How to Improve Your Piano Sight Reading FAST- 3 Proven Tips

[@jazerleepiano]

Do you guys have any sight reading tips to share?

[@vassilopoula]

Hi. Maybe reading once the score beforehand, hands away from keyboard ( no sounds, only visual signs) not for too long, as long as it d take to be played.. Then practicing with hands on.

[@jazerleepiano]

Thank you @@vassilopoula, these are great tips! ***Everyone please read this!***

[@vassilopoula]

@@jazerleepiano you're too kind 😊

[@iaindooley9275]

I'm documenting my procedure for learning to sight read here, after road testing it with an initial arrangement the past few months kzbin.info/www/bejne/eF6wi3SBns6Xorc

[@Alpha-Andromeda]

Only play twinkle twinkle little star. :D

[@plekkchand]

To save you time: Don't look at your hands when reading, learn chords by shape, go slowly.

[@jazerleepiano]

Thanks for the tip!

[@ikozlowski]

This should be way on top. Only found comment after watching video. And meanwhile I could be practicing not looking at my hands. Btw do anyone else have similar feeling when you play keyboard w/o looking and when you touch type on computer keyboard?

[@Dawson.emm0]

Its in the description

[@sylviebouqdib9591]

"PIANO". Great idea and confidence builder! It really inspired my confidence when I didn't think I could possibly deal with playing more than one note at a time. Of COURSE I can! I've een enjoying reading whole words since I was 5 years old! Now I'm 76 years old lady, learning to play the piano Thank you for making a happy woman very old! 😊 XX

[@apieinthesky]

@@ikozlowski Or you can just have a 5 minute attention span.

[@RafaelBergLopez]

Being a good sightreader open so many possibilities

[@jazerleepiano]

You know it Rafael! I am still trying to improve it every single day too!

[@kayaeki]

I have no idea how to read and playing by ear isnt for me, its wayyy frustrating to me

[@annalove108]

@@kayaeki same :(( and what truly makes it frustrating is that you are eager to learn but yeah that process is harder since you have almost zero knowledge on reading notes and playing by hearing :((

[@RafaelBergLopez]

Kenyce Learning how it works is very simple, becoming good at it much harder and takes a lot of work. There’s a good video on KZbin called “The Landmark System” that breaks down how to read notes.

[@naya3253]

you.ser same here! I really wanted to learn to sight read because i don’t know how to play by ear and i depended on synthesia all this time. So i started hoarding piano book’s for kids and use that to practice, it’s painstakingly hard at first even up to now but i can see such a big improvement and im proud of it. I wish i could’ve done this 7 years ago when i started playing the piano

[@trashbin5382]

AHHHH THE DON'T LOOK AT YOUR HAND THINGS DID WONDERS FOR ME THANK YOU SO MUCH MY SIGHT READING SKILLS HAVE IMPROVED MORE IN THE 15 MINUTES OF DOING THAT THAN THEY HAVE IN THE LAST 5 YEARS

[@jazerleepiano]

Glad this helped you out Nyan Kitty! :D :D

[@wensu7487]

@@jazerleepiano Heh heh. I think that is pusheen. 😅😅😅

[@Ivyzay]

@@wensu7487 its pusheen wearin nyan cat costume haha

[@harperwoods3362]

:0

[@nadiawu7664]

True. I feel the same man. The last 6 years did not help with sight reading, this helped more.

[@purrsolus]

Sight reading without looking at the keys is like typing without looking at your keyboard. Writing your own sentences is like composing your own music. Just takes time and practice. :)

[@smkh2890]

good analogy. I 've been studying for 4 years, can't compose a song yet, but I've been speaking English all my life and still can't compose a poem!

[@hppityhp4106]

@@smkh2890 you’ll get there, trust me!! Don’t be scared to just hit a bunch of random notes on the piano that you think work well together and maybe even if you want to, hum a melody or something on top. It’s okay if it goes wrong, that’s the whole point of composing! If everyone did everything just the way they wanted it the first time, then it would loose all its respect

[@planetary-rendez-vous]

I can type without looking at the keyboard but not the piano. Wtf?

[@itzdm0r3]

@@planetary-rendez-vous comes down to muscle memory really.

[@moonlightsonata5576]

@@planetary-rendez-vous Yes, me too. I took a $99 typing lesson in school and now I can type with my eyes closed 😁but piano is completely different.

[@killerqueen462]

When I see someone playing the piano without looking at their hands I can't stop thinking that it looks like a superpower they have. Who's with me?? 🙋

[@gwindematteo934]

Killer Queen I can barely sight read but I don’t look at my hands, either. I tend to look up or to the side. Not sure why. Bad habits.

[@killerqueen462]

@@gwindematteo934 NOT AT ALL. Even if you are a beginner at sightreading but you CAN do it without looking at your hands YOU ARE ON THE WAY. Keep improving your sightreading and good studies 🤗

[@spacefreedom]

sure phoebe

[@jayveeaurea9091]

After playing the piano for a longer time, you will eventually memorize and familiarize the layout of the keys.

[@kerenOBrownsville]

I wish I could play piano as well as I can type. I learned not to look at my hands, to really work at speed and accuracy through classes before taking a job as a typist many years ago. Now it is not only second nature but enjoyable to type on the keyboard. I am looking forward to learning piano this well. It does help to know this is not easy for everyone. Until now I've always felt I lacked a certain talent for it. I see now it's returning to that level of dedication.

