Reading Music | Sight Reading

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex,  overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one” -  Mark Twain,  American author

To be able to read music with confidence will take time. Your reading skills will only strengthen through perseverance. My early music practice was primarily devoted to jazz piano, which prioritized reading treble-only lead sheets over conventional bass and treble music sight-reading. Admittedly sight-reading was a skill I prioritized much later in learning, though knowing now what confidence sight-reading offers, I would definitely recommend it as a priority in the early stages of learning. Assign a small part of your practice to developing your reading skills and you will thank yourself in the long run.

Before you even begin reading music, you need to learn the basics. Start with note and rhythm recognition to the point of immediate identification. One method to utilize is flash cards.  Test yourself away from the piano to build note recognition and create rhythmic groupings in your side with ease. The goal is to immediately recognize the notes and rhythms just like you would recognize a company logo or traffic sign. The longer you have to decipher each note the more painful the process of sight reading will be. Just like learning a language, you need to know the alphabet and phonetics before you can read and write sentences.

Learning to read music comes next, and it should also be learned slowly and methodically. Do it in small chunks and then build out from there. The more you do it, the more at ease you will become. It will, and should, begin painfully slow and be approached methodically.

Below is the method I use to learn new material. The steps of sight reading are explained. I have highlighting some ways to fine tune your skills at each step.  The mind easily distracts itself, especially when approaching a new and challenging skill like sight-reading. Part of the skill of sight reading is to develop focus and self awareness.

Steps of Learning Written Music

1. Notes – identify the notes

2. Notes – apply optimum fingering

3. Rhythm – profile rhythm segments

4. Imprint Segments

5. Connect Segments

6. Identify Harmonic & Melodic Items

Step 1 : Identifying Pitches

Omit time and rhythm and first concentrate on the notes exclusively. Starting from the beginning of the music (left to right), scanning up from the bottom of the bass clef through to the top of the treble clef, sequentially reading the note properties.

EXERCISE TO DEVELOP EFFICIENT NOTE RECOGNITION

To assist with note recognition apply this two-tap exercise. Read through the music speaking out the notes in two parts. Start tapping the piano top or table top bouncing from one spot to another at a comfortable and moderate tempo. The first tap will be to the rights side while saying out loud the appropriate note pitch (eg A B, C, D, E, F,G,), the second tap will be to the left side, speaking aloud any sharp or flat that belongs to the first-taps pitch, with no sharp of flat being no verbal. Read across the music from left to right scanning from the bass clef up to the treble clef.  The more you do this exercise, the quicker and more confident your note recognition will be. Remember scan forward to see what is approaching.

Step 2 : Applying Optimum Fingering

Mistakes often made within practice are due to incorrect or neglected fingering choices. Applying correct and consistent fingering will help develop muscle memory and precision playing, especially at faster tempos. If fingering numbers are not indicated, then it is important to strategically allocate optimum finger choices that will allow navigation through each phrase of music easily. All fingering choices should be ergonomic.

Optimal fingering withstands three tests;

1. Tempo – can you play at fast tempo

2. Accuracy – can you play the right notes with precision

3. Endurance – can you play for long periods with no hand fatiguing

Step 3 : Profile Rhythm : Tapping Method

1. Isolate music into small phrases or bars.

2. Tap each beat with the left hand of the phrase

3. With the right hand tap the rhythm that the notes fall on through the phrase.

4. Verbally count out loud indicating each beat of the bar and any note rhythm. For example;

This can be done isolating the bass and treble parts independently or consolidated together.

Step 4 : Imprint

Imprint segments of material to avoid inefficient practice. Play each bar or phrase four times. If you make a mistake repeat 4 times until clean playing is achieved for each segment.

Play each bar or phrase four times looking away from music and piano keys. If you make a mistake repeat 4 times until precise playing is achieved for each segment.

