Sight Reading Tips

by Maggie
(UK)

My students find sight reading challenging. I have 2 techniques to help them - one for the timing and one for reading notes quickly.

For timing, we improvise in different time signatures - usually I will play the bass - they love it regardless of age. We count about 4 bars out loud to settle the speed before beginning to play.

For reading notes quickly I teach them to measure the spaces between the notes rather than naming the notes. Not sure if this is the only way but it is one of the tools I use.

Maggie, Uk piano teacher

Dana:

Thanks, Maggie! I try to have my students count intervals as well... I think it is more effective than naming notes. My students are often a little shy about improvising, so sometimes I will give them a "set" of notes to draw from, and having that limitation seems to take some of the fear away.