[@aliciam7775]

I'm going to try these sightreading tips. I'll record my weekly progress to show how long it takes for an average sightreader (at ABRSM grade 5) to gain spacial awareness. Every day, I'll practise for about 30 minutes😊 Started: 2/7/20 9/7/20- I'm so bad now that I'm back to playing grade 1 pieces! However, there are certain jumps (bigger than an octave) that I'm sometimes able to do now- but I had spent months learning those certain pieces anyway. I mainly struggle to remember which note each finger is on, which is particularly difficult during pieces containing many sharps and flats. I just wonder how long it'll take for that not to be a problem😒 16/7/20- Been on holiday for a week so I couldn't practise😬 23/7/20- My playing is still far worse than it was when I was looking at my hands but I'm getting more used to playing this way. I've moved on to grade 6 sight reading. 30/7/20- I've been sightreading the grade 6 pieces I want to do and although I do occasionally glance at the keyboard, I feel much more comfortable looking away. 6/8/20- Not much difference 13/8/20- Not much difference 20/8/20- In certain pieces, I am looking at the keys quite a lot but still not as much as I used to. I'm definitely improving in sightreading due to the daily practice at least😊 27/8/20- Not much difference 3/9/20- I need to stop looking at the keyboard because I keep forgetting! I find rhythm's the hardest part of sightreading but I can read the notes much better😆 10/9/20- Not much difference 17/9/20- I've been sightreading my violin accompaniment pieces (slowly but pretty well). 24/9/20- I've been able to learn 7/8 pages of my G6 pieces in ONE ACADEMIC TERM!! That's twice as quick as it usually takes me so I'm delighted😆 So I'm going to stop updating this comment because it's hard to tell whether it were these tips that helped me improve or the increase in practice. If you've actually read this comment (or skipped to the end🙃), work hard and practise regularly you will see improvement! UPDATE 2 YEARS LATER: Hello, just wanted to say, I'm taking my grade 8 piano exam this June 2022. I'd really recommend the idea of developing spatial awareness by looking at the keyboard a bit less, I believe it's helped me learn my pieces a lot faster!

[@johna6648]

This is very encouraging to me! Thanks for doing it!

[@preyaspabari4517]

Extreamly encouraging

[@Neimykanani]

Good luck ✨✨

[@xerotolerant]

Good job following through with the updates

[@deepanshupandey95]

Thanks for posting

[@pilotsmother]

I sit and read both left and right hand notes, so I know the notes, in advance. Then, at the keyboard, I play left hand only til I know what I'm doing, and I do the same with the right hand before I attempt both hands at the same time. I'm only a year in, and slow as molasses..but I am trying!

[@jazerleepiano]

Awesome to hear, keep it up, keep reading!

[@rebeccam9907]

For exams when you have to do a short piece (one or two lines) i find it helps to look at what the last bar is before you start so that if you do mess up in the middle you can always end it right!

[@evanyoon1230]

Rebecca M haha at grade 8 I have to do a whole page

[@noo6889]

@@evanyoon1230 and you only had 30 seconds?? :0

[@Agent.99]

This winter I learned one new hymn each week, and yes! My sight reading reading improved along with my familiarity with cords!

[@gothamelliott]

I was a "child prodigy"! Yes really! I learned to read music and play the piano at age 3. All that to say this: I sight-read so well that I never really had to "learn" my pieces. My teachers were always frustrated because I could just look at the music and play it! Of course that didn't apply to really complex works like Chopin etudes, or Beethoven concerti. But for the first few years it worked. LOL Another "hack" when you don't want to look at your hands, is that you can actually feel the clusters of black notes and see where the two-note and three-note clusters are, and thereby know where on the keyboard you are!

[@238garden]

1. Don't look at your fingers as much as possible. Position change without looking. 2. Really familiarize yourself with chord pattern. Chunk all that information into one block. Play chunk of pieces. Play hymns to recognise chord patterns. 3. Play each chord really slowly. Build correctly. Learn what these chords are until it stick in your hands.

[@travellife08]

Very useful information. I like the way Totoro is watching your every move. Subscribed.

[@jazerleepiano]

Haha! The Totoro accompanies many of my videos and on site lessons! Thank you for subscribing! What kind of tutorials would you like to see here travellife08?

[@TommysPianoCorner]

I have always associated sight reading as an exercise for music you don’t know and probably won’t play again. However, I’m now coming to the conclusion that in fact it’s vital for playing things you want to be able to perform but won’t have time to mémorise. I’ll be doing some sight reading work this year !! Thanks for the tips

[@jazerleepiano]

Great way to see things Tommy! Hope sight reading work goes well in the exciting year of 2019! I've checked out your channel, nice uploads, keep it up!

[@dancassidy7471]

I have just retired at 72 yrs young as an RN with ptsd. Music is therapy. I play bass in a band after years of singing kicking bass pedals (Hammond) and singing all by ear. I am now studying and practicing on a Nautilus hrs daily Thanks for your insight!

[@TheSIGHTREADINGProject]

Sight reading is a huge push for me right now. Thanks for this video. I’ve only just started not looking at my hands. Hoping for results soon as learning a new piece takes so long without this skill!

