good sight reading material?

[xhunterjx]

i am a horrible sight reader and im looking to improve my reading.

does any one know of good sight reading material? 

i have heard that sight reading bach chorales really helps.

is this true?

thanks.

[kghayesh]

I think the ultimate key to improve your sight reading is to sight read. And sight read everyday so that it becomes something that is done by nature and without any thinking.

About material, it is subjective. It depends upon your level of sight reading. If you need to start from the begining go for some classical sonatinas which have an easy steady rythmic bass with an easy melody in the right hand. Maybe go for some Bach chorales which help you because you read 4 lines in parallel. It could be like an introduction to sightreading Bach fugues, which are mostly organised the same way as chorales.

Also, you can look for any piece of music you can handle. You can buy books with miscellaneous and various pieces of music so that you can get a variety of options to practice. But as i said before, the most important thing is to make it a habit

[sklebil]

Recently I picked up for sightreading:

Phillip Glass..kind of hypnotic
Schumann Album for the Young...some pieces too easy
Yann Tiersen...very repetitive
Schubert Waltzes 9a .... i like these, they are very short
Martinu Colombine dances
Some easier Scarlatti sonatas
Various easy Chopin Waltzes
Elgar - Griffinesque....

skl

[ivoryplayer_amf]

Some people are going to raise heck about what I'm about to say, but don't read too much into it.  Buy a hymnal.  It will help you tramedously.  But also be sure to buy some other music.  You know what...on second thought.  Sight reading is not about what you sight read, its how and how often.  But I would get a hymnal and then some other songs that you are UNFAMILIAR with

[ryan2189]

If you are active within your school as an accompanist, etc., it is a good idea to learn how to sight read mass music and hymnals. Many of those patterns can be found in a lot of material that you will need to know how to sight read roght on the spot. It has helped me tremendously when assisting the choir and liturgical music groups. As for classical pieces though, I would suggest a large book that incorporates many different composers and genres of classical music. Here is one that I have found useful

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0825617693/qid=1149275517/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-6469704-1360902?s=books&v=glance&n=283155

[thebitus]

I had the same problem you have with sight-reading, and I tried to discipline myself and sight-read every day for an hour or so. It didn't work... However, now I am a Grad Student, so I had to do lots of accompanying for singers, clarinetists, etc. In just one semester my sight-reading has progressed immensely. If you have any chance, do lots of accompanying - not only you learn useful repertoire, but you also get to work with other musicians, understand phrasing, musical form, structure, etc. I cannot emphasize enough on this matter. Plus, all other instruments except piano need accompanists... and the clarinet pieces are hard as nothing else... especially the contemporary ones. So, start now with your Voice Major friends... do it for free, or smaller charge than other accompanyists at your school. Later on, you will be able to make it through graduate school just with accompanying.
The major principle in sight-reading is to allways keep focus and look one measure ahead. This is a matter of discipline, and that's why, when you play for a singer or another instrument, you have to keep playing, otherwize you have to stop...
Another thing that may help you, and I know it sounds a little dumb. If you have professional accompanists or really good sight-readers, go and watch them sight-read, or turn pages for them at recitals. This will help you look at the music, hear it, and see how it is being played all at once. It makes sight-reading look a bit easier.
Hope this helps. If you don't find music that you want at sheetmusicarchive.net, send me a message with your e-mail and the name of the work; I will most likely will have it.
Titus

[cjp_piano]

However, now I am a Grad Student, so I had to do lots of accompanying for singers, clarinetists, etc. In just one semester my sight-reading has progressed immensely. If you have any chance, do lots of accompanying

I had the same experience.  I was the world's worst sight-reader.  Then as a GA I had to do all this accompanying.  Now people say, "you're such a good sight-reader!  How did you do it?"  My only answer is that I did it lots.  When you have to sight-read, and do it lots, you become better at it.  I agree with what others have said, it's not so much about what you sight read, but that you do it.  And hymns ARE good for sight-reading, among many other things.  Sight-read as many KINDS of things as possible.

when you play for a singer or another instrument, you have to keep playing, otherwize you have to stop...

I think this is the main reason why when you have to accompany, you become a better sightreader; it's becaued you always have to keep going, keep the rhythm, the pulse, even if you miss notes or have to leave something out.  When we try to sight-read by ourselves at the piano, we usually stop to fix something, pause for little bits, slow the tempo in anticipation of a nasty chord, etc.  When you are forced to keep going, you're always looking ahead for what's to come rather then dwelling on what you just played. 

I think it's a good idea to watch accompanists and turn pages for them.  I did this several times and noticed that the really good sight-readers/accompanists looked WAY ahead, I'm talking like multiple measures, it felt really weird to turn the pages so early =)

[bartolomeo_]

The main thing is to pick something that is more or less within your current sight-reading ability, even if it is something very basic.

[princessdecadence]

Burgmuller?

I use to have this german book full of folksongs and other german kiddie stuff.  It was fun to sight read them. 

Sight-reading exam pieces by ABRSM? Perhaps? That way you know your grades as well.  They also have the practice books.