I need words from the wise about...

[chuyerik]

I'm practicing Franz Liszt's "Liebestraume" and but I'm still trying to get better at sight reading. To give you an idea of how well (or bad) I sight read - I can't sight read the second part (where it turns into the key of b, I believe) where the harmonics are played on both hands in addition to the melody. Well... I can sight read it, but not at the tempo it is supposed to be played - I can probably manage half the speed it should be played. And I can't sight read those "runs" (don't remember the proper name for them) up and down the piano that are written in small notation.

I don't understand how one can look at both clefs at the same time without looking quickly back and forth.

I sometimes forget my key, as in what to sharpen or flatten. I'll miss some of those.

I don't know what sort of mindset I should have as far as sightreading goes.

Your help would be valued and appreciated very, very much. Thank you!

[chuyerik]

I'd also like to ask another thing. How possible is it to sight read, say, a Chopin etude fluently? How many years of experience would that take or what does it take in general?

[jlh]

Do an analysis of the chords that the notes form, then work hands seperate in short sections (2-4 measures at first), paying close attention to details.  Once each hand is secure in what is played, put hands together.  When you put hands together, though, go slow and MAKE SURE that NONE of the details you worked out in hands seperate practice are lost.

The short note sections are called cadenzas, they are like short interludes between different variations of the theme.

Sight-reading is improved best by simply practicing sight-reading.  It does help to be able to recognize patterns and chords, but if you don't keep grinding away trying to sight read new pieces, you won't significantly improve.

Looking at both clefs simultaniously is a skill that will come with time, as well.  The eyes have the ability to do this, much like our peripheral vision helps us see more at a time.  The more sight reading you do, the easier it will be to recognize notes in both clefs simultaniously.

Spend some extra time on the cadenzas, there's no reason to plow through them at first.  Learn the proper technique and fingering for them and start slowly, gradually working them up to speed using various methods of practice.

Sight read a Chopin etude??? While I'd say it's definitely possible to do this if your name happens to be, say, Franz Liszt, but why on earth would you want to do that anyway?  The very definition of "etude" implies that they are meant to be studied, not simply sightread.  There's simply too much going on to gain anything useful from sightreading the etudes.  For getting more experience sight reading, I'd recommend you try something a bit easier to deal with than etudes.

Hope this helps a little.

[dorfmouse]

If you go to this post

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4526.0.html

and look at Bernhard's reply, there are links to a pile of useful strategies to develop sight reading.

[xvimbi]

I'm practicing Franz Liszt's "Liebestraume" and but I'm still trying to get better at sight reading.

Why would you want to sight read something like the Liebestraeume? A piece of such complexity needs to be studied in detail, so that it can be performed well. Or are we talking about a different type of "sight reading"? Are you trying to avoid memorizing the piece?

[bernhard]

If you go to this post

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4526.0.html

and look at Bernhard's reply, there are links to a pile of useful strategies to develop sight reading.

Unfortunately, many of the links mentioned will not work anymore, so here is a list that will:

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1871.msg14384.html#msg14384
(Reading notation – Richmann’s book – Cambridge word scramble example)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,1976.msg15962.html#msg15962
(Sight reading – Richmann’s book)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2406.msg20820.html#msg20820
(the grand staff)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2577.msg22247.html#msg22247
(Keyboard topography – how to find notes by touch)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2713.msg23282.html#msg23282
(Teaching bass clef – the full explanation for the grand staff)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2751.msg23710.html#msg23710
(detailed explanation of the sight-reading process)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2757.msg23890.html#msg23890
(Sight reading techniques – Good post by faulty on the folly of pedagogues)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,2763.msg25148.html#msg25148
(music to develop sight reading from scratch)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3205.msg28255.html#msg28255
(how not to look at the keys – Richmann’s reviews)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,3334.msg29381.html#msg29381
(Reading both staffs as a single grand staff - Reasons for working on scales - Detailed discussion of Richmann’s book)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4461.msg41580.html#msg41580
(Looking at the keys: Good or bad? exercises to help finding notes by touch. Good contributions by Chang).

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,4506.msg42967.html#msg42967
(accompanying to teach sightreading)

https://pianoforum.net/smf/index.php/topic,5090.msg48850.html#msg48850
(the score is tabs for piano)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.