[@jazerleepiano]

That's great to hear KathrynClark! Let me know how you go after 4 weeks! If you find you can't stop looking at your hands, try put a towel over your hands to cover them up, it's quite a funny but good exercise :P

[@yukishika.yamamoto]

I agree with all your points, but would like to make some adjustments to it. 1. I find that it really helps to know my scales and arpeggios really well. Doing scales (e.g. similar, contrary, thirds, sixths, dominant/diminished 5ths across all the keys) helps build muscle memory over time. If a student is able to play their scales/arpeggios quickly, confidently and fluently (with dynamic gradation if possible) without looking at their hands, they're more able to sight read without looking at their hands, since music is made predominantly with patterns that can be found in arpeggios in the first place. 2. I feel that the most important point in sight reading is identifying the key of the music first, and not to assume that someone already knows their keys. This should be the first point IMO because there's no point sight reading something fast if they're sight reading it in the wrong key lol. So in my opinion, the three tips during pactise can be: 1. Identify key signature 2. (optional but helps) Play the scales, arpeggios confidently and fluently multiple times WITHOUT looking at your hands 3. Glance through the entire work first to get an idea of the general movement of notation/rhythm. If you can take note of its dynamic/articulation that's even better. 4. (To practise mindfulness) take note of scalic/arpeggiac patterns. They usually follow the fingering set in scales books. 5. Play at a tempo that allows you to read ahead (notes in the subsequent bar/s after the one you're currently playing) correctly, fluently and confidently. It will train one's mind gain confidence in note reading. With confidence, mindfulness through repeated practise over time is the key IMO. (For complete beginners) Try the "Improve Your Sight Reading" book by Paul Harris. If you start from Grade 1, it is simple enough for one to not need to look at their hands.

[@venkatvallabhaneni1227]

This was the first time I was able to read both the bass and treble notes at the same time, thank you so much.

[@jazerleepiano]

My pleasure Venkat! Keep practicing sight reading and update me your progress :)

[@samglover4923]

Wow! This was the first video I’ve found that didn’t make me feel overwhelmed and discourage about learning piano! Good job! 👍

[@jazerleepiano]

Thanks much Icy Fire, that means heaps to me :D

[@karensullivan6545]

Thank you for your videos. Your teaching is very motivating and helpful. After lessons as a child, I’m relearning the piano at age 73. After your tip on sight reading, I pulled out a hymn book and began trying to not look at my hands while practicing. Now I’m not rushing thru the difficult parts of pieces. I’m hoping you have a video teaching how to add chords to the bass of a hymn or song while just sight reading the melody. I started playing again to help the arthritis in my hands and keep my mind active. After just 3 weeks my hands are feeling better and I’m having to force myself to stop practicing. You are an excellent teacher and look way too young to have been playing 18 years …….unless you had a mini piano in your crib.

[@jazerleepiano]

I love and respect your spirit Karen, I hope I can be of some small help to you. Wishing piano can aid with the arthritis and keep your brain happy and active. Good luck.

[@TheBoglodite]

This was such a sweet comment, i hope you're killing it on piano right now!!

[@nepamcire]

One of your goals should be to work on reading ahead at least until the next measure. It will help you prepare for what notes are coming up and helps if you need to turn a page on the music. A great skill to learn

[@PhilJonesIII]

Learned to touch-type on a mechanical typewriter with all the key-letters blanked-out. Got up to 55 wpm like that. Have a 'home' position for your fingers and say the notes out loud as you play. Adopt the same body position and you become more and more accurate.

[@uronlyafeeling]

i learned piano for more than half of my life already but i still have trouble with sight reading :(( thank you !!

[@AlmondishTofu]

Yes. I feel this. I am so SO bad at sight reading 😭

[@PMJ4EVERR]

Me too. I played 10 yrs and was never good at it. So I stopped. Now my son is gung-ho to learn piano.

[@2rmond860]

@@AlmondishTofu I have a exam in a week and I can’t fucking play a single note

[@itz_joeyplayz8602]

I also learn piano for more than half of my life. I’m 10 now by the way

[@lucascrown9473]

Memorize the notes

[@pianoman551000]

All of your suggestions are excellent! In particular, know the basic chords progessions (I IV V V7 VII,etc) in all major, minor, diminished, augmented keys. The next suggestion is a tough one, but it worked for me as a young pianist. My teacher would take a strip of white paper and immediately would move, starting on the right side, the strip along the measures covering the measure before I finished playing the notes, FORCING me to look one/two measures ahead of where I was currently playing. This one technique really developed my sight reading skills. Finally, with sight reading, you don't have to worry about getting EVERY note that's written! I don't worry about inner voices, keeping the melodic line intact with a bass accompaniment. Nice Video!!

[@muhdasyraf5243]

bach baroque Hi, do you know any video that helps with learning chord progression? I’m kind of a beginner and I’m not in that level for music theory yet, but it would be very helpful to learn it now so I can sight read better. I’ve tried searching some vids but I still don’t understand. Any suggestions?

[@kerenOBrownsville]

@@muhdasyraf5243 I downloaded an app called Autochords. I think it's great! In addition to Jazer Lee's assignments, I added memorizing main progressions and then variations. Learn Piano with Jazer Lee - this might be a good tutorial!

[@spicecrop]

I was cooking in the kitchen and this started playing, and I right away thought, this is someone I want to learn from. What he is teaching and how he speaks about it. Instant sub.. Go figure I was cooking Asian food, lol. Not that it matters, but ironic none the less. I'll take it as confirmation I need to keep learning to sight read.I was just thinking today, that I shouldn't have given up on sight reading like I did. And wanted to start learning again. It's really hard for me, but I know this is going to help. It reminds me of how I learned to type on a keyboard. This guy is awesome. Thanks for the upload!

