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Topic: Sight Reading and Reading Along (Read 3290 times)

darkbloom

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Posts: 4

Sight Reading and Reading Along

on: December 21, 2017, 10:19:10 PM

I've been playing for a fairly long time (over ten years) and consider myself fairly advanced but I can't sight read at all. Nor can I follow along with complex piano music while holding the score. Something page turners do etc. Is there a way to improve these skills? Even something like the Bach C major Prelude from Book 1 of the WTC is something I have difficulty sight reading. But of course it's quite easy to play once learned.

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perfect_pitch

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Posts: 9205

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #1 on: December 21, 2017, 10:50:02 PM

Do you play using sheet music, or by ear??? If the answer is by ear - that's your problem.

If you play by sheet music but spent a lot of time writing in letter names on your music, that would be the other reason.

I'd need more info before suggesting anything right now.

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https://www.musicnotes.com/sheet-music/artist/epic-piano-arrangements (Sheet Music)

darkbloom

Newbie
Posts: 4

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #2 on: December 21, 2017, 10:57:04 PM

Sheet music. Is there another kind of sight reading? I haven't written in letter names of notes for a long, long time.

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outin

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Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #3 on: December 21, 2017, 11:38:30 PM

I guess it's usually just a matter pf practice makes better. But there are also reasons related to sight issues and also something that can be called note dyslexia, a cognitive defect. I've had this problem ever since I started reading music as a child. For me practice only improves my ability to understand and play what's written, but does little to improve my ability to follow the notation. I have problems following the notes even while listening to a recording. But I guess the first thing to check is if you are able to play at all without constantly looking at the keyboard. That is something you can practice.

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darkbloom

Newbie
Posts: 4

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #4 on: December 22, 2017, 06:35:19 AM

I can play without the keyboard just fine. Practicing with your eyes closed is instructive with that skill.

But processing all that visual information is something else entirely. I still can't fully remember what the notes on the staff are. And I've been at it since I was a kid. I was just wondering if there was a standard way to improve with this apart from constantly repeated failed attempts at it.

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perfect_pitch

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Posts: 9205

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #5 on: December 22, 2017, 08:41:16 AM

If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod - try get an app called Tenuto and start using the Keyboard Reverse Identification exercise.

Otherwise - try this: https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/keyboard-reverse/oy991yqyryybyyyyyyy

Try this a little and you should get better at identifying the notes.

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https://www.youtube.com/c/EpicPianoArrangements (Videos)
https://www.musicnotes.com/sheet-music/artist/epic-piano-arrangements (Sheet Music)

timothy42b

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Posts: 3414

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #6 on: December 22, 2017, 01:41:20 PM

You might actually have some processing defect.

But you could try getting a book of scores, like Schirmer's from the library, and watch the score while playing the piece on youtube.

If you listen to something like an SATB hymn, can you separate the voices in your head?

Go here:

all of smalin's stuff is worthwhile, but this one especially might suit you. See if you can listen to the bass line and follow it on the score and maybe also on the piano roll.

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Tim

darkbloom

Newbie
Posts: 4

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #7 on: December 22, 2017, 04:35:25 PM

That keyboard test should be timed to be of maximum value!

Yes I can separate the voices in my head. I have pretty good relative pitch and can hunt and peck for a piece of music on the piano without much difficulty. But following all those black dots in real time is something else entirely.

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perfect_pitch

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Posts: 9205

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #8 on: December 22, 2017, 11:12:07 PM

Oh, it has a timer as well - I just didn't want to put too much pressure on you.

https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/keyboard-reverse/oy991yqyrybbydyyyyy

Now.... GO!!!

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https://www.youtube.com/c/EpicPianoArrangements (Videos)
https://www.musicnotes.com/sheet-music/artist/epic-piano-arrangements (Sheet Music)

keypeg

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Posts: 3922

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #9 on: December 23, 2017, 11:22:32 PM

Quote from: perfect_pitch on December 22, 2017, 08:41:16 AM

If you have an iPhone, iPad or iPod - try get an app called Tenuto and start using the Keyboard Reverse Identification exercise.

Otherwise - try this: https://www.musictheory.net/exercises/keyboard-reverse/oy991yqyryybyyyyyyy

Try this a little and you should get better at identifying the notes.

I just tried it. The keyboard shows only two octaves. The staff covers four octaves. It doesn't matter which octave you click. There was an E on the ledger line of the bass clef, and I deliberately clicked the highest E on the keyboard; another E as the top space in the treble clef, and I clicked the lowest E on the keyboard. I got a 100% correct score. That is not good.

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perfect_pitch

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Posts: 9205

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #10 on: December 24, 2017, 02:22:33 AM

Look - it can only do so much - I use this as kids are learning but they get to learn in which context the C is on the actual piano and understand the use of octaves.

I presume for someone who knows all the notes on the piano, and doesn't know them on the staff - that might be a bit of a pain.

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https://www.youtube.com/c/EpicPianoArrangements (Videos)
https://www.musicnotes.com/sheet-music/artist/epic-piano-arrangements (Sheet Music)

timothy42b

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Sr. Member
Posts: 3414

Re: Sight Reading and Reading Along

Reply #11 on: December 24, 2017, 02:56:17 AM

The link I tried was a string quartet.

I don't play much recorder lately, but they always need something at the Christmas pageant while the little angels are moving back and forth so I had one handy.

I tried reading that string quartet as the score scrolled. I was using the alto in F. (I intended to play the sopranino but the child who's singing had trouble finding the pitch, I changed to the lower instrument.) No problem with violin 1 and 2, but the third stave was in tenor clef. Yes, I read that, a trombone player must, but crashed and burned converting tenor clef to concert pitch to trombone fingering to alto in F fingering. Just couldn't get my brain to work fast enough.

Youtube is an awesome educational resource.

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Tim

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