Any tips for someone who's abysmal at sight-reading pieces level 5 and above? My biggest problems are sixteenth notes and rhythm.
Thanks!
Sight Reading
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fluteplayer13
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fluteplayer13
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LaDanseuse
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Thanks! I can usually tap or play the rhythm in my head ok, but when I actually start playing the notes.... And I have a hard time registering notes, especially fast ones. I see the G-flat and I know it's a G-flat, but I can't translate it into a fingering fast enough or something like it. I end up stumbling through notes and making things up.
Food system... very interesting. I've only heard of the triplet strawberry before, except it was blueberry
Food system... very interesting. I've only heard of the triplet strawberry before, except it was blueberry
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fluttiegurl
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It sounds like you are reading the pieces too fast. Yes, we do want to be true to the tempo when reading (especially for competition), but it is much better to play slowly and have correct rhythm and notes. The key to great sight reading, in my opinion, is to:
1. Know your scales - major and minor - that includes knowing your key signatures. Arpeggios and thirds help also. This trains your fingers where to go.
2. Understand how to find and interpret patterns in music. A little music theory helps here, but is not 100% necessary. Scales help here as well. Also, knowing and listening to a lot of music from different periods helps as well.
3. Have a solid rhythmic base. I have my students play regularly with a metronome beeping the eight note or even sixteenth note subdivisions. I also drill them on rhythms regularly. Feeling the subdivision of the beats is very important.
4. Never take a piece faster than the most difficult part. You will receive much better marks for playing it at a slower and more steady tempo than fast and messy in most cases. When I judge (which I only do on occasion since my students are very active in our district), I listen for accuracy of rhythm rather than tempo. If you can do both, great! But most people do not.
5. Like all aspects of playing, it gets easier with time and practice. Unfortunately, there are not real good methods for practicing sight-reading since you really onle get one shot at it, but the more music you know, the easier it becomes.
If you are reading a piece that you are going to learn only (not in front of a judge) play it slow at first. Learning pieces slowly and with a metronome gives players a strong foundation to the piece. Speed should come with time as you become more and more confident with the notes and rhythms. Playing pieces too fast too early leads to mistakes that are harder to fix later on.
The suggestion of using food names is a valid one, but not one that I teach. I teach using the Kodally method where different divisions use the same syllable each time. I find this to be much more applicable and universal as well. I also make a special effort to insure that my students can "speak" rhythms as well as play them. For difficult passages, I often have them speak them before ever attempting to play.
1. Know your scales - major and minor - that includes knowing your key signatures. Arpeggios and thirds help also. This trains your fingers where to go.
2. Understand how to find and interpret patterns in music. A little music theory helps here, but is not 100% necessary. Scales help here as well. Also, knowing and listening to a lot of music from different periods helps as well.
3. Have a solid rhythmic base. I have my students play regularly with a metronome beeping the eight note or even sixteenth note subdivisions. I also drill them on rhythms regularly. Feeling the subdivision of the beats is very important.
4. Never take a piece faster than the most difficult part. You will receive much better marks for playing it at a slower and more steady tempo than fast and messy in most cases. When I judge (which I only do on occasion since my students are very active in our district), I listen for accuracy of rhythm rather than tempo. If you can do both, great! But most people do not.
5. Like all aspects of playing, it gets easier with time and practice. Unfortunately, there are not real good methods for practicing sight-reading since you really onle get one shot at it, but the more music you know, the easier it becomes.
If you are reading a piece that you are going to learn only (not in front of a judge) play it slow at first. Learning pieces slowly and with a metronome gives players a strong foundation to the piece. Speed should come with time as you become more and more confident with the notes and rhythms. Playing pieces too fast too early leads to mistakes that are harder to fix later on.
The suggestion of using food names is a valid one, but not one that I teach. I teach using the Kodally method where different divisions use the same syllable each time. I find this to be much more applicable and universal as well. I also make a special effort to insure that my students can "speak" rhythms as well as play them. For difficult passages, I often have them speak them before ever attempting to play.
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kodalyflutist
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As was mentioned before, knowing your scales and arpeggios (by memory) will really help your sightreading.
