The Sight Reading Progress Thread

WieWaldi · 2024-06-25T02:17:55+00:00

This is a collection of recommendations found in this forum, to have it all in one place: Books (paper / digital) WieWaldi Sight-Reading & Harmony (Comp...

thepianoplayer416

I can read through beginner pieces with few mistakes.

Referring to the example above, looks like it’s coming from a more advance piece but an “intermediate” learner like myself can learn it. Reading the first time NO but after a repeats isn’t too bad. Here the LH plays repeated C-chord with the octave note on top which isn’t too bad. The RH plays 2 lines together can throw some people off. I’d learn when notes come in and which ones need to hold longer whiles others are playing. Having some suggested fingerings is helpful.

Playing is not only reading notes but getting through awkward fingerings. Beginner pieces the LH & RH parts tend to be more predictable & simpler. The fingerprints are straightforward.

I’m sure some can read advance pieces the first time with very few mistakes.

Player1

@BartK

You've done this as part of your exams haven't you? Can you tell us what goes on, how long the performance piece is, is it similar to what's been posted here? Etc.

BartK

Player1 @BartK

You've done this as part of your exams haven't you? Can you tell us what goes on, how long the performance piece is, is it similar to what's been posted here? Etc.

No, I never did any exams. I'm terrible at taking exams and don't want the stress.

This is from the RCM Four Star Sight Reading book, level 10. They have these rhythm exercises that you have to tap while keeping a steady beat. I tap along the metronome and once I got the rhythm then I play the actual notes.

Sophia

WieWaldi Especially the 2nd half of the book was really nice to play.

Wow, good for you!!!! I haven't even proceeded to the next piece yet ^_^ But then again I never promised to sight-read DAILY, lol. I'm sure glad I made a start with it though and I look forward to proceed in the book even more now!

Pallas

I've been thinking about recording daily, but I already have a data storage and file management issue. Creating video files every day isn't going to happen. But I'm sight-reading a page every day, and the John Thompson books are very helpful.

I found another one from John Thompson called the Hanon Studies, that help with both sight-reading and the gestures that help make Hanon easier and not terrible on the tendons! I only have an ancient yellowed paper copy that's falling apart that I found in an ancient bargain bin or I would share it!

Thanks, Sophia for sharing the supplementary Thomson PDF. I like it a lot.

BartK

Pallas I've been thinking about recording daily, but I already have a data storage and file management issue. Creating video files every day isn't going to happen.

You can upload to YouTube and then delete the local file.

Player1

BartK
Oh, sorry. I thought you had done all your exams up to certificate level. My bad.

I'm still wondering what happens during an exam when the sight reading part is given and how it compares to the efforts here.

Pallas

BartK Thank you for the idea. I didn't even think of deleting the local copy. I'm a control freak!

candela

ranjit Yes, that definitely increases the difficulty. It's a a bit like meter changes. When they grade the difficulty of band pieces, I know one of the criteria is whether there are any meter changes. They'll take a while for most players to get comfortable with.

candela

Pallas I'm in the stage "conscious incompetence," which is an essential stage for learning stuff!

I doubt I'll ever grow out of this stage. There are so many aspects I can hear that I need to work on. A lifetime does not seem enough! But that's ok. I like learning.

Pallas

candela I feel exactly the same. I'm going to be consciously incompetent forever. But that's ok! I'm enjoying the practice, and that's what counts for me.

ranjit

This is actually not that hard since it's in C major (and because I've heard it plenty of times before!). But it could have been a lot better.

WieWaldi

ranjit But it could have been a lot better.

And it could have been a lot worse, too. There were still some notes with accidentals, the piece was quite fast and your tempo wasn't bad at all. Keep on progressing.

Edit: how many different grands to you have?

rogerch

I recorded myself sight reading today. Watching the playback is painful! Wrong notes, hesitations, and wrong rhythms abound. I have a long way to go!

Here is me sight-reading "The Trolley Song" from The Giant Book of Standards arranged by Dan Coates. Hopefully it's less painful for you to watch than it is for me (we are our own worst critics...)

WieWaldi

rogerch Actually I liked listening to it. But you must admit, you cheated! There was a repeating section in your piece. Then it's not sight-reading anymore. 😂
Joking aside: it was nice to listen and fun watching. Especially you bending over to the right side to get a look into the score.

Sophia

We're sooo brave... normally everyone just shares their "best take and we're not telling anyone that it was the 100th try in 3 weeks and a fluke that it went well at last" and here we are, appearing in unflattering housecoat, uncombed hair and no makeup on our face. You have my undying devotion and appreciation!

Seriously, seeing others (especially experienced players such as yourself and ranjit) struggle a little makes me feel so much better about my own attempts!

Thank you!

Pallas

Sophia we're not telling anyone that it was the 100th try in 3 weeks

Wait. I thought that was implied. Let me make this official: all of my performance videos are the 111th try over a period of weeks. There. Honesty! (And I actually don't care who knows it either!)

rogerch

Sophia Seriously, seeing others (especially experienced players such as yourself and ranjit) struggle a little makes me feel so much better about my own attempts!

I'm glad some good came of posting that video!

For me learning a piece is always a struggle. I've been working on my fast piece recital pieces for almost two months now and a lot of it is repeating some very small snippet over and over again at various speeds until I can get it right 5 times in a row. That would be even more painful to watch than the sight reading!

rogerch

WieWaldi rogerch Actually I liked listening to it. But you must admit, you cheated! There was a repeating section in your piece. Then it's not sight-reading anymore. 😂

You caught me! I always take the repeats when sight reading, hoping that it will be better the second time. Sometimes it's worse!

Joking aside: it was nice to listen and fun watching. Especially you bending over to the right side to get a look into the score.

Yeah that happens to all the time. Yet another challenge for us piano players! If the iPad doesn't work out I may take inspiration from your spiral binding of scores!

BartK

Player1 I'm still wondering what happens during an exam when the sight reading part is given and how it compares to the efforts here.

It's described in the syllabus and you can find videos of exams on YT. You're given 30 seconds to look through the music, prepare fingering and try out some of it. Nothing you do during that 30 seconds counts for your grade but once the time is up you have to play through and you have one attempt. Scary stuff!

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