Sight Reading

[apocalypse92]

Hi. This is my first post on the forum, I've been lurking here since I started playing the piano around 2 years, but I've decided I will try and the pick the brains of some of you more knowledgeable people out there.

I've been playing the piano for around 2 years near, and have taught myself most of the things I know at the moment. But the one thing I can't do and have a horrible time doing is sight reading. I read somewhere that people who memorise notation have a harder time sight reading.

If any of you have any tips to help, it would be very much appreciated.

Oh, and someone did tell me before you start playing you should memorise the first bar, and then as you play, read ahead of what you are playing.

[jimbo320]

Check this site out. It has loads of good info and I believe it also has some sight reading tips.....
https://www.piano-play-it.com/index.html

Good luck, Jimbo

[keyboardclass]

To be honest it's a bit like Hmm... what's he doing here?  You're snooping around someone's brain - the map is knowing their harmony and theory.

[birba]

Two years is not a long time!  And you are already expecting to sight-read like Mozart?!
Take all the "baby" books you can find (1st and 2nd year) and just read through them ONE hand at a time.  Slow, but at a constant tempo.  Keep counting in your head and keep going even if you screw up the notes.  The important thing is to KEEP GOING as if you hadn't made any mistakes.  Don't play the same piece more than once in the same week.  So you need lots of music on hand.  Do this in periods of 10 minutes.  No more.  If you can learn to keep your eyes going and not stop, your sight-reading will begin to improve.

[keyboardclass]

Keep counting in your head

No.  Tap your foot!

[apocalypse92]

What a lovely, warm welcome.
No, I am not expecting to read like Mozart, and two years is not a long time, but everyone has to start somewhere. The fact of the matter is I don't know how to start sight reading or what to do, that's why I posted here asking for any tips. Thanks for your help.

[stevebob]

There’s no Welcome Wagon at this site, but I doubt anyone meant to offend.  Maybe people get weary of perpetual questions about sightreading, but the upside of that is that there are a great many past discussions that should benefit you.  Try searching (“Advanced search” limited to topic subjects) on the terms sightreading, sight-reading and “sight reading”.

You certainly got sound basic advice from birba (though more information could be elaborated upon, and I personally don't recommend hands-separate sightreading practice).  In my opinion, the most important aspect of getting started is seeking out the simplest music you can find that you can actually manage to get through.  Devote a regular segment of your piano routine to sightreading practice, and don’t push yourself prematurely to sightread more difficult material than you’re comfortable with.

Progress is typically slow and gradual, so keep at it.  The results will be worth enduring the learning curve.