Hey

Its that time of year again where my academic exams are all over and i have free study leave to fit in as much extra practice as possible (not that I do not like the extra practice!!!)

However, the sightreading which is what I try to concentrate most on during this free time is still going bad.

Over the past few years I have posted posts about how much i don't like it and so forth. However, im starting to get good and I am now enjoying it a little bit better.

BUT...
I was wondering if anyone could help me: I have identified that my main problem now is reading faster, I am quite good at reading andante pieces etc (i refuse to say im good, because I do not want to jinx it ) Although, when I try the allegro pieces etc it all just goes horribly wrong with the first bar okayish then the rest kind of falls apart.

Is there any exercises or similar that I can try to improve? I must stress that the problem is only on piano not any other instruments.

Thanks
Micky

Are you taking a bit of time to assess the piece before you start? If you just go in there cold, no wonder it falls apart at faster speeds. You need to learn to get any tricky rhythms sorted out in your head before you start, and to spot points in the music which could trip you up, e.g. change of clef or key/time signature, unexpected accidentals.

Do you have a good sightreading book? The "Improve your Sightreading" series by Paul Harris, published by Faber, is very good. The books are around £5.50 each and there is one for each grade for a range of instruments including piano. They train you in what to look out for.

You could also try reading hands separately. Or just reading the notes, or just reading the rhythm.

I've had much the same problem as you. But by dint of practice, I agree, you slowly but surely get quicker.

I have used the paul harris books. I also use many different books that i just pick up and play. That is what my teacher says helps the most.

Yeah i take the standard 30 seconds then "set off" haha


Micky

I personally try and take the 'extreme' (or Xtreme ) approach with regards to practising: practise everything faster, louder, slower, softer, and even faster, louder, slower, softer etc! If you never try reading away from the andante tempo then you will stay at only being able to read andante tempo. Annoying, but hey, it's part and parcel of being a musician.

(a method that I was taught but one which I never used out of personal choice: look at the piece and set a metronome speed to which you think you will be able to pull it off, and push it up a few notches)

Yeah thanks that seems intellegent. haha

I am quite glad though, i have got over my biggest battle for sightreading, I no longer stop if I get something wrong, I know that sounds trivial, but I find it really hard seeing as I am a perfectionist. haha

anywho

micky

I find the best way to improve your sightreading is to do loads and loads of it. you'll go for ages and feel like you're making no progress whatsoever then one day you'll suprise yourself and then you'll go for another ages until you notice improvement again. Everyone gives things to look for when sightreading but the more you do the more you'll naturally start to notice the things that you feel help you to sightread well

All I can say is that - for piano at least - the better you play - the better you can sight read. Which makes sense, because it is less of a problem figuring out what the fingers have to do - more and more of the music you need to sight-read is something like something you've played before, and as you improve your fingers get more and more obedient. I don't think there are any special tricks. To get better at sight reading you have to get better as an all-round musician and performer.

This is what my flute teacher always says, and I apply it to piano too:

Don't play fast!

Even if it's marked presto or something. Just play at a steady speed that you know you won't make many mistakes on.

What I always do, although I only do single line reading, is find the trickiest bit and find a sensible tempo for that and let the rest fit around it. I've just done Grade 8 sight reading and always find that the easiest thing to do. They're looking more for right rhythms and phrasing, structure etc rather than notes and speed.

Having said that I was marked down in grade 5 for playing the sight reading at a steady pace, if I remember correctly it was marked 'Briskly'

I am getting very boring and repetitive in my dotage!

If you want to become able to sight read faster than you do now then:

Practice sight reading very slowly and very accurately