as i said, i've been playing piano for 8 years. but one major problem is i can't sight read that well. it takes me a while to learn a song because i have to go slow and look at each note and spend time on it. especially if it's a chord or a very high or low note. does sight reading come from playing for a while or is there something i can do to get better?
2006-10-16 08:53:19 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music ➔ Music
You mention you've been playing piano for 8 years. Do you remember what it was like when you first started playing? Probably sounded like well....a beginner learning how to play.
Learning how to read is no different. Sure, it's frustrating and you'd like to get yourself to the point where you can just sit down and go. You'll have to spend some time on this, just as you did learning how to play. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for practice or repetition. Stay with this and you will get there. Just remember there's no piano genie that's going to hand it over to you. Ya gotta earn this, no exceptions. Good Luck!
2006-10-16 09:02:24 · answer #1 · answered by -:¦:-SKY-:¦:- 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This sounds more like a psychology question. But honestly, everyone has a different capacity for everything. You could teach those same students how to play tennis, for instance, all over the same amount of time and with the same instruction and everything. And at the end of that period of time, you'll have good players and you'll have average players, and you'll have players who just can't hit the ball at all. It does have a bit to do with physical ability, but it also has to do with hand-eye coordination. Some people have good hand-eye coordination, and some don't. Also, some care enough to try and others don't. With sight reading, it's kind of the same thing. Not everyone has the same musical aptitude, not everyone cares enough to really practice, and you might also consider that some of these students may also be getting music lessons outside of what they are learning in *this* class. Sight reading has a lot to do with understanding the relationship between the notes. People who aren't very musically inclined would have a more difficult time understanding this relationship than people who are more musically inclined, and would therefore have a harder time sight reading.
2016-03-28 11:59:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I was in college I took a course called Solfeggio, it was great. First you learn solfeggio syllables, Moveable Do was easy. First find the key your are in, then find Do, so fi your in C Major then C is Do, D is re, E is mi , F is fa, G is sol, A is la, B is ti, C is Do. Start singing simple songs and learn to use these names, for the songs. You could get a begginning piano book and try this on very simple songs, advancing one song at a time til you get the hang of it. Learning to sight sing will help you be able to sight play better..
Also, you should be able to look at a note on paper and know what the note is right off with out haveing to think about it. If you have any problem with this, you could order some flash cards at a music store. This is the best way I know to improve on this.
You could also work on sight playing by getting a very easy book you never played in before, way under your level and start sight playing. Always look at the key signature to see what key it is in before you start. Say if it is in the key of C , make sure the first down beat chord is C and not "a minor". The key it is in Say if it is C Major,then you could play a scale in the key of C before you start to play , or what ever key it is in play that scale first and then you could play the chord progression for that key
Root chord C , then 4 chord which would be F chord , then the 5 chord which would be G then G7,then C
Practiceing scales and chord progressions really help learn your chord then it is easier to play a song in that key.
2006-10-16 12:14:20 · answer #3 · answered by KaeMae 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some if not most of sight reading is getting the gist of the music and improvising your way thru it a couple of times. If you know chords than you can just play the basic chords while figuring the melody with the right hand. It doesn't have to be perfect. Let it go and have fun with it. That was the trick I found.
2006-10-16 09:02:06 · answer #4 · answered by Gettin_by 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Here are some hints for sightreading.
*Scan the entire piece of music before you play a note. What key is it in, what is the time signature, etc.
*Do not look at your hands. If you are in the habit of always looking down, you take your eyes off the music and that slows you down. The keys are always in the same place, it is up to your hands to memorize how they FEEL. Try rigging up something to shield your hands from your eyes - before you know it, your "aim" will have improved! You can even keep your eyes on the music when your hands jump from octave to octave with practice.
*Always look ahead to the next notes. This also works for reading aloud - keep your eyes on what is coming.
*Play less difficult songs just to practice sight reading.
*Keep at it! You will get better and better!
2006-10-16 09:05:12 · answer #5 · answered by Daisy 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Practice makes perfect, if you have to go slow at it that's normal. I was the same way when I started playing guitar. Just be patient you will get it.
2006-10-16 09:27:36 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Eh. Don't knock yourself out. The Beatles couldn't sight read music & look what *They* accomplished....
2006-10-16 09:00:30 · answer #7 · answered by Fonzie T 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