Tips for Sight Reading

One of the most important skills to have as a musician is the ability to sight-read. Although it takes time until you can become a master sight-reader, you should, one day, be able to pick up a piece of music and give it a go after reading through it. Until then, we’re here to give you some tips:

Pick the Proper Practice Book. When deciding which practice book to purchase, make sure to pick one that has a lot of easy examples to start with. You chosen book should also progress in difficulty as you improve in skill and have examples with both treble and bass clefs. You may use music with only one clef for now, but a well-rounded musician will be able to read all musical clefs.

Use a Practice Journal. Log what you learn each day, and track your progress. This will not only help you determine what material you need to spend more time practicing, but also give you a sense of accomplishment when you see how far you’ve come after a while.

Focus on Where You Need Improvement. When it comes to sight-reading, quality beats quantity. If you find that you need more work on pitches, focus on that. In the same regard, focus on rhythm if that’s where you’re struggling.

Set Concrete Practice Times. We’re not saying to practice every day at 4:00 PM sharp, but set aside a specific amount of time each day to practice your sight-reading. Time yourself for 15-20 minutes to build a consistent practice routine and set goals for yourself to meet certain objectives every day.

Implore the Help of a Music Teacher. You can only develop well if you start off well. Music teachers can help you implement good practice methods which can improve your sight-reading skills more efficiently and effectively than learning on your own.

At Grace Music School, our skilled and friendly teachers are dedicated to using fun methods to teach you the style of music you want to learn. We tailor our approach to each student, ensuring they receive the best quality musical education possible.

For more information, about the music lessons we offer at our Fort Salonga and Melville locations, please visit our website or call us at 631-239-6169.