The Music Sight-Reading Game
When I was in high school, I was a pretty decent pianist. However, I was not a great sight-reader. I remember being asked to accompany the choir during one of our rehearsals. I had never seen the score before and I was overwhelmed with trying to keep up with the conductor.
When I was accepted as a piano performance major to the University of Michigan, I took a sight-reading class by the renown Karen Keys. (Such a great name for a pianist!) I learned that you never look at where you are, but rather where you are going. You also read intervals (not notes) and rhythms simultaneously. As a teen, I tried to understand this “method.” It took quite a while but it finally kicked in. I treated the method as if it were “a game.” I spent a great deal of time trying to “win” against myself. I actually hear the music before I play it now so that it moves along without mistakes or pauses.
Personal note: When I first met my husband, he said that I sight-read music better than most people in the world played. I will always thank Professor Keys and my own belief that I could learn this skill/game.) It was also incredibly useful during my many years teaching in public education while accompanying for my choirs, soloists, musicals, etc.
So, here are the rules to begin the LBF Sight-reading Game:
- chose a piece one or two levels below what you can presently play well. Look at the key signature.
Note: (I have made several of my students take the key signature “oath.” It goes something like this: “I promise to always look at the key signature before starting to play a piece, so help me.” (I always answer, “Yes, I promise I will help you.” I know, bad music teacher humor.)
- Now, study the piece for large intervals, complex rhythms or weird symbols. (i.e. characters that might jump out at you unexpectedly!) cue: scary music
- Review any key changes, meter changes or clef changes.
- After a few minutes of this, start counting a slow tempo. You do not need to play “up to tempo” when sight-reading at first. However, you do need to “keep the tempo” and play all the way through the piece. If you make a mistake, keep counting and just skip the one, two or three beats of notes that you missed. You can come back and work on the piece later.
I promise if you do this consistently and keep your eyes moving at least one or two beats ahead, you should grow in your sight-reading abilities. This method also helps you to learn your repertoire much faster. You should spend much less time practicing the same pieces over and over and be able to learn many more pieces. Oh, and remember to have fun! After all it is “just a game.” 😊
Laurie Beth Frick