The best way to learn to sightread is to sightread. Do it everyday, and build sequentially. Begin with easier things that you feel are below your technical ability level. Duets are wonderful; you can play with a friend or record yourself on one part and play the duet with yourself. This does many things: you are motivated to play perfectly so that the "duet experience" is fulfilling. You must learn to play with a steady beat or the duet will fall apart. You must listen and play in tune. You learn to listen to another line besides your own. Playing off of a duet score helps develop your ability to read two lines at the same time, even if you are only playing one of them. You develop the ability to discern form, patterns and cadences much more quickly than by playing alone, due to the presence of vertical harmony.
I honestly credit duet playing with much of what I am able to do now. I did not have a private teacher until I was 18 (horrible, I know)..but what I *did* do was play duets with myself, alot! I really enjoyed it. I would record a full page of part one of short duets and then go back and play the entire page with the duet part, trying always to perfect everything. I didn't keep any practice records, but I think I must have done this for hours sometimes! Call me a nerd; I'm proud of it! But I do believe it was a much superior way of practicing when compared to only playing by myself. Even if you are playing duets that are not technically difficult, you are reinforcing many good things in your playing in a fun and interesting manner. As time passes, your reading will grow by leaps and bounds because not only is your reading becoming better due to playing more music, but your muscle memory is improving due to the amount of correct playing you are doing. Practicing is all about correct repetition. I think that many times students work on things that are above their level almost exclusively and that is where rhythmic difficulties begin. You should spend the majority of your practice time playing things that are within your ability level (technically); when you are working on weaknesses, keep them at a tempo where you are successful. They will eventually become good muscle habits and you will "feel" when speeding up is appropriate. Rhythmic integrity is always important. Hope that makes sense!
Best wishes!
The best way to learn to sightread is to sightread. Do it everyday, and build sequentially. Begin with easier things that you feel are below your technical ability level. Duets are wonderful; you can play with a friend or record yourself on one part and play the duet with yourself. This does many things: you are motivated to play perfectly so that the "duet experience" is fulfilling. You must learn to play with a steady beat or the duet will fall apart. You must listen and play in tune. You learn to listen to another line besides your own. Playing off of a duet score helps develop your ability to read two lines at the same time, even if you are only playing one of them. You develop the ability to discern form, patterns and cadences much more quickly than by playing alone, due to the presence of vertical harmony.
I honestly credit duet playing with much of what I am able to do now. I did not have a private teacher until I was 18 (horrible, I know)..but what I *did* do was play duets with myself, alot! I really enjoyed it. I would record a full page of part one of short duets and then go back and play the entire page with the duet part, trying always to perfect everything. I didn't keep any practice records, but I think I must have done this for hours sometimes! Call me a nerd; I'm proud of it! But I do believe it was a much superior way of practicing when compared to only playing by myself. Even if you are playing duets that are not technically difficult, you are reinforcing many good things in your playing in a fun and interesting manner. As time passes, your reading will grow by leaps and bounds because not only is your reading becoming better due to playing more music, but your muscle memory is improving due to the amount of correct playing you are doing. Practicing is all about correct repetition. I think that many times students work on things that are above their level almost exclusively and that is where rhythmic difficulties begin. You should spend the majority of your practice time playing things that are within your ability level (technically); when you are working on weaknesses, keep them at a tempo where you are successful. They will eventually become good muscle habits and you will "feel" when speeding up is appropriate. Rhythmic integrity is always important. Hope that makes sense!
Best wishes!
http://musicmind.homestead.com
"Music belongs to everyone." ~ Zoltán Kodály
"Music belongs to everyone." ~ Zoltán Kodály
Jeffrey Khaner on sightreading, courtesy of iflute.com:
Etudes are the best way of developing sightreading skills, but they must be done with great discipline. Select a minimum of an etude a week (preferably 3 or 4) and make sure to learn it completely (all the correct notes and dynamics, up to tempo) in that time. Then move onto the next (3 or 4). The constant stream of new music in front of you is the best way to learn how to learn things fast, and thus improve your ability to read at sight.
Etudes are the best way of developing sightreading skills, but they must be done with great discipline. Select a minimum of an etude a week (preferably 3 or 4) and make sure to learn it completely (all the correct notes and dynamics, up to tempo) in that time. Then move onto the next (3 or 4). The constant stream of new music in front of you is the best way to learn how to learn things fast, and thus improve your ability to read at sight.
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