Lol thank you. I wanted to start with something easier, but I didn't have anything at hand. I mean haven't opened my new Easy Classics book yet. And I didn't want to use the John Thompson kiddie book because that starts with C C C C C C C... though to make it harder that C is sometimes played with the left thumb and sometimes with the right thumb.
But you are right, I should buy one of those books you mentioned in the other thread... I will... someday 
Here's my sight reading.
Lol! So true!
At least I excelled in not impressing anyone, not even Simba 
Oops sorry cross posted with you ranjit!
Yes, it's quite motivating.
We are truly Brave! It takes real courage to post a non-perfect video and we all did it 
(ok Pallas was perfect, pfft, be like that)
Think you're good at rhythms, eh? Try clapping out this one 
It took me a couple of tries to get it at a very slow tempo.
Edit: I'm not trying to diminish anyone's accomplishments or deny those who feel they have to practice note reading first but if you want to eventually sight read more advanced music you have to practice more difficult rhythms too.
Also I don't want to leave the impression that I'm always sight reading rhythmically correct. My sight reading is far from that good, with lots of slowing down and stopping. I can only do it strictly in time when it's really easy which for me is something like RCM 4 or 5. But I made a lot of progress since I started trying to play in strict time.
ranjit okay, this is another level. Still behind your ability to play polished pieces. Ok, your polished ones are way above, to be fair. But if I remember correctly, you stated to be a sight-reading beginner yourself, and this was really NOT bad.
I guess you are a very ambitioned pianist, so I can't wait to see another video from you. And see how big the improvements are, if someone at your level and ability is training this discipline. Thank you for joining the club of people, showing their skill to perform a piece without practicing.
BartK Think you're good at rhythms, eh? Try clapping out this one
It took me a couple of tries to get it at a very slow tempo.
It would take me more than a couple of tries. That is a challenging rhythm, to say the least. It has a little bit of everything, and you have to tap a steady beat the entire time. I've always found sixteenth note-dotted eighth note combinations (sometimes called a Scotch Snap) waaay more difficult than the more common dotted eight-sixteenth combo.
I can sort of vouch for the fact that WieWaldi was teasing you dear Pallas, I know I was 
And I also agree that the joke has gone far enough now. I'm sure we all love you dearly and want you to feel comfortable 
Actually I found that I may have a book that is in between C C C C and "next piece" so I'm going to attempt that today.
I still find it incredibly brave that we're all sharing videos of our baby steps. It's the stuff nightmares are made of.... you know the type where you suddenly find out you that you are expected to give a public speech in front of a large audience and you have no idea what you are supposed to say. Scary thought, that!
Absolutely Pallas! I'm sorry if I caused you some discomfort. All in good jest I assure you!
All right, my last video was somewhat tongue in cheek. But this time I decided to get a little more serious about it and use material that I can handle - somewhat The sheet music is freely available so here's a link.
I'm not sure if the 3rd exercise is considered cheating, but usually with a new rhythm I need to get the feel for it before I am able to count properly... so I included that in the video. It's also the first time I used a tablet - and... ok. First time I actually practised sight-reading as such 
BartK Maybe I should try to clarify what I meant by not always prioritising steady tempo when reading. We all have different backgrounds and struggle with different things. My point was to keep the practice material at a level where you are slightly challenged and out of your comfort zone regarding your weakest skill. Something else will probably have to give a little if you are really trying to be at that optimum challenge point that requires almost all your focus. If it is difficult to clap the rhythm along with a slowly ticking metronome disregarding pitch, that should definitely be practiced. If it is difficult to read pitches or chords disregarding rhythm, that should likewise be practiced in my mind. Same with articulation and dynamics. The material where you can do it all will naturally have to be easier than the practice material that more effectively grows your abilities.
If you are playing with others or in an examination / performance situation the priorities are of course different. Thus practicing sight-reading for those situations would also be different than practicing to read piano music at all. Like you, in that case I would absolutely prioritise timing, dynamics and articulation way over getting every single note in and, when applicable, with good intonation. But knowing how to simplify is an art in itself and requires being able to read the "big picture". A beginner will first have to learn to read at all.
Many adult beginners have played other instruments or sang in choirs before starting piano and are already relatively experienced music readers. For me personally, after decades of playing the clarinet, my rhythm reading is many levels more solid than say my instant chord recognition. Looking at your example, I don't need to analyse the rhythms, like "Oh that's an eighth note on the downbeat followed by a triplet during the next eighth." As children where I grew up we were taught to read rhythms using some variant of the takedimi approach and I still often think in similar terms. That means that for me the rhythm of the first beat would already be chunked into a "daa-di-di-di" unit in my brain and it would take a minimum amount of effort to read it and leave plenty of head space to add the pitches of the monophonic melodies in the (also already chunked) keys of a minor or d major.
Mathematically there is only a limited number of ways you could subdivide a beat into tones and rests, assuming the classical musical standard of dividing primarily at the halves, quarters, eighths, thirds or sixths and sometimes fifths, sevenths, ninths or twelves. Other subdivisions will be much more rare. With enough practice or exposure, all the common ones (including everything in your example) will be chunked in your memory and read effortlessly. At least that is my experience. But add some harmony or polyphony to your example and I would struggle a lot to keep in time without skipping anything because of the sheer number of notes and that I don't yet have all chords chunked in my mind to nearly the same level as I do rhythms, and might have to actually read individual pitches. And I don't yet hear most chords in my inner ear the way I do melodies and rhythms just by looking at the sheet music. If reading the simultaneous pitches is my biggest struggle, that is where I'll focus my attention for now. And that is the reason I'd slow down the tempo if it gets tricky, even when I have no problem clapping the rhythm on its own.
If I were reading as a first step of actually learning the piece, not to practice reading per se on "discardable" material, I would normally divide the piece into such short segments that I could make sure to be able to practice them each correctly in rhythm - if necessary at a very slow tempo to begin with. Not saying that I would then always practice in correct rhythm. There could be times when I would deliberately alter the rhythm in order to work e g on speed bursts with the goal of eventually being able to perform at a faster tempo.
Pallas I wish I could
sight-read at all in kindergarten!
I could spell my name though... I was adamant it was spelled O I A.
But yeah I definitely wish sometimes that people were a little less harsh or judgmental. There is no reason why anyone's piano journey should be less enjoyable or more stressful than it needs to be! Even if you consider making it your career someday!
candela A beginner will first have to learn to read at all.
That is basically where I place myself at this stage 
