Tips on How to Sight Read Effectively Every Time

[@p3rrypm]

If you’re used to playing moonlight sonata, “Plays Fur Elise”. 😂

[@jillweissman2134]

Hi there. Oops, you play Fur Elise, not Moonlight Sonata.

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Yes, I remember making that mistake lol Oops

[@AFormerClarity1]

I was just going to say that.

[@oysteinsoreide4323]

@@LessonsOnTheWeb It is the right composer at least. :p

[@Photologistic]

Lol, I noticed as well. 2:19

[@kaylynnsadler8783]

Came down here just to see if I was the only one who noticed 😂

[@miavalone]

Thank you so much! I had piano lessons for ten years when I was younger. Now I haven't played for about 6 years and I am just getting started again. I always was really bad at sight-reading and I am really looking forward to practice. :)

[@rva]

You are awesome young man, thanks! : ) new supporter

[@musiclover6481]

Rebecca Vocal Athlete hey Rebecca cool to see you here! Love your videos btw 👍

[@albertodemo658]

Hi Tim sorry if you've covered this already but I really struggle with sight reading when it comes to both hands together. I can read notes pretty fast on both bass and treble cleffs, and I have no issues with ledger lines either, if I do one hand at the time. When I play together I really struggle, even with simple notes within the cleff.. It's like my brain can't compute the information and freezes. Hopefully you'll see this, and as always excellent video !! :)

[@venkatvallabhaneni1227]

Me too, I do not know how to do that.

[@edwinaviscara1257]

Me too bro

[@NoName-lp1qu]

what I do to help me is that I don't read treble and bass clef separately. practice slowly and together, the more you do it the better you will get

[@ralphrobinson9502]

Happens to me too, no matter how slow I go.

[@a_sea_oasis]

@@NoName-lp1qu 👉 Agreed 100%. I forced myself to play each hand separately many times until I played the notes without guessing. After that it was easy to play two hands together.

[@Madeline64]

“If you’re used to playing moonlight sonata” *Plays für Elise* “You’re not going to want to sight read moonlight sonata” 😂 love this

[@TheSteveGainesRockBand]

I'm glad you posted this. I was scratching my head. I thought, I've played that, but they called it something else. I went back to my piano book and it says Fur Elise.

[@ecoria-x9113]

Really struggling with this at the minute >:/ Granted, I haven't played long (3 and a half months), but I find that I do one of these three things; 1. Forget to look at the sheet and just play from memory 2. Look at the sheet, follow the notes, but hands ignore the brain and muscle memory takes over and plays E when brain tells it to play F 3. Look at the sheet, follow the notes, and then suddenly "wake up" and realized I've zoned out and focused on the sound of what I'm playing without being 'present' Just so frustrating lol ...

[@alexrivera.churchpianist]

Joan Frederiksen Feel you... i have the same problem hahaha xD

[@georgebradley4583]

That’s good! As long as your brain knows it’s zoning out! The more you practice the more your brain is automatically going to start playing what is presented on the paper.

[@ProbablyAnEarthbender]

Ditto, I have the same problem

[@kensingtonpride]

If you're used to playing "What Is A Juggalo" > Starts playing Moonlight Sonata

[@nickharris5684]

I’m able to sight read all 12 keys, Major and minor, in one hand position, but really struggle to sightread C Major moving hand positions. It’s getting quite frustrating! Lol. Thank you for the advice, and the link to the Church Hymnals, I’ll give those a shot and continue seeking advice and of course, SIGHTREAD EVERY DAY! Cheers!

[@thepianoplayer416]

Great suggestions. Sight-reading is not something you master in a week but a process that can take a few years. Another online teacher also suggested using a hymn book from a church because they have 4-part harmonies. Besides the Treble & Bass, they have 2 other parts in the middle (2 notes for each hand). You can find pieces including Christmas classics in different keys.

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Nice suggestion on the Christmas classics. They also make good sight reading pieces.

[@speedskis777]

moonlight sonata --> *starts rapping drake lines*

[@Madeline64]

Underrated

[@joecrosby3933]

Thanks for the great tips, and the great link!

[@johnharte2729]

Informative lesson

[@artesyamoore]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Your videos are so helpful and I truly appreciate them. Thank you!

[@tarasgroblev3500]

him: "something like moonlight sonata". also him: plays fur elise.