[@mercybuckets8268]

Thank you! This will be very helpful to me. Getting the hands to know intervals is muscle-memory training, and a basic part of learning to do anything well. And from intervals to chords is not such a leap! Valuable advice.

[@jazerleepiano]

Hope this helps you out Mercy. Thanks for watching it :D

[@mervynrimmer928]

I play guitar normally, but due to an accident, my left hand is out of action for about 12 weeks. I decided to try and learn the piano, to get my music fix, (right hand only at this point), and I'd just like to feedback how grateful I am for your tuition. I have learnt so much already and it's only been 1 week, and the best thing is that it's informing my guitar knowledge. Thanks so much. 🙂

[@princeobiora3876]

I've just been wondering how to sight play the treble and bass clef simultaneously?

[@toby7647]

its why piano sight reading is so much harder than instruments because you have two lines to worry about

[@dzordzszs]

Sometimes more

[@simianto9957]

Ι δοντ κνο

[@chickensdontsurf]

master each separately

[@olddognewtricks7599]

"Stop looking down " best advice ever given, thank you.

[@stuartransom9634]

When sight reading from a hymn book, how do you read both the treble and bass staffs at the same time? They can be very far apart because of the many lyrics between them.

[@jazerleepiano]

Hi Stuart, it is tough but not impossible to do with patience. Perhaps try set the sight reading tempo lower so you have more time to process each 'far apart' chord? This should help

[@neilanthonyhaywardlewis8978]

Great tips, especially identifying "patterns" of the music which match where the hands go , my piano teacher first words to me were " Always look at the music, your fingers will start to find the keys Just as easily as when you eat a meal, your hand knows where to place the fork into your mouth"😊

[@serminboekhoven2994]

Thank you, Jazer. I'm a piano teacher and I will use your tips for my students. You present them in a very nice, positie way; I loved to hear and see you talk. Also you talk clearly, illustrate your points well and give the viewer time to absorb what you have said.

[@jazerleepiano]

Thank you very much Sermin, nice to connect with you here. Hope your students are going well, it's a tricky but definitely rewarding career teaching piano!

[@karricompton]

It amazes me how many kids’ piano method books don’t incorporate scales and chords early. It’s how I learned when I was young and I think theory is so important when learning piano.

[@tonymahler6766]

I always wonder where to focus your eyes while sightreading, I find myself missing a lot of left hand notes and I don't know where to focus my eyes.

[@jazerleepiano]

Great question. I recommend you don't look at your hands as much as possible. Left hand tends to jump around quite a lot in many pieces so look at your left hand only for the larger leaps would be my advice!

[@tonymahler6766]

@@jazerleepiano Thank you!

[@caesargreco8416]

A tip I suggest is to look at a score and set a metronome to like 30bpm for an initial sight read, then go over the same score but bump up the bpm by 5 each time. It really works for me.

[@christelp4358]

Great video! I started learning sightreading and piano 2 years ago. I find it hard to not look at my hands while playing. I always look down at them. And like you say, my brain can't handle the looking up and down all the time. I memorize pieces really fast so I then sgop reading the notes...and therefore I don't get enough sightreading practice. If I don't look at my fingers I hit the wrong notes constantly as I don't have any spatial awareness. Rezlly frustrsting as I practice 2 ,hours a day. I also find it hard to read treble and bass clef at the same time. It is like reading french and italian at the same time....so frustrating....

[@jazerleepiano]

Hi Christel, I feel your pain! I was never great at sight reading until I got taught to stop looking at my hands and now it's improved tremendously. Here's an idea that will help you: Grab a towel and cover up your hands so you are forced not to look at your hands. Start with sight reading something very simple and eventually work your way up. If you are keen to try this, let me know how it goes after 2 weeks :)

[@christelp4358]

@@jazerleepiano Thank you for your advice! I will try it. It seems really hard....I will let you know how I get on!

[@snupple07]

I'm having the exact same problems as you Chritsel P

[@snupple07]

@@jazerleepiano That actually seems like a good Idea I will try aswell

[@user-uj5fl1eb5c]

Learn Piano with Jazer Lee I'm gonna try this, thank u so much☺

[@simonanthonymcglynn3918]

You can look down but just by moving your eyes or Peripheral vision, with out moving your head when moving hand position. that way you don't lose your place. someone said that on another video tutorial. I tried it and it worked for me.

[@Z42442]

Tip 4 on how to improve your sight reading: awaken your sharingan

[@MP-cv6if]

Then we'll play depressing music

[@simianto9957]

Δατ καν έλαας νιετ

[@e-mann2.094]

Lol

[@Rangsa21]

Or do kage bunshin and assign each shadow clone for each key to press lol.

