Struggling immensely trying to sight read Bach chorales

[ranjit]

I've been getting very frustrated trying to get better at reading Bach chorales. I've  spent over a month wrestling with them, but I simply haven't been able to get to a point where I can read them at tempo (say quarter note 60 bpm). How do you train this skill?

I've heard some people say you're supposed to use peripheral vision, if so how can that be developed? Do you just hear the chord progressions in your head better? Do you just recognize four notes a second? Probably the most I can do at this point is read one hand at a time, but even that can be hard depending on the situation.

[klavieronin]

You might not like the answer but there really are no shortcuts. Here’s what I suggest. Record yourself sight reading one of them. Then save that recording somewhere where you won’t lose it. Then spend some time reading them everyday for the next year. Do this with a metronome just a little bit faster than you feel comfortable with. If you mess up, don’t stop. Just keep playing where you should be, as though your life depended on finishing in time. Then, after a year, listen to your old recording and be amazed at the progress you’ve made.

[brogers70]

Without offering any general opinion on Cory Hall, I'll say that his book, Sight Reading and Harmony, was very helpful to me. From each of 150 Bach Chorales, he takes a line and presents it in five graded versions, starting with two voices reduced to quarter notes and ending with the full original four voice version. I used that book to work on sight reading in general and it was very helpful. Pricey, but very helpful.

[lostinidlewonder]

Just play it slow enough that you can calculate what comes next and enjoy the sounds produced. If you use a digital piano you can put some string, choir or organ effect on so the notes do not decay. With the chorales they still make musical sense if you play them slowly, so aim for that with accuracy. Resolving which hand takes the centre voices can be tricky in places for the inexperienced just because it's written in the upper or lower stave doesn't always imply which hand takes it. Importantly ensure your fingerings are good as this makes the reading process many times easier.

Post up some scores and we can describe how to read it effectively it's better than generalised talk. You can also express which parts are easy for you and which parts cause you to stutter.