Hello! Looking for some advice on sight-reading. :)

[dickknowsbest]

Hello!

I'm a newb and I'm looking for ways to improve my sight-reading abilities, which wouldn't be too hard since I have none to begin with. Well... I can read notes, but In particular I have trouble reading/identifying chords and grouped notes on sheet music.

I understand the most important thing is to practice (efficiently) every day in order to improve, but I'd also like to know of any cool and/or useful tips and advice on how to greatly improve speed, accuracy and control when sight-reading.

Would it be possible for me to be able to develop an ability to sight-read pieces like Mozart sonatas in a few years (or more) of maybe... an hour or so of dedicated practice a day? I guess it depends on the person, how quickly they learn and how efficiently they practice, but I'd like to know some opinions on this. I don't know what I'm capable of yet, so let's play it like the worst case scenario... assume that I'm dyslexic, musically inept and tomorrow morning I take a fork to my left eye while eating my cereal. Could I become a decent sight-reader with enough practice?

Thanks, and like I said, I'm a complete newb, go easy on me.

[outin]

Since you are dyslexic I think you will need special learning tactics. What those would be I cannot help much but I am also struggling with sight-reading because of my own learning disabilities. I doubt if quantity (practicing a lot) will be the solution here, it does not seem to help me much.

Frustration is a real problem if you can't learn simple things as easily as other people despite not being "dumb". So the learning tactics have to get you results in a reasonable time. After getting frustrated it is quite impossible to learn anything.

My teacher was able to help me with identifying intervals more easily by pointing out that some are "symmetric" (both notes are either an a line or between the lines: 3rds, 5ths and 7ths.
Others are "asymmetric" so that the other note is on the line and the other is between: 4ths, 6ths, octaves. I of course knew this before, but never really bothered to use the information as a learning device

So I practised with reading a score full of intervals by saying the interval names out loud and then later with the keyboard playing different intervals and saying the names out loud. I did see a lot of improvement. Also I read somewhere that people with learning disabilities should always read the intervals and chords from the bottom note up, not from the top note down even if it would sometimes be natural because of the melody line. After a couple of weeks practising I think I can spot the intervals rather well. Next thing would be to actually learn to see where the bottom note is on the staff

Learning to read chords I think will require some undertanding of how they are formed on the different scales.

[dickknowsbest]

Thanks for the interval advice! I have heard a balance of 'note-reading' and 'intervallic-reading' is good.

I'll certainly give that a try!

I know chords pretty well. maj, min, dim, dim7th, aug, maj7th, min7th, dom7th, sus4, sus2, 9th etc..., I know scale degrees I, ii, iii, IV, V, vii, viiº for major scale. Tonic, Supertonic, Mediant, Subdominant etc... and I know my key sigs and relative Maj/Min etc...

The problem is, I know all this fairly well (as most pianists should), yet I have trouble trying to incorporate all this into sight-reading music. Maybe I'm trying to hard and making it more complex than it needs to be.

But thanks for the advice!

[outin]

The problem is, I know all this fairly well (as most pianists should), yet I have trouble trying to incorporate all this into sight-reading music. Maybe I'm trying to hard and making it more complex than it needs to be.

I think this is the common problem with learning disabilities: You may know the things theoretically, but you are not capable of incorporating this knowledge to practice or learning basic tasks easily. Finally, I have no doubt that you will learn, one way or the other if you stay focused and motivated.

[pianogirl13669]

I was fortunate to have a teacher that made me sight read something every lesson, I guess.  We never really got into the theory of what we were reading.  She just had me open the book to a random page and play.  I have had much success with my students by giving them things that are at least 1-2 levels below and going from there.  Although we don't do a full compositional analysis, I work with them on recognizing patterns in the music (i.e. - where are lines/measures repeated, does the l.h. accompaniment follow a pattern).  Being able to recognize the patterns makes things significantly easier in many cases.  You may be much farther ahead than you think being able to identify all the chords.  I can't do that but I'm thinking it would make the process even easier.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

SCALES AND CHORDS!!!

Not only do they help you with sight reading, they strengthen your fingers!

It helps you identify clusters of notes and chords!

So for instance, if you have heard of the Chopin etude op. 10 no. 12, it looks pretty difficult to play and sight read.  But if you know your C minor scale and chords,  it becomes sooo much easier to sight read because the left hand is basically a C minor scale with a bunch of different variations, so you don't really have to read every single note. 

It's hard to explain, but trust me, it helps

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Oh, nevermind.  You can ignore what I said above.  I didn't read the other previous comments lol

[dickknowsbest]

Thanks pianogirl13669 and rachmaninoff_forever. Both very useful, I'll be sure to try out the things you've mentioned, thanks for the advice!

[jmanpno]

I have discovered some amazing secrets that help people transform their sight reading experience exponentially. 

[j_menz]

I have discovered some amazing secrets that help people transform their sight reading experience exponentially. 

I can hardly wait. 

[jmanpno]

Sorry your a simpleton jmenz.  The fact is some of us see things others don't.

[j_menz]

Sorry your a simpleton jmenz.  The fact is some of us see things others don't.

So are you going to share your insights?

[jmanpno]

::sigh:: i just did...

[j_menz]

I have discovered some amazing secrets that help people transform their sight reading experience exponentially. 

I meant in this regard.  My status as a simpleton is of no benefit (or detriment) to others.Your seeing things others don't aren't much use unless you share.

[jmanpno]

::profuse melodramatic arrogant sighing indicating that nothing else will be said on this subject::

[dickknowsbest]

I have discovered some amazing secrets that help people transform their sight reading experience exponentially. 

I have discovered an amazing magic pill that will transform people into Vladimir Horowitz.

[thalbergmad]

::profuse melodramatic arrogant sighing indicating that nothing else will be said on this subject::

At least that makes a change from twats and pianostreet retards

Thal

[j_menz]

I have discovered an amazing magic pill that will transform people into Vladimir Horowitz.

What? Dead?

Love to see the FDA approval request for that one.   

[tromboneal]

Dick,

I have worked very hard on my sight-reading for over four years now.  My progress was slower than I expected.  I have a lot of advice on my blog (I'm not selling anything or profiting from this blog in any way).

My best advice is to get a teacher who is good at sight-reading and at teaching it.

Here is my blog:

https://pianosightreading.blogspot.com/