8 Tips for Learning the Art of Sight-Reading Written Music
The ability to sight-read piano music is a common skill. This is when you play a piece of music for the first time, even though it may be unfamiliar to you. Though it is not common to play a song perfectly the first time through, here are 8 tips to make sight-reading music easier for you.
Tip # 1. Key Signature. The key signature of the piece of music that you are about to play requires special attention. Try to remember the appropriate sharps and flats in that key signature so you will know to play those whenever they occur throughout the song.
Tip # 2. Time Signature. This is another basic characteristic of every piece of music that you must understand in order to sight-read. You will need to know what kind of note gets one beat. You will also need to remember how many beats are in each measure.
Tip # 3. Key or Time Signatures Changes. Check through your music for any changes to the key signature or time signature. This will help prepare you for a transition that can happen in the middle of a song when you otherwise did not know about it.
Tip # 4. Starting and Ending Notes. It helps if you are familiar with the starting and ending note or chord of a song before you start playing. These are good reference points to guide you during your sight-reading.
Tip # 5. Note the Rhythm. Refer to tip # 6 as well. It is easy to play simple melody notes. What makes for a much more interesting sound is the addition of chords, or the rhythm. As you look through the song, you usually can get an idea of how it will go. Knowing the rhythm up front makes the whole piece easier to play.
Tip # 6. Play the Melody First. Also look through the right hand melody line. Play this through first. This will help give you an idea of the sound of the song and then you can put it all together and you will be able to identify the unique melodic line.
Tip # 7. Check for Other Markings. Look through the entire piece and check for any other markings covered in Music Terminology. Some examples include the loudness or softness of the piece, the speed of the music, and how long you should actually hold each note that is played.
Tip # 8. Relax and Focus. Finally, before you play it is important to take a deep breath and relax yourself. Focus on what you are about to play. Try to play the song all the way through for your first sight-reading. This gives you a general idea of what the song will sound like. Later you can break it down and work on each measure or group of measures as you see fit. Keep in mind that we are playing music for the love of it, not as a chore.
So, why exactly am I suggesting that you learn to sight-read instead of using the “learn-a-bit-at-a-time” method? Sight-reading forces you to move forward at a faster pace until you finish the song, ultimately helping you learn to play music faster. You can avoid bad habits of starting and stopping too often and delaying your progress on a specific piece of music. Sight-reading is an important skill to learn if you wish to become a good piano player.
For more tips about learning to play piano, including a free mini-course, visit the Learning To Play Piano Today site.
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