[@pnojazz]

I love step 2!❤

[@dbsk06]

this was so useful (Even as an experienced pianist) that i created a new "PIANO" playlist just for this video

[@brianb2087]

Thank you Jesus, I am not a very good piano player but if there any qualities in my file I’m confident that it’s on account of you taking the time to make these videos and explain things so clearly for us. God‘s blessings to you sir

[@glennwinningham55]

I took piano lessons for 6 months about a year ago. Been practicing on my own since, I’m a 66 year old RETIREE & only play for my own pleasure and am loving it! TANKS FOR THE TIPS! RESPECT AND HONOR TO YOU YOUNG MAN! From a Vet. (Army 1970-1973) 🇺🇸🙏🏼👍🇬🇧

[@geu6270]

That is awesome !!! I started teaching myself piano in my late 50's and now a decade later....still doing it and it has been fun. 🎹 Went thru WTC book 1 & 2, Love Bach as well as Beethoven and know several of the new age solo pianist guys as a fan. Learned many of their pieces and play by ear and can "read" now finally (still can't sight read.) Went thru many classical atonal pieces because when I miss a note it does not sound so bad. Also, many jazz pieces sheet reading so I would have the chords. Also, it's atonal enough that as long as I keep the rhythm, all the notes I am missing sound ....well natural. lol. Anyway, as said, it has been fun.

[@chillncolour23]

Hi there! I'm Zoey! I'm from Malaysia! I just really want to thank you for your lovely tips because i have been learning piano for almost 10 years and i still struggle to sight read my music sheets. So, thank you so much for your tips because it really does help me, especially as a long time music student who is returning to play the piano after quiting for 3 years. Thanks! 🤟😝😇

[@jenc9086]

Thank you! I'm taking my grade 8 in a few weeks and my sight reading could definitely be better. I'd been trying the 'don't look at your hands' technique before seeing this video, but I still get a bit overwhelmed by bunches of notes and chords. Reading chords as blocks rather than letting your brain separate them is such GREAT advice. Love the PIANO (P-E-R-N-O lol) comparison. So helpful. I'm definitely going to get a hymn book and practise chorded spatial awareness. Thanks again! :)

[@jazerleepiano]

Hi Jen C, thanks for your response here! I want to wish you here ALL THE BEST for your Grade 8 exam! I'm so excited for you that you're doing it! Being overwhelmed by chords is normal, take you time to learn those chords, they'll become familiar soon enough. What is your favourite piece in your exam repertoire?

[@jenc9086]

Hi Jazer! Thanks so much for your response and well wishes :) I'm really excited and nervous! My favourite piece is a tough call between Bach's Prelude and Fugue No. 6 and Beethoven's Sonata in F minor. They're all really technical, which I love, but emotionally very different. Beethoven is so intense and the dynamics are varied and exciting, whereas Bach communicates through all of these beautiful delicate harmonies. It's my first fugue and I think I'd like to learn more (could explain why I'm so happy to find a good technique for chord sight reading!)

[@sulynlam3562]

Brilliant!!!! Such helpful points!

[@santiagogarcia8348]

You have such a great channel with fantastic videos. I just felt the need to tell you that (perhaps as many people 😅). Keep doing so! Thanks for being a teacher for all of us. Love your channel.

[@mauielectriccruisers]

It feels like you’re watching me. I started the metronome discipline after one of your earlier videos, and found that it made sight reading nearly impossible, so thank you for clarifying that I can pause from using the metronome while building up the reading skill..

[@rumtumbugger]

So useful - I will put all these tips into practise. Man, it's so frustrating, just want to improve.

[@jewellevy]

Frustration gets you no where. Enjoy the forward movement of the learning process, the satisfaction and thrill of getting better measure by measure Stop straining for the end result and steep yourself in the journey. It's the rewarding part.

[@DaneBryantFrazier]

This is very well said and makes so much sense. I am a composer and pianist, yet have never been great at sight reading. So I am now really taking focus on this so I can better myself at it. Thanks!

[@TheeLagenda]

Thank you for this video! I struggle with knowing what exact level or book I should purchase. I'm a terrible sight-reader but can play fairly complicated pieces relying mainly on my memory. What books do you recommend. I will definitely look into purchasing some hymn books.

[@jazerleepiano]

Piano Pieces for Children, Revised and Edited by Maxwell Eckstein is good sight reading book for you Eric

[@jewellevy]

Just go to church and steal one..

[@alfredniibidarkododoo4272]

Thanks for sharing this information. It has taken me years to learn how to play the piano. IT is actually challenging and frustrating, such that I gave up many times. But I kept coming back to start all over. As an adult, without good financial stability, I am trying to learn on my own. It is a struggle. But I am on it, never giving up.

[@musicandcreativeartsstudio2204]

Hey Jazer Lee this tutorial was very informative and inspiring....Thank you...Keep it up

[@jazerleepiano]

Thanks everton! Appreciate your words :)

[@mynameisjinhong]

When I learning sight reading by my self, I have found that when there is a brand new piece, I could only focus on one side of music, like only read the right hand part and then read the left hand part. Professional musicians could do them in the same time I like your video very much!!

[@olakolade6656]

Do you find sight reading challenging? -yes Are you curious on how you can actually improve your sight reading so you actually get to play the music faster? -yes Hi i'm Jazer Lee -yes tysm! ive learn more in 6 mins than in 3 years! Now I'm getting faster This is exactly what I need, if I can sight read anything, then I'm gonna be able to do very complex stuff.

[@user-nc1hk8pf4e]

When your exams in a few hours and I physically have no time to practice so I’m gonna practice in the exam- not look at my hands as much- edit: i forgot i commented this but i passed my exam! i only got 114 but thats a pass and i'll take it. i was also lucky to get a slow piece with pedal for my sight-reading part

[@4vora]

How'd it go?