[@TakinKhorasanchian]

Thank you

[@eyesontheprize6637]

A hymn book I grew up with had 4-part harmony; soprano and altos on the treble clef, the words under that, then tenor and bass on the bass clef. I still have those hymnals. Also, choir music is set up in 4-part harmony. Guess that would be for a more advanced pianist for sure.

[@NataliaBelovaRUS]

That's exactly what I needed! Notes for sightseeing reading! Thanks!

[@freddiemercury4552]

I don't know why, but you look alike Klaus Meine. Love to hear your story about 22 year without sight reading. My age are 29, I just start seriously reading music. And I play guitar since 12. I also love piano and I plan to learn piano in future maybe at age 35. Because of this I found your youtube channel about last 3 day, and i like it, hahaha. I just wonder, if I practice read everyday about one hour, when I will be a good reader. If somebody can share their experience. (sorry if my English broken)

[@sinaisinai43]

Fantastic content. Thanks.

[@annettemonkey1998]

That was Fur Elise lol 😊what were you saying about sight reading 🤔only kidding. Great videos. Thankyou for sharing ❤

[@joecrosby3933]

Do you know if the Belmont site still has the sight reading examples? I can’t find them anymore

[@chanele.parfume5708]

Really appreciate you so much x

[@eyesontheprize6637]

When I was younger in choir our conductor, who was also a pianist, always broke up the song. He played it first, then got the sopranos to learn their part, the tenors their part, the altos and the basses, although not necessarily in that order. Similar to what you are recommending re sight reading.

[@Zayyaki]

When I practice sheet music, my hands are always in just one position through out the whole song (I’m a beginner) but if playing a harder song that requires you to move your hands using a larger area of the piano, how do your practice that? Is your hands supposed to always be in a position somehow? Sorry I’m not good at explaining

[@venkatvallabhaneni1227]

So you want to learn where all the notes are in relation to each other, like typing, once you know your home row (which would be your starting position in Piano) just learn to play without looking, it make it easier later on, trust me.

[@venkatvallabhaneni1227]

FluffyTaur I forgot to add that when I first started Piano I did not learn this and now I realize its importance

[@Zayyaki]

@@venkatvallabhaneni1227 Okay thank you for the advice! Ill be sure to practice that

[@alehhh1752]

Ah you read watermelon too?

[@nickharris5684]

@FluffyTaur I’m struggling with same exact problem. I can sight read all 12 Major minor keys in one hand position, but can’t do C Major moving hand positions, it’s killing me lol

[@jennifermclain5853]

Enjoying your videos.....having a hard time reading the notes off the the lines. Advice? Thank you!

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

This video should help! kzbin.info/www/bejne/annZpIiarr2JY6c

[@franciscapoch3237]

Hi! The Belmont resources are not there anymora. Do you know where can I find other easy reasources? This question is open to everyone :) thanks

[@sarahjennings1824]

I found them!!! Go to the top of Belmont's page to the search...type in sightreading...at the bottom of this short page will be...sightreading(8)....click on that... the first entry will be the one to click and viola...the resources.. I found them you can too!!

[@stokerslodge]

excellent, very helpful

[@joelgonzalez8490]

hello....... God bless you........... do we have to sight read a piece once o twice? or do we have to sight read it until master it? ( and then get a new one, for sight reading improvement) thanksss

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

I would play through each example twice. Once as a genuine sight read and another to correct as many mistakes as you can.

[@joelgonzalez8490]

thanks for your answer......

[@camerinw.3226]

The link is no longer available! :(

[@Caliber24]

nice video

[@flockenlp1]

Hi, I think the first link to Belmont isn't working anymore.

[@relentless_animal4127]

Ya, I can’t find it either

[@yulia3154]

thank you

[@pandadncr4825]

Guess I'm too late the excersises are not on the Belmont site anymore :( at least i can't find them

[@davidhiscox864]

www.belmont.edu/cmpa/music/new-students/keyboard.html

[@politereminder6284]

@@davidhiscox864 thank you

[@noremac4807]

Rick, the links don't take me to any sight reading exercises on the Belmont website?

[@davidhiscox864]

www.belmont.edu/cmpa/music/new-students/keyboard.html

[@yuripole0000]

hi are you sure its for free the belmont resources?

