Improving sight reading

by Capslock Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:31 pm

Hi folks,

I've just returnd to playing after a long lay off. I've always been able to read music, but v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. I'm starting to read again by doing some old sight reading tests I bought years ago.

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to read sight reading tests more quickly? I'm sure I've heard of techniques you can adopt that increase the speed at which you can read the music. Presumably these are similar to ordinary speed reading. But I haven't been able to find out anything relating to music.

Anyone any ideas?

Capslock

by Alistair123 Thu Jan 14, 2010 5:08 pm

The more you read the faster you become.

I always say this Smile

Andrew has a full lesson on sight reading, i'd suggest you watch that.

That are "Improve your sight reading" books that are good to learn from (he suggests some in his video).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEUvHtqFrkI

by Capslock Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:11 pm

Thanks Alistair. Andrew's video on sight reading is really useful. I'll have to go and find a sight reading book like the one he illustrates. There used to be a few sheet music shops quite close to where I live, but most of them seem to have closed, perhaps because of the recession, perhaps because of online competition.

Anyway, I take the point that sight reading gets better the more you practice doing it. The trouble is, I was always very slow at reading music, so my reading only got 'less slow' as I practiced more!

But I guess there's no way you can cheat the simple truth that things only improve if you keep on practicing. So that's what I'll have to do.

Capslock.

P.S. Does anyone know any good online sources of free sheet music?

by maggiekedves Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:32 pm

Capslock you are right, we just cant spare the time of practicing over and over again... it takes years of dedicated work to become really good in sight-reading so it would come almost as a second nature. Smile

unless you are a genius, which unfortunately I am not:D

You can find many site on this forum here

https://afpa.hooxs.com/general-piano-discussion-f4/sheet-music-sources-on-the-internet-t50.htm

If you find any new sites, you are welcome to post the addresses there Smile

Thanks