[@jj-wf2mw]

彡elle same mines tomorrow 😳😳

[@faagalocollins7960]

Broooo mines four days from nowwww im scurred as hell that imma fail

[@Lratiobozo]

How did it go ppl

[@faagalocollins7960]

Yall i passed i got a 96. I think that's supposed to be good

[@jaytheexplorer9016]

Great tips! The second tip ("PIANO") is, of course, true when learning to read a foreign language as well. For a while, you have to sound out new words phonetically, but after a while you just recognize the whole word.

[@annshr9917]

Great tips!

[@rogeralleyne9257]

Great video lesson!!!! Thank you!!!🙏🙏🙏

[@CappeSun]

Oh god I just realized that Totoro in the background. Thanks for the tips!

[@thomasschwarz1973]

True that. Don't look down. It gives us the opportunity to deepen the tonal analysis. Also it is good to make "friends" with certain notes, so you have some idea where they are on the keyboard.... then feel those black patterns, 2/3/2/3/2/3

[@Loki-ir5py]

I love the piano ive got the first 3 piano grades but my biggest problem still is sight reading

[@jazerleepiano]

Massive problem for heaps of people Loki, I feel you. Keep up the practice, you'll get better :D

[@kerenOBrownsville]

@@jazerleepiano As I said above, until I saw your tutorial I thought I just lacked the talent to be able to read music, thought I didn't have what it takes. Now I know it is a pretty normal difficulty--and persistence furthers. Will do! Also really liked what you had to say about the amount of time you devote to your practice is directly correlated with the rate of persistence. I am now committed. Thank you.

[@andreasmaier5361]

Sightreading is like learning typewriting. When I started learning typewriting about 50 years ago all in my class have been told by the teacher to do not look at typewriters keys. At the beginning I wrote a word by thinking of each letter. Piano. P I A N O. And pressed every key mindful. Now after 50 years I think only a word and write it 'automatically' not thinking about what letters I have to press. So. Sightreading at a piano works the same way. But I suppose to be a good sightreader at the piano it needs very much more work than leaning typewriting.Thanks a lot for this video!

[@robertsmith4019]

I like the hymn book idea. Another tip, be reading ahead by at least one measure providing your brain time to prepare for the patterns.

[@jazerleepiano]

100% agree Robert Smith! Thank you for sharing this with the pianists here :)

[@pansylim6254]

Many of the methods or strategies that u mentioned I have also used them to teach my students. Good methods indeed

[@FrankieStankie17]

Man! You will get a million subs in a short time!

[@MelodyMaker]

Was learning 7th chords over the weekend. Major patience required. I was actually thinking that "it will get better" just as you say sir. Good advice.

[@Usucito]

Great tips. Let me ask you this: what kind of exercises would you recommend in order to develop the skill of... "knowing" where the hands should go, without looking? What i try to do is using the tip of my fingers to find the black keys, and then, i know where i am. But how could i skip that step and go directly for it? Is there any method or technique to achieve that goal? What kind of exercise could i do to get this skill?

[@jazerleepiano]

Great question! (And nice channel btw!) Scales and Hanon are great starting points. Do them with your eyes closed :)

[@Usucito]

@@jazerleepiano I'll try then!

[@romanblanks1473]

Concerning the 'learn chords' advice. I know it helps. My eyes instantly recognize the notes C E G as a C major triad chord. Great, that chunks 3 bits of info into 1 bit, faster to process and hold in the head, faster for the fingers to find, they're used to it. In theory it works well, in practice it works well - but only in simple enough pieces that don't demand more than a few basic chords. But then I try sight reading chorales or 4 voice hymns (like everyone says to do to get better at sight reading...) and... BOOM! They very often are presenting uncommon chords, and at the same time they are often inverted and augmented and in a less familiar key and split apart across the bass and treble clefs and all sorts of shenanigans that render them unrecognizable without slow consideration, and thus wipe out any remote possibility of a fast-track recognition process - even after having sight read thousands and thousands of pieces, after having learned scales in all the keys and the essential chords in them. It can't prepare you for all possibilities. It just can't. Counting all inversions and suspensions and augmentations etc there are literally tens of thousands of chords one might encounter in a random bit of sheet music. So how do good sight readers cope with this? Good sight readers have surely not all memorized all of those possibilities... have they?! If they have, then... just... wow. I'd find it hard to believe, but feel free to tell me that:) Yet if not, if they too also have less than a 100% complete familiarity with the thousands of chords possible, I can't fathom what is going on in their minds that gets them through sight reading pieces that is not happening in mine (yet). Reading a random chorale, how are they reducing a novel arrangement of four independent voices split across two staves to one unit (or at least fewer units) of information? It's an impenetrable mystery to me. Come on good sight readers, share how you do it. And if you say 'just read lots of music' then expect me to bang my head on my desk. Again.

[@buk1733]

Roman Blanks interesting

[@enochy6586]

For four voice hymns, it's all about "spacial awareness." I'm not a professional sight-reader, but when I sightread hymns, I think of the space between (whether it's a third, fourth, etc.) and the accidentals. If I see an accidental (from the scale or from the notes), I just raise my finger a half-step. For those "split across the base and treble clef shenanigans," HA I just play the bottom note! (If the tempo is slow enough, I usually have enough time to think of the note in particular to play it with my right hand.) Also, try to read one to two notes ahead. That way, you can subconsciously prepare yourself for the jumps or changes.

[@theescapist9838]

my question is, to what degree should i practice one piece? after 10-20 plays i start memorizing whole piece little by little, should i stay with that piece and bring it to close to performance level or should i just sightread some piece several times and move on to next one?

