
What does it mean when there is a layout like this, and each has a treble clef. There is no bass clef. How is this played?
2
votes
6answers
217 views
How should I teach myself sight-reading?
How would I go about teaching myself how to sight read for piano, should I practice out of a sight reading book? Or should I take a piece of music with a lower grade level (such as Bach) and sight ...
2
votes
2answers
101 views
Shaped notes to standard notation
I grew up reading shaped notes and have a firm grasp on this. However, it is necessary that I become better at reading standard notation. I understand how it works since both methods are essentially ...
1
vote
3answers
125 views
How guitarist that cannot sight read work?
now, I'm learning guitar sight reading because want to prepare for being session musician ( I'm new and have no any experience for now ).
I wonder, I have heard some guitarist cannot read music sheet....
2
votes
3answers
264 views
When you look at (piano) sheet music, how do you “think about” which notes are being referred to?
Trying to learn to read sheet music on my own; the best way to phrase my question is with a quick example: "Canon in D Major". I look at the sheet and I see the scale from this:
I get the whole ...
1
vote
1answer
71 views
Help with scales - want to become a professional pianist and sight reader [duplicate]
I need help with reading piano pieces with key signatures that have sharps or flats (other than C Major or A Minor). I learnt to sight read music using intervals (but do have a very good grasp on ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
Sight reading process for this instance
I've been terrible at sight reading for a long time, however recently I've decided to grow my skill at it. I was wondering if my approach is correct for this instance of sight reading.
So I look at ...
0
votes
3answers
163 views
What's the best technique to sight read fast big band scores?
I've recently joined a big band. I play second alto saxophone. I do well enough when playing the slower pieces. But I struggle to read the quicker swing pieces. What's the best technique to play ...
27
votes
12answers
5k views
Is it really mandatory to practise sight reading at the piano?
I have seen many questions & answers regarding practising sight reading the right way etc. But I couldn't find the answer to my question whether it is even that important to practise sight reading....
3
votes
2answers
290 views
How can I to learn sight-singing, transcribe, and sight-reading?
I'm curious what the best route would be to become proficient in sight singing & ear training, along with polishing my technique on my preferred instruments (guitar & piano). I have a broad ...
21
votes
6answers
4k views
Is it ok for a choir to learn by listening?
I'm in a high school choir and we just got a new teacher. He is adamant that we don't listen to rehearsal tracks or recordings, because "real musicians don't." Is there merit to this? Is it better to ...
2
votes
3answers
125 views
What constitutes a more effective skill development in self-teaching piano; aural skills or music notation? [closed]
I am currently a year 12 student.
As part of my research, I would love to hear some answers in which you think is better -gaining aural skills or knowing music notation- when wanting to improve your ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Any books similar to Mikrokosmos written by a famous composer?
I just discovered this gold nugget in piano teaching called Mikrokosmos by Bela Bartok.
Are there any other books that have progressively difficult sight-reading exercises written by a famous ...
2
votes
6answers
751 views
Sight reading piano pieces with sharp or flat key signatures using intervals
I need help with reading piano pieces with key signatures that have sharps or flats (other than C Major or A Minor). I learnt to sight read music using intervals (but do have a very good grasp on ...
9
votes
4answers
4k views
Are Piano Stickers for Keys good or bad?
Is it good to use Piano Stickers for Keys w/ Complete Printed Notes to memorize the notes on the sheet and their correspondence to piano keys? Does it work? Or is it better not to do that?
The main ...
6
votes
6answers
664 views
I can't sight-read at intermediate level
I am a Trinity grade 5 pianist and have been playing piano for 2-3 years(earlier played keyboard).
I find very difficult to sight read. I usually play the passage once very carefully and memorize it ...
3
votes
3answers
285 views
What is a good way to practice piano sight reading?
Recently I was practicing piano and my choral director walked by and tapped on the door and told me that, when he grew up, he wished he did a bit of sight reading every day when he was young. Hence my ...
1
vote
2answers
255 views
Some measures have extra whole notes in them. What do they mean? [duplicate]
So i am practicing sight reading and i came across these exercises that have extra whole notes in a measure. What do they mean and how do i play them?
4
votes
2answers
1k views
How to do Jumps while sight reading
I am a total beginner at piano sight reading. I find it difficult to change chords or move from one octave to another while looking at the sheet without pressing the wrong notes. Any advice?? thanks.
4
votes
2answers
316 views
Learning notes on guitar in higher positions (instant recognition)
I have found after playing guitar for several years that I am not so good at instantly recognising most notes on the guitar higher than the 5th (or perhaps higher than the 7th) position. I often still ...
3
votes
3answers
548 views
Tips for a keyboard player learning piano
I grew up having keyboard lessons (age 8-15), and therefore have a vast number of chords memorized and can easily deal with chord changes with zero thought through memory alone.
Here is what I mean ...
2
votes
2answers
2k views
How do you learn to read ahead when sight reading for piano?
I've seen some sight reading how to guide and they all touch on things like look at the key signature, don't look at your fingers, when you play the wrong note, keep going, know the rhythm, look over ...
14
votes
5answers
2k views
Should I think of the note's letter designation when I sight-read?
After I know the letters for the note designations and the pitches, when I am reading them, I implement the music this way:
I see the note on the staff.
