Whether you are singing or playing the piano, it is important that you know how to read music. This can come as a challenge if you don’t have much experience with sight reading. When you are playing the piano, it can be exceptionally helpful to be able to sight read music with ease. If you have good sight reading skills, it can make tackling a new piece far less challenging. Arizona Studio-Online Performing Arts is here to share our best sight reading tips to help you learn how to sight read much better.
Practice Scales, Arpeggios & Chords
If you teacher asks you to practice your scales, arpeggios and chords, you may have a tendency to roll your eyes. While they may be boring, there is a reason they are used when learning to play the piano. They can help strengthen your sight-reading skill tremendously. You will find that they appear in almost all music; so, in this case, practice makes perfect.
Look Up While Playing Piano
The more you get used to looking up, rather than down at your hands when playing, the easier it will be to sight read. When you practice the notes listed in the paragraph above, you get more comfortable with your hand placement as well. This can help your sight reading come much easier.
Review the Piece of Music Before You Play It
Before you get started sight reading a new piece, you need to look a few things over and familiarize yourself with the music. This will make sight reading less challenging. Some of the things that you should look at before playing a new piece include:
– Time Signature & Key Signature
– Tricky Rhythms
– Repeated Patterns
– Tap Out the Rhythms & Fingerings
– Sight Sing
Is Slow Practice Necessary?
The first time you play a new piece, you should try playing it slower than the piece is meant to be played. This will give you time to get familiar with it, and make sure your fingers are in the right places.
Practice Reading Ahead in Music
As you get more familiar with sight reading music, you will find that it is helpful to look ahead in the music. This allows you to prepare your hands for what they need to be doing next. You should look ahead at least one beat.
Be Patient when Sight Reading
Sight reading music isn’t something that happens overnight. You need to be patient with yourself. You are bound to make mistakes as you are learning this new skill. Even when you make mistakes, keep going. Keep trying to improve and you will see that it will start to come.
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If you are interested in learning to read music and play the piano, you can rely on the experienced teachers at Arizona Studio-Online Performing Arts to help you polish your skills, including sight reading music. We will help you find the joy that can only come through learning music. Call us today!