[@jazerleepiano]

What a fantastic question The Escapist! When I practice sight reading, 3 times is the maximum times I would play a piece, the more you play the more you start to memorise the piece, which doesn't help your sight reading (but helps your memorising, which is also a skill you need to have in piano playing). If you're strictly wanting to work on sight reading, try to play less times per pieces but more pieces, ie., less quality but more quantity :)

[@pafellblanc4129]

Learn Piano with Jazer Lee Hi. I tried following your advice: play more pieces and practice a piece up to only 3x. My teachers tell me to keep playing till the end and don't stop to correct my mistakes when I'm sight reading but if I don't correct the mistakes then I just end up playing them wrong for the next 2x. Also I get this feeling that I'm actually learning to play wrong because when I see the same chord (for example) in a different piece, I play the same mistake. Do I correct the mistake and miss the beat or do I keep the tempo, play more pieces and eventually I'll play it right?

[@jazerleepiano]

Pafell Blanc, this is a great question and problem you are raising! Your teacher is asking you to not stop the music and don't correct the mistakes because he or she is getting you to practice how you would perform sight reading in a performance or exam, which is a scenario where you should not stop the music. In this video however, I am telling you to do something completely different but is vital. I am asking that you play it through slowly without worrying tempo because I want you to LEARN and UNDERSTAND the note and chord patterns so that you don't play them wrong for the next 2x, 5x, 10x like you said! To answer your question simply, to be great at sight reading, you have to practice both: keep the tempo but forgo some wrong notes AND don't keep the tempo but get absolutely 100% of the notes correctly so you learn how to play those parts for next time. Does this make sense?

[@pafellblanc4129]

Learn Piano with Jazer Lee oh. I get now. That makes sense. Thanks!

[@kerenOBrownsville]

@@jazerleepiano It's like practicing typing; first you practice accuracy, then you practice speed, and then go back and forth until you can do both. This is making sense now that I relate it to learning something else.

[@keithamberg6392]

Wow! Not looking at the keys really helped. Just doing it on a piece for about 20 minutes and my hands are finding the shapes. Love your videos Jazer.

[@antnfs]

PIANO... P-E-R-N-O... PIANO

[@RouteDeTours]

When I heard you say this, I assumed you also speak French.

[@jazerleepiano]

Hi AntNFS, when I seemingly said ‘p-e-r-n-o’ in his vid I was pronouncing the SOUNDS of the letters ‘piano’, not spelling out the word as ‘perno’ :P hope this wasn’t too confusing! Thank you for checking out my vid!

[@antnfs]

That’s okay, I was only messing around. But nope! Not french

[@juanpablorodriguezmartinez7814]

It could have been spanish xD

[@jazerleepiano]

@@juanpablorodriguezmartinez7814 If I were to learn another language now, Spanish is actually my first choice, what a great language!

[@dfpolitowski2]

My Tips: start with technical exercises, that repeat or clime up the key board, even hannon in 60 exercises. 2. learn songs written which play a single note in base to better the left hand. 3. Also a computer program that generate random notes for you to play may work. Start with the left hand first then the right. Keep it simple. Simple intervals are good up and down the keyboard too 4. Hymns are good but keep the hymns simple. Complicated hymns are too hard for most when starting out sight reading. play every hymn in the key of C first. I am largely self taught and can do and have done nothing but sight read all my adult life as a piano player. Sight reading has never been a problem to me. I keep getting better every year that passes.

[@anthonyxyzedits7958]

Jazer: don't look at you hands Hands: touches piano Jazer: looks at them

[@mattpetzer1069]

Killermanjuro you gotta know where your hands are on this piano first then you go from there not looking

[@breadiced]

exactly

[@harperwoods3362]

When I say exactly I mean I agree with matt petzer

[@lowellbassi3597]

I am definitely subscribing. Thank you for the tips.

[@velcroman11]

Don't say "play faster" say, "up to tempo". There is a big, big difference between playing fast and playing "at tempo".

[@wendylai1577]

I am poor at sight reading. I will try to use your technique that you share & see how it goes😁Thanks for sharing

[@bubugaosheng6927]

My teacher says, if you stuff up a note when sight reading just keep going by the rhythm and time. If you stop and try correcting the note you’ll lose a lot of points. Is this true?

[@jazerleepiano]

In the exam, yes. They are testing you on how well you can 'perform' sight reading music. When at home, you should practice slow sight reading, without focusing on rhythm and time too. This helps you really understand intervals and chords

[@bubugaosheng6927]

Ok! Thank you! I’m only a grade 4 and I’m studying for a Trinity College London grade 4 piano exam. My teacher gets really mad when I play something wrong since I’ve only got until 7th of June... so yeah.

[@debraswartzfoote4035]

I took Yamaha Piano class when I was 5 ish. (in the 60's!!) There was a big piece of paper attached to the book with a hole for my head. I've never seen that again but I should have kept it forever. Your cloth trick is a great idea. I had kids wear cloth masks over their eyes with memorized songs. So many mistakes at first but so much better after a while! Love your program and tips!

[@swanlikes]

My hands normally: My hands when I have to not look at them: HEY HEY LOOK AT ME NOW LOOK LOOK YOU BETTER LOOK

[@jessicaherrera7900]

Thank you. When I saw three notes like that on the music sheet and wondered what wierd note that was. Thanks for clearing that up.