I know that is a G. I think "G" when I read ...
3
votes
6answers
373 views
Is there any evidence that suggest not looking at your hands increases ability to sight read on the piano?
I am currently learning to sight read on the piano and constantly noticing my eyes looking down at my hands instead of reading the music. Will this habit slow down my progress? I am curious if there ...
23
votes
8answers
5k views
I sight read at 20 bpm, and not getting any faster
I'm working through Berklee Press' Modern Method for Guitar 1. I start every new piece at 40 1/8th notes per minute, so 20 bpm. 40 bpm (1/4 notes per minute) is the lowest my metronome goes, so I ...
9
votes
4answers
709 views
Ledger Lines vs. 8va notation
As musicians sight reading music-- are you very comfortable reading parts in ledger lines or is it more convenient having higher/lower parts notated within the staff with an 8va (or 8vb) symbol?
For ...
0
votes
1answer
151 views
How to sightread guitar in any key
Hi I just started to learn sight reading on guitar , I was started on Key C and no problem because it is easy but when I play on others keys I am confused about method or system for thinking on sharp ...
1
vote
3answers
90 views
Stick the sound of the major scale in my head
I recently began learning sight singing from Robert Ottman's book.
I've gotten to the point where you should sing simple melodies, with the biggest interval between 2 notes being a major second. The ...
2
votes
3answers
636 views
Sight Reading is Hard for Classical Music
I find it is very hard for me to sight read some pieces like beethoven appassionata or pathatique or even some of Chopin nocturnes. it is hard to sight read them for me both hands together.
I have to ...
2
votes
4answers
601 views
Is it customary to put a natural symbol on notes if the same note in a different octave is sharp?
I'm spending a lot of time sight reading piano music and one thing that is constantly trying me up is a scenario like this:
A note, D say, is sharp in the left hand. In the same bar, another D, an ...
3
votes
1answer
254 views
Left hand right hand confusion - reading
When trying to learn to sight read music, I am confused about some intervals that are represented on a single staff that are too large(even for slightly larger hands than normal) to span with a single ...
0
votes
2answers
195 views
Sight singing at first sight
I have a very good ear, and can sing anything that's given to me (without ever hearing it before, if it wasn't obvious). However, the aspect of reading music from a staff instead of commands which ...
3
votes
3answers
537 views
Practicing Sight reading and Fingering on Piano
I'm noticing that, as I sight read, I can sometimes get myself into an awkward hand position because I'm not really planning my fingering as I play - I'll focused on the music itself, so have some ...
3
votes
2answers
178 views
Do musicians who never learned to read music but play a transposing instrument learn the standard fingering names?
If a trumpeter or saxophonist, for example, learned to play music by ear and not by sheet music or formal training, is it more likely that s/he learned the standard fingering names or the concert ...
0
votes
2answers
107 views
How to analyze a new music piece?
I've been learning to play the violin for 4 years. I always struggle with reading new music piece, it takes me quite a while to fully understand it, by that I mean to actually know the rhythm and ...
29
votes
5answers
8k views
How do experienced pianists sight-read chords?
I enjoy sight reading, since it lets me "play" the piano. However, I'm still progressing and have difficulty reading pieces with chords that have 3 or more notes, especially if that piece has a ...
0
votes
2answers
248 views
How can I sing multiple notes at the same time?
I am teaching myself sight singing right now, and I know how to sing single note(the left one as pictured) on both treble clef and bass clef but get stuck in multiple notes(the right one as pictured). ...
3
votes
2answers
183 views
For sight reading, do I need to start at the beginning?
I'm taking a look at the following books:
Sight Reading & Rhythm Every Day
Improve Your Sight Reading - Paul Harris
I just want advice whether it is necessary to do books 1 and 2. I want to ...
4
votes
7answers
678 views
sight reading music
I've always struggled with sight reading, but my ears usually help me through. It's also not the strongest of my teaching strategies. What secrets do others have to help their students? This could ...
8
votes
11answers
3k views
Is it recommended to practice sight reading by “feeling out the music” instead of counting
I've been learning how to sight read the traditional way, by counting. Unfortunately, if there's ever a rest that less than a eighth rest, I automatically get thrown off, mostly because I'm only ...
4
votes
2answers
419 views
Should you play open strings in first position?
I'm working through Alfred's Jazz Guitar Sight Reading Book. It is asking me to play swing riffs in First Position F Major. Should I hit open notes since many notes in standard tuning are in the F ...
1
vote
2answers
255 views
Speed vs. difficulty in sight-reading exercises
I've recently started to do dedicated sight-reading exercises. As I make progress I can either move on towards more difficult pieces or stay at the same level while increasing the speed. Currently I'm ...
1
vote
2answers
234 views
Sight reading trebel and bass clef at same time
I am very happy to read bass and treble individually. I can also play them individually very well.
I tend to learn a piece(small to medium size and easy to medium with a hard one thrown in now and ...
11
votes
8answers
4k views
Why are accidentals not just indicated next to the note in sheet music to make sight reading easier?
For example, in the key of G, why is the sharp not put next to every F note? I think this would make it easier to sight read quickly, especially for keys that have many sharps or flats. Is there an ...