[@maxthecat1235]

should i read chord name on top on bar

[@shirleyanngilbreath4353]

I can play a lot of songs however, stink at sight reading... Have to constantly look at the keyboard. Not good. Hope this helps. Thanks

[@HilbertXVI]

2:23 Moonlight sonata? .-.

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Haha, I meant Fur Elise. The students in the live stream gave me hell for that one lol.

[@HilbertXVI]

LessonsOnTheWeb Lol I can see why

[@tswanson23]

So does sight reading include not looking at your hands even getting into position? Or is it only about reading and playing straight through first time ?

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

You definitely want to look at your hands and get them in position before playing. Once you start playing, you can glance at your hands every once in awhile but don't make a habit of looking down at them all the time.

[@tswanson23]

@@LessonsOnTheWeb Thank you for the quick reply and your online lessons.

[@eyesontheprize6637]

Just a tip for viewers... I found an old hymnal at a thrift store. I also asked a pastor at one church if I could buy a copy of one if his hymnals and he told me to just take one.

[@serikim4550]

Im a beginner and few knowledge about piano world but I know Fur Elise. Moonlight sonata? Okay! But still thanks!

[@Emmanuelle_Neo]

so, sight read has to be something mechanical ? great video

[@lionheart6614]

"Playing something like moonlight sonata" *plays a bagatelle*

[@savionidlebird9174]

LionHeart that was für Elise

[@willemeret2398]

savion Idlebird fur Elise is bagatelle no 25 A minor

[@laurietop8731]

Your first link to sight reading resources no longer works. Could you update it?

[@kimharrisonakaacousticanar1079]

I've tried it today and it doesn't do anything either?

[@JaeFreshmen]

@@kimharrisonakaacousticanar1079 here you go www.belmont.edu/cmpa/music/new-students/keyboard.html

[@scottmccrossin2418]

@@JaeFreshmen Thank you for that update Jae. I had the same question.

[@JaeFreshmen]

Scott McCrossin no problem

[@eps4560]

there's enough fur elise comments already here so please..... don't. don't you dare add one. don't do it. moving on, this vid is helpful.

[@k0d0kushi73]

I can play fantaisie inpromptu but struggle to sight read minuet no 1 by bach lol

[@samanderson806]

Barber's grandson has entered the chat.

[@iknowyourerightbut4986]

That’s not the Moonlight Sonata... I mean... you got the right composer!

[@arthouston7361]

I see you went to WCU. Are you still in the Philly area?

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Yeah, I still live in the Philly area. Are you from there?

[@arthouston7361]

Yes. I went to VFMA, and then NYU. I came back to town and started working in radio after doing some work for NBC in Manhattan. Being a player rather than a listener/air jock was something to which I aspired, but things always seemed to take higher precedence. Now, many years later, I am a leading Bass voice in a choir, and after 24 years of doing that, I feel it is time for me to "make the time" to get deeper into this, and the piano seems to me to be the universal instrument. Yesterday, I bought the Alfred book on advice of our accompanist (a young woman who studied diligently at Bob Jones, and is VERY good) and I dug out the Yamaha PSR 270 that I bought at the Sam Ash store in King of Prussia 20 years ago, to help me figure out my bass lines. So, it looks like you will have another regular visitor here!!

[@rickpalmer3340]

You said you didn’t develop your sight reading until you went to college. Please tell me, how can you play the piano without being able to sight read?

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Well I could read music but I couldn't read through pieces well enough to really sight-read. So you can play piano, just not very well lol.

[@rickpalmer3340]

Piano Lessons On The Web So did you rely to a great extent on the technique of recognising and reading intervals between notes on the staff?

[@grantmalone]

@@rickpalmer3340 You can get by just 'sight-reading' incredibly slowly, working out the notes and rhythms one by one, bar at a time, and then committing it to memory and practicing from your head. Once you have it in your head you don't really need the sheet music anymore except to remind you of the general shape or the odd note you forget, and you can play the piece at a pace way faster than you are able to read it. But that isn't proper sight-reading where you can sit down with a new piece and immediately play it at a decent tempo without too many mistakes (or none if you are good at it!) Lots of people get by this way and end up getting much better technically while their sight-reading is still extremely basic, so they are limited in exploring new pieces without grinding through them at a snail's pace.

