STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SIGHT READING
- Be sure you have your pencil in your hand.
- Look at the key signature and identify the note set, tonal center. Look at evidence in the piece to determine if the key is in major or minor? What do you see?
- Time and tempo. Look at the time signature and the tempo marking. Remember that a common tempo reference is Stars and Stripes at 120.
- Difficult rhythms. Are there fast notey parts? Circle them. Tricky rhythms? Write in the counts.
- Look for dotted rhythms. How will you treat the dotted rhythms in this style of music?
- Look for syncopation. This can be identified by a half-pulse down beat note or rest followed by a full pulse upbeat not or rest. Write in the counts and circle it.
- Accidentals. Look particularly for accidentals on repeated notes in the measure. Circle or mark in the accidentals.
- Dynamics. Particularly look for sudden or extreme changes in dynamics. Circle them.
REMEMBER THE STEPS TO LEARNING NEW MUSIC
- RHYTHM – if you play the right notes with the wrong rhythm, they are still not going to sound right.
- PITCH – if you are oriented to the key, then you are working with a note set instead of reading note by note.
- ARTICULATION – don’t wait any longer. Practicing correct articulation slowly from the beginning is easier than changing it later on.
- DYNAMICS – truth is, dynamics should be coming along, but they are easier to develop in the later stages than articulation.
- EXPRESSION AND MUSICIANSHIP – this is where you add the musical elements that are not on the printed page. Get your nose out of the music and use your ears and eyes.