sight-reading

[anne126]

I would like to know how well everyone here can sight-read, and compare myself, because I'm not sure exactly how good I am at it (I'm able to sight-read Prelude No. 13, 8, and 22 from the Well Tempered Clavier Book I, and I have sight-read some of the slower fugues (22, 4, etc.)

My question—what is the most difficult piece that you can sight-read (without error, without any prior practice, etc.)? And also, how often do you play the pieces you "know" with the sheet music in front of you? Do you find it difficult to play without the sheet music?

[m19834]

I can sightread blindfolded and my hands tied behind my back. 



(I definitely objectively assess that constitutes technique, btw)

[anne126]

:|



(let's try not to start that again)

[m19834]

(let's try not to start that again)

(Oh, really.  I was pretty sure that was what is happening  )

[iroveashe]

I suck at sight-reading, but I can memorize pieces relatively fast and without effort.

[bella_brito]

I suck at sight-reading, but I can memorize pieces relatively fast and without effort.

Same here.
I think I can sight read the Anna Magdalena book pieces. 

[go12_3]

For me, sight-reading takes effort more difficult pieces.  I did sight-read Book 1, which contains Beethoven's 11 Sonatas, and believe me, it was quite a process to just take a half an hour a day, everyday, for several weeks to sight-read those Sonatas.  The easier pieces are not a problem for me to sight-read.  I feel when my sight-reading ability gets better, then I will be able to learn pieces quickly.  I think sight-reading requires to recognize similar passages and fingering at a glance while looking at the score.  I can sight-read sonatinas better than a chord type of accompaniment. Bach is fun to sightread because of the fingering and how the passages go in diverse directions, along with the accidentals. 

best wishes,

go12_3 

[silverchair87]

I find sight reading pretty straight-forward.

I sight read all the time, and have done since I was a child, but I find memorization quite difficult. I'll sight read near enough anything depending on how I feel, but obviously some things are more difficult than others. Mozart is easy to sight read, but difficult to play very well for example. I get great enjoyment out of both, but the memorization of pieces takes me a lot longer and I have to put in more effort.

I can see why there are benefits to playing without the music infront of you, but I don't put myself under too much preasure to do so unless I have a conservatoire exam or a recital to perform for.

[db05]

I can sight read up to the likes the Anna Magdalena book but only EXTREMELY SLOWLY. In other words, I can barely sight read at all! It takes me months to learn a piece, and when I do, I don't need the sheet music at all, in fact it is much easier to play without looking at a score.

[richard black]

As a repetiteur and audition accompanist, I have to be able to sight-read very fluently - pretty much anything you put in front of me (open the vocal score of a Richard Strauss opera for an example of how tricky it gets). In fact I've always had good sight-reading, but I was talking about this with a colleague a few weeks ago who does exactly the same kind of work and he said his sight-reading when he was a student was not very good and he improved a lot just by doing it for years as part of his training and work - an encouraging example, I think!

[eminemvsrach]

Let's see, that day I sight readed Prokofiev's 2nd concerto...... took 40 mins to finish 1st movement but I couldn't go on anymore after that.

[ahvat]

I'm not the best sight reader. I don't know if it is practice, but when I listen to an recording I open a sheet (PDF) and read along with the music. I don't know if it helps me increase my sight reading... When learning a new piece I play thru a couple of times, then its' all memorized.

[richard black]

Let's see, that day I sight read Prokofiev's 2nd concerto...

A guy I know, possibly the best sight-reader in London, once sight-read the orchestral accompaniment to that concerto from a full orchestral score, accompanying a student who wanted to run through the solo part. A friend of mine was there and witnessed it. That's proper sight reading. That said, a few years ago a singer I was playing for gave me a big orchestral score of something and asked me to play it a minor third down - she seemed genuinely surprised when I had trouble (!) with it, which does seem to imply she had worked with pianists who could do it.