[@iAmMadeOfSoup]

I really need to learn the chords. The piano analogy is great. I’m a fast reader and good at those piano tile apps so I should be a good sight reader

[@kyledrake9750]

A quick trick with major and minor chord patterns is firstly, to know which chords make up the key and if they are minor or major. Secondly, to avoid confusion about the inversion of the chord, focus on the top note with the gap below it. So with the D minor with the F at the bottom, you know it is a D minor because that is the note with the gap below it. That also tells you which inversion.

[@yingzheng5443]

Very professional video. I will try not to look at my hands..........

[@jazerleepiano]

Ying, that's the way! Build your keyboard spatial awareness and it will save you a lot of trouble!

[@meowpluff6035]

The think I like the most about your videos is that you teach everything in just within 5 minutes👍👍👍

[@DojoOfCool]

Do you have any exercises or things to do to build that spacial awareness you mentioned???

[@jazerleepiano]

Hi Toortog Pown, that's a great question! 'Hanon' is a great place to start, you'll start to be very familiar with the spacing of each key is half way through this book :) Here is the version I use if you don't have this book: amzn.to/2PLS8VO

[@jettolentino25]

I agree with one of your tips, playing hymns enhanced my skill in sightreading especially if I am accompanying the congregation in our church.

[@pianovervain893]

Make a video responding questions of the commentary

[@michaelhiggins7365]

I'm sorry but . . . I find your suggestions here 110% FANTASTIC! This is the first video of yours I've seen and I have formed the opinion that I can count upon your wisdom every day and TWICE on Sunday! Thank you for this.

[@various-junk]

I have an exam next week and I'm concerned about my sight reading. Whew :')

[@jazerleepiano]

Hi Melody Fox, sight reading is a tricky section for many people, you're not alone! Try your best to not look at your hands this week when practicing to build spatial awareness. When in the exam, take a deep breath to relax yourself, look at the key signature, time signature and don't play it too fast so your brain has more time to think through the next notes :)

[@isabellasdesktop3683]

I have an ABRSM next month.

[@EbiAtawodi]

I have mine in 2 days and 99% sure i’ll barely pass.

[@susanmorrison8403]

I would add that it helps to look at the intervals in a chord; for example, look at the bottom note of the chord, find it on the keyboard, then just play it and add the notes above it by deciphering the intervals.

[@afolabioluwasegun6477]

How many should a beginner practice every day to improve he/she sight reading ability?

[@jazerleepiano]

Sight reading for a beginner is especially important, you are essentially learning a new language by learning to read sheet music. Immerse yourself in it. Dedicate at least an extra 20 min everyday sight reading easy sheet music.

[@afolabioluwasegun6477]

@@jazerleepiano thanks

[@stationshelter]

you must practice 40 hours a day

[@colinobrien9213]

ling ling can

[@youyouranxiety7309]

im a senior and i wanna play for my friends wedding someday... yea im trying to master sight reading whilst theres still time

[@jazerleepiano]

All the best to you sir! You can do it!

[@Cheesykun]

how did it go?

[@georgiannapappas1938]

Excellent advice. It was fun to see you describe the bobbing head looking back and forth from the page to the hands. I’ve done that very same thing with students. Sometimes in very early lessons with young children, I teach them a simple song, like Twinkle Twinkle, or Mary Had a Little Lamb, just by rote. After they get it and can play it, I ask them to put their hand in the starting position. Then I ask them to close their eyes and then play the song. Almost every time they are able to do it. I set them up from the beginning to understand that they don’t need to look at their hands. My students tend to be amazed that they can do it. I’ve also used my ‘closed eyes’ technique for mastering difficult passages in pieces I study. After the repetition of a phrase or passage, at various speeds, I usually have it already memorized. Then I try it with my eyes closed. It deepens the learning process and is very effective for difficult passages. One of your suggestions, not to worry about rhythm when sight reading, may benefit from another look. What I do, and have my students do, is to do it slowly enough that the counting/rhythm can be read simultaneously with the pitches. Ultimately, though, the best way to improve sight reading is to just do it as much as possible.

[@jazerleepiano]

Amen Georgianna! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, you obviously are an amazing teacher!

[@Jack393GamingYT]

Practice question: How much time do you recommend spending on drills/techniques vs. learning music you want to play?

[@jazerleepiano]

I recommend for every hour of practice, do 10-15 min of drills and techniques and then 45-50 min working on the piece you want to play!

[@lerkkweed]

Fantastic! Thanks! Years ago I chatted with a young woman who was a professional violinist. I said, "It must be nice to just be able to look at a piece of music and play it off the bat." "Yeah," she replied, "it is."

[@aftereffects00]

Its hard!.. I still look at my fingers even when i play mary had a little lamb

[@jazerleepiano]

You can do it Slash!

[@nisan6937]

🤣😂

[@angeladavis891]

Absolutely brilliant advice, thank-you. My sight reading is atrocious, especially recognising base notes and chord groups, so it's practise, practise and more practise, but it does pay off in the end!

[@em8714]

I came because hes asian. I stayed because hes a god

[@ssenkandwajovan6893]

Hi Jazer. Could you do a tutorial on minor scales and arpeggios please. Thank you for the good work.

[@TeacherSusan1216]

Thx for your tutorial! I am happy to know we can improve our chord recognition thru hymns:) God bless u! R u a Christian?