What’s the most powerful tool students can master that helps them develop their musical talents? Sight-reading! This skill puts the balls of learning in the student’s court. If students can sight-read, they can learn to play whatever piques their interest.
Not only does sight-reading empower students to learn the songs and pieces they like, it is also immensely beneficial to developing musical talent. Figuring out how to play music in all styles and genres gives students unlimited potential to find and play music they love.
How do you boost sight-reading skills?
Learn by doing. Include sight-reading as part of your daily practice.
Students benefit most from sight-reading at a level that is easy for them to read, so start at least 2 levels below your current playing ability.
Before you start to play an exercise spend 30-60 seconds reviewing the exercise. Tap the rhythm, name the notes and analyze the patterns. Once you start playing, don’t stop. Move past mistakes and on to the next note. Try to keep a steady beat and fluid sound.
After you play an exercise, evaluate how you did. It’s OK to try again one or two times but if you don’t reach a high accuracy level after 3 tries, you might need to move down to an easier level.
Get Help
A number of apps and books are available to guide students through sight-reading exercises. The best one, in my opinion, is in the Faber Piano Adventures series.
Piano Adventures Sight Reading Coach operates on any platform. After your free trial it is only $2 per month.
Register today. The link below has a series of tutorial videos that demonstrate the steps to get started.
https://pianoadventures.com/resources/sightreading-coach/tutorial-videos/
-Words of music teaching wisdom brought to you from Mrs. S’