[@kylaligayo2366]

Im having a hard time with rhythm, bpm

[@TheSunshinedreamer1]

Before you sight read choose a level 1 piece to start and clap the rhythm through a couple times then scan the piece for fingering and hand positions and new notes and chords. Play slowly and sing or hum the rythm as you sightread. Best:)

[@michelleflick1937]

That was Fur Elise, not Moonlight Sonata. Thanks for the tips.

[@madwoman8297]

You were playing 'Fur Elise', not The Moonlight Sonata, but nevermind, helpful video anyway👍

[@kylaligayo2366]

Sometimes it says 66 bpm or 150 bpm and How can I put that rhythm into my music?

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

You will need a metronome to do that. You can buy one or you can get an app for your phone or even type in metronome into google. You set the metronome to the number indicated in the piece and that is the suggested tempo for the piece. Keep in mind that when you are first learning the piece, you will play it much slower.

[@ProbablyAnEarthbender]

Hey, theres nothing I hate more than nursery rhymes and stuff like that. I've found some easier pieces I do like, but theyre easy enough that once I finish stumbling through the sheet music, I remember how to play them. Just don't know where to find more I like

[@joelgonzalez8490]

hi....Sr. but.... how many time do we have to sight read a piece?.. once, twice? or until it sounds good and fluent?

[@jaygonzalez906]

So when you say sight read do you mean read the music sheet and play through it, or simply read the music sheet? I’m guessing playing through as you read because you said it’d be better to sight read something below your level

[@RafaelQuirinoVex]

That is not the Moonlight Sonata...

[@dr.westwood]

The audio for this video is either way out of sync or doesn't go with this video.

[@sureshkumar-zo5vi]

i have a question in sight reading.. while playing on both hands which one to read first ,i mean from treble to bass clef/ bass to treble clef?

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Hey, We are actually going to cover this on Friday but to give you some info now... you want to read from the bottom (pitch wise) to the top. Meaning you will start reading the left hand first.

[@sureshkumar-zo5vi]

LessonsOnTheWeb thank you a lot.. iam waiting for friday. 😄

[@allmyinterests5139]

If you play Moonlight Sonata.... at least it was Beethoven, close enough lol

[@matthewnabil]

"Moonlight Sonata" *plays Für Elise*

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

One mistake I made is to not sightread as I learned scales, chords and arpeggios.

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Hey students, check out this playlist to learn more about developing your sight reading technique. goo.gl/ydaEcR

[@rosmarywoods]

Hey that' wasn't "Moonlight Sonata". That was Fur Elise.

[@zekesnow7716]

That ain't moonlight buddy but thanks for the tips

[@marykesh]

Lol that’s not moonlight sonata... that’s fur Elise

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Haha true. Brain fart!

[@yuan-bean-music-studio]

Nice lesson. Where's your hair? I saw you have much more hair in your other videos.

[@nights222]

2:17 XD not moonlight sonata that fur Elise XD LOL

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

Hello students, check out these other lessons MORE LESSONS ON READING MUSIC goo.gl/2Y5ya6 BEGINNERS PIANO LESSONS goo.gl/GGvwK8 HOW TO PLAY WITH BOTH HANDS LESSONS goo.gl/4fnBGG

[@DARLCHAN]

LessonsOnTheWeb

[@kenrichardson59]

LessonsOnTheWeb K

[@diannabrown2673]

Um.... wasn't the first thing u started to play, "fur Elise" not "moonlight sonata"?

[@teampatience7410]

Hi Tim, I really want to watch this video but your audio is out of sync with the video - in fact I think maybe you are talking about something else in reality?! Just wanted to let you know in case it is an easy fix. Thank you!

[@solangefoley7413]

When you referred to Beethoven. Moonlight sonata you actually played Fur Elise oops!

[@jacob_1866]

you should just glue a hat to your head

[@Andy-ve7xd]

I like your hair.

[@binyoung7297]

hahaha

[@PARENTALADVISORYPODCAST]

I gave up on sight-reading

[@davidveltum6730]

VØID Big mistake

[@aslanmusic7678]

Mate listen if you had the simplest understanding of classical music you would be able to distinguish the difference between moonlight sonata and the world famous bagatelle.

[@LessonsOnTheWeb]

or I just made a mistake because I am human. Nice investigative work there.

[@shadow392]

Piano Lessons On The Web lol

[@NagaChitraPranav]

Aslan Music r/wooooosh

[@Rusanovka]

Nice trying on Moonlight Sonata.