[pianowolfi]

I would like to know how well everyone here can sight-read, and compare myself, because I'm not sure exactly how good I am at it (I'm able to sight-read Prelude No. 13, 8, and 22 from the Well Tempered Clavier Book I, and I have sight-read some of the slower fugues (22, 4, etc.)

My question—what is the most difficult piece that you can sight-read (without error, without any prior practice, etc.)? And also, how often do you play the pieces you "know" with the sheet music in front of you? Do you find it difficult to play without the sheet music?

Although I consider sight reading to be quite helpful, even "important" in some situations, I think it does have nothing to do with the essence of the art.

I like it. I like very much to sight read. But the feeling of needing "urgently" to sight read a piece or accompaniment or orchestral reduction makes me still panic and going crazy.

I don't believe that you, nor anybody, can play Prelude No. 13, 8, and 22 from WTK accurately and musically thought out at sight, ecxept perhaps Bach himself and a few really genius players who are beyond any comprehension. If you are one of these: congratulations and my full respect.

[pianowolfi]

I can sightread blindfolded and my hands tied behind my back. 

 ROFL 

This is just so good, oh my...

[pianowolfi]

As a repetiteur and audition accompanist, I have to be able to sight-read very fluently - pretty much anything you put in front of me (open the vocal score of a Richard Strauss opera for an example of how tricky it gets). In fact I've always had good sight-reading, but I was talking about this with a colleague a few weeks ago who does exactly the same kind of work and he said his sight-reading when he was a student was not very good and he improved a lot just by doing it for years as part of his training and work - an encouraging example, I think!

Yes it's really a matter of just doing it and practicing for years, like so many things.

[practice]

I just memorize everything because I suck at sight-reading. I never sight-read.

[silverchair87]

ROFL 

This is just so good, oh my...

I agree! that's one of the funniest things I've read in a long time LOL

[csharp_minor]

I think I can sight read the Anna Magdalena book pieces. 

Whats embarrassing about that?! wish I could sight read grade 1-2 pices. My sight reading Isn’t so much as sight reading, its shite reading. 

[csharp_minor]

I just memorize everything because I suck at sight-reading. I never sight-read.

I suck too but it can be done and should! belive me if you do a bit everyday you will improve! always do pieces a few grades lower then your playing level ( or depending how well you can sight read, and do it very slowly )

[michel dvorsky]

Schnabel makes even the best of the other great Beethoven interpreters sound 2nd rate.  But Kempff isn't even among this latter category.

[omar_roy]

I'm a terrible sight reader, and I work at it everyday to become better.  I sight-read hymns, children's music, easier Bach pieces.  I try to do everything I can to become better at it.  Then again, some people are just naturally good sight-readers, and others are not.

As much as I hate sight-reading, I do it because it is necessary.  Sure, being a good sight-reader is not absolutely essential, but it helps so much in the learning of repertoire.  Being able to read accurately the first time through a piece, even at a slow speed is a big benefit.  Being a good sight-reader helps you learn music faster allowing you to build a bigger repertoire faster.

What it boils down to, as far as solo piano goes, being a good sight reader saves time learning the notes, so you can spend more time learning the music.  I'm already very good at memorizing, and I make up for a lot of time because I can memorize things very quickly.  But being a piano student in a university studying to become a professional means I can't just work on solo repertoire all the time.  I am also required to accompany and do chamber music.  Being a good sight-reader is such a valuable asset in those respects.

So to the pianist who plays just for themselves, being a good sight-reader may not matter all that much.  But to someone studying to become a professional, or who already is a professional, sight-reading is a highly important asset. 

[go12_3]

I look at sight-reading as an adventure.......like what's going to happen in this passage?
It's like an unexpected trip going someplace and sometimes I wonder how the journey of the pieces I sight-read will go.  I usually sightread both hands on several pieces.  It can be fun but the eyes has to be trained to look at everything as the fingers are Go-ing along through the passages.....or shall  I say, skipping along. ...

best wishes,

go12_3