When trying to assemble a left hand and right hand passage it is important to have accuracy when playing the passage separately with left and right hand first. It will hinder precision if you skip this in the process, like building a house without measuring anything. The error will be drastically clear when you assemble it all together.

Step 5 : Connect Bars & Segments

Connect each bar/phrase/segment together ensuring smooth playing across the music. Apply the ‘four time’ rule on areas that are not flowing. Give extra attention to the transitions between each section and passage. Be meticulous with repetitions until the transitions are seamless.

Step 6 : Identify Harmonic & Melodic Items

Examining the logic and makeup of a piece of music is valuable for both developing precision, learning to memory and seeing where substitutions and alterations are possible. It is helpful to identify harmonic and melodic relationships of chords and melody phrases as well as rhythmic patterns.

Sight Reading Without Preparation

Developing sight-reading to the point where you are able to play music with no preparation is achieved through simply doing it enough times sight reading is second nature. As your sight reading progresses some things to keep in mind are:

• Before attempting to play review the whole piece, recognizing key, tempo, time signature and patterns in the music

• Attempt to audiate the various left and right hand voices, hearing the music before any action is played.

• Accept rhythmic accuracy as the priority

• Keep going no matter what

• Look ahead and keep eyes reading ahead of fingers

Sight Reading Precision

Sight reading in piano playing involves not only reading the notes on a page but also being able to anticipate what's coming next. Here's how to build precision in sight reading:

1. Familiarize Yourself with Music Theory: Understanding music theory helps you recognize patterns and anticipate chord progressions as you read music.

2. Practice Regularly: Spend time each day sight reading new pieces to build your skills. Start with simple pieces and gradually work your way up to more complex ones.

3. Focus on Rhythm: Pay close attention to the rhythm as you read ahead. Being able to anticipate the rhythm of upcoming notes will improve your precision in sight reading.

4. Use Peripheral Vision: Train yourself to look ahead on the sheet music while keeping your focus on the current notes being played. This allows you to anticipate upcoming notes.

5. Start Slow: When tackling a new piece, start at a slower tempo. This allows you to better process the notes and rhythms, and build accuracy in your sight reading.

6. Emphasize Accuracy: While it's important to keep the music flowing, prioritize accuracy over speed when practicing sight reading. Make sure you're hitting the right notes and rhythms as you read ahead.

Remember, like any skill, becoming proficient in sight reading takes time and consistent practice. Keep challenging yourself with new music and gradually you'll see improvement in your precision and speed.

Developing Periphery Vision for Sight Reading

When it comes to sight-reading, using your periphery vision can be quite helpful. Here's a detailed guide on how to use it effectively:

1. Understand the concept: Periphery vision, also known as peripheral vision, refers to the area of vision outside the center of focus. In sight-reading, this means being aware of the notes and musical symbols in your peripheral vision while focusing on the notes you are currently playing.

2. Practice scanning: Start by practicing scanning the musical notation with your eyes. Instead of fixating on every single note, try to develop a broader awareness of the notes and patterns in your peripheral vision.

3. Utilize patterns: Your peripheral vision is adept at detecting patterns and shapes. As you practice, try to recognize common musical patterns and shapes that appear in your peripheral vision. This can help you anticipate upcoming notes and symbols.

4. Increase awareness: Over time, work on expanding your awareness of the musical score using your peripheral vision. This can help you anticipate upcoming bars, phrases, and musical changes, leading to smoother sight-reading.

5. Stay relaxed: It's essential to remain relaxed while using your periphery vision. Tension can limit your peripheral awareness, so focus on maintaining a soft gaze that takes in the broader musical context.

6. Practice regularly: Like any skill, using periphery vision in sight-reading takes practice. Set aside time to specifically work on this aspect of your sight-reading abilities, and you'll gradually become more adept at reading ahead using your peripheral vision.

Remember, the goal is to develop a balanced approach where your central focus and peripheral awareness work together harmoniously to enhance your sight-reading abilities.