I prefer sight reading to scales because as the grades get higher you have to learn more, yes the sight reading gets harder too but for me I can cope!

I think I'm better at sight reading than scales. I joined loads of music groups at the beginning of the year so my sight reading is better now and it is easier to do where as scales are getting harder as there are more of them.

Scales... always the same...

Luckily I pick up scales quickly, so there's no need to practise them over and over again! It's a good question though: scales or sight-reading.... I'm definitely better at scales but sight-reading is an excellent ability to have. I'm just trying to improve......

Prefer as in am best at and happier with in the exam: scales. Prefer as in would rather be good at: sightreading. In exams scales are much easier than sightreading since one is told all the scales one can possibly be asked for in the exam. Sightreading would be much easier if one was given a book with 20 grade X sightreading pieces in and told one would have to play one of those in the exam .

Sightreading and scales are different really: sightreading is a skill that one develops; playing scales one just learns each one (although admittedly new ones are easier to learn the more one knows).

Glad to hear you've not fallen out with scales sbhoa .

Can't say it better so I'll just say ditto

ditto ditto

Sightreading! Slightly strange to find myself saying this, because I'm lousy at counting, but ever since sitting in with my kids' piano lessons, I have a few strategies for that. I can't memorise scales for toffee. Grade 7 - scales mark a dismal 12/21, sightreading I only dropped one mark, and at grade 8 I ducked the wretched scales altogether by doing Trinity. I think the sightreading is OK because I get bored when practising sometimes, and just pull out everything and anything to play.
Funny thing is, I could play the silly scales. Just not memorise them.

Scales I find easy, sight-reading is near impossible.
I wish it could be the other way round. How often do you need to play through your scales?

Bo, have you worked out what it is with sight-reading that stumps you? ie, rhythm, or whatever. Often finding out which bit of sight-reading it is that is holding you back, is the key to finding out how to improve fluency.

It's fear of the unknown Honestly, I have no idea, sometimes it all works out and it sounds perfect, other times (like in my G8) it ends up just sounding like some atonal weirdo thing...

I prefer scales, because you know what they sound like and they're always the same, while with sight-reading, you never know what you're going to get; it might be easy, or it might be hard.

Car Expert

Oh, I know exactly what you mean. Sight reading has always been my weakest point (closely followed by aurals!) because of that 'fear of the unknown' thing. For scales I know what to expect.

Still, you can't be that awful considering you got a distinction at Grade 8, in 2 months, when you were ill (right?)!

Yeah, the examiner was very leniant. I lost most marks on SR (obviously)...which was in 5/4, marked presto, up in 7th position or something, and 5 flats. The people listening outside thought it was meant to be atonal.
I can't SR stuff designed for SRing, but pieces are fine. 30 minutes ago I was playing through Mozart 3 Franko cadenza and found myself SRing double stops in 5th position without even thinking about it!! I mean...what is it that is so difficult about some pieces?

Scales every time as there are no suprises; althougth they can be technically demanding on the violin ie G# minor . I find dominant and diminshed 7ths quite a challenge. Sight reading in grades 2 & 3 violin 16/21 grade 4 13/21 (comment was "key signature was never established" and yet Ab major is a key that I have no problem with (except when sight reading apparently)

G# and C# should be banned forever on violin. For everything. They are such retarded keys.

No they aren't! I find them really easy to play!

On the viola C# should be banned, i do NOT like that key.

major keys are fine on violin, I HATE the harmonic minor scales - how can you play 1 and a half tone quickly and sounding nicely?

And yes, sight reading is ok at home, playing NORMAL stuff. But the exam test, that's a tragedy

Though the scales are quite boring, I think I still prefer it as my sight reading is poor

I prefer scales, theres a chance to get them right before the exam, but with sight reading you dont know whats going to happen!

I prefer sight reading as you learn more about dynamics etc. and not just the key signature. Scales are helpful though, but I find tricky to get your head around first time

Scales, scales and more scales. I love them for some reason! Had better get a good grade on my scales now after saying that

Sight reading, definitely. Don't think I've ever scored more on scales than sight reading.

I always quite liked them, as long as you find the right fingering they aren't so bad - if you play the augmented 2nd between 1st and 2nd or 2nd and 3rd fingers it shouldn't be that tricky, but if you're doing it any other way (as I was for a while) then yup, not so fun.

Loulou, seriously? You can keep in tune and end on the right note on a 3 octave C sharp scale? If so, teach me how!!

Looking at Loulou's sig, she's done grade 1, so maybe she hasn't come across the evils of 3 octave scales yet...

I love sight reading! I got 1 off full marks for it on my grade 8 exam! But I hate scales. Ive never got on with them atall!

I would love sight-Reading , just if I knew how to do it !!!

Scales are great! Dead useful and fairly easy (in my opinion!). Unlike sightreading...

Matt

Sight reading! I actually really enjoy it, but my teachers always say there's no point in going over it because I can always do it

*sigh*

I can now safely say that I prefer scales to sightreading. I got 18/21 for scales, but only 15/21 for sightreading!