What Does a Pianist See? | Eye Tracking - Episode 1

Using eye tracking glasses, we answer the question of what a pianist sees while playing.
MORE EYE TRACKING VIDEOS 👀: bit.ly/2P6LKEX
OUR PARTNERS:
•Tobii Pro: www.tobiipro.com/
Provided Tobii Pro Glasses 2.
•Steinway and Sons: www.steinway.com/
Filmed at Steinway Hall in NYC.
PIANISTS:
•Expert - Daniel Beliavsky: www.opus1films.com, / opus1films , / opus1films
•Student - Charlotte Bennett
SOCIAL:
•Tobii Pro: / tobiipro
•Steinway: / steinwayandsons
•Function FB: / function-science-and-t...
•Function Twitter: / functionscience
CREW:
Alex Mead-Fox, Sound, www.spaceman-s...
Amber Rollo, PA, www.amberrollo....
--
Facts presented in this video were based on a small amount of data collected, if you are interested in scientific research on music cognition and eye tracking, check out the following scientists' work:
1. leadserv.u-bour...
2. andreasgegenfu...
3. www.uu.nl/staf...
--
Function is a production of Fractal NYC. Visit us online at www.fractal.nyc
For all inquires: [e-mail]

[@lurker782]

Now do this with Valentina Lisitsa, a prodigious sight reader. Curious to see how she sees things.

[@vesteel]

they're gonna be dizzy cuz she plays too fast

[@NahreSol]

might need 10 dots :D

[@cyclicalt1200]

lurker782 The device would explode bigger than the explosion of a supernova.

[@onlymyrailgununknown2960]

dot.exe stopped working

[@amy-zv2cf]

vesteel DUDE I see you on TwoSetViolin videos all the time

[@Superbaby429]

"Sight read" Proceeds to play the piece almost perfectly

[@ritamordio8430]

Most of piano teachers can sight read pieces pretty easily (like mine) of course if it's a really difficult song there's gonna be more wrong notes or hesitations

[@ReubenLL28]

He's a music professor, and the piece wasn't really that hard. Of course he's able to sight read it perfectly. Honestly, even I probably could, and I don't have nearly as much experience as him.

[@wolfpsx6210]

I'd say that piece was relatively difficult to sight-read for one reason: The lines (clefs) are far apart, it has 4 choruses of words in between.

[@siddharthsalkar]

Looks like a grade 8 ABRSM sight reading exam. Can't be too tough

[@lucyjones6330]

It’s really hard to sight read and not get any notes wrong but it’s also really hard to tell if someone is playing the wrong notes because there are so many. Most pianists can feel really easily where the keys are and don’t need to worry about looking back an fourth; if you know the notes and have good focus, sight reading is easy. It’s like teasing a book out loud, music is just another language that you speak through an instrument.

[@TheJaredtheJaredlong]

So they look ahead to where his hands will need to go. That means part of their brain is simultaneously thinking about what's currently being played while at the same thinking about what will be played in the future.

[@aryore2411]

Yup that's exactly what I do too as a pianist. I'm definitely not as good as this guy though, sometimes my brain wanders and I lose my place and end up freezing over the keys.

[@Nanancay]

Yeah, my teacher used to tell me to always read ahead. Reading ahead improves your playing tenfold, if you don't then you'll never be able to sight read or learn pieces as fast as you would like.

[@Lauren-ny9pe]

Definitely! By the time you've learned a piece off by heart (in my experience anyway), you can actually visualise a playthrough of the piece as you're playing it a few seconds later. Like I can see what I'm playing before I play it? It's sort of like mental onion-skinning I guess.

[@binbin6878]

Aryore same story with me 😂

[@mirandawilkey7548]

Exactly.

[@JonnyRobinson]

I would love to see one for drummers.

[@azielsamson2665]

everything that produces sound is what drummers can see

[@DrPekulier]

For me, if I know the piece I'm looking up or at a spot and thinking about what I'm about to hear myself play.

[@RamzaBeoulves]

I was wondering that, thanks for all your answers guys

[@simonthecucumberenjoyer1042]

egas or something You can also play piano blind.

[@FalconFlurry]

i usually just stare at the wall with a blank expression

[@midianjudah]

That piece starting at 1:53 (which is also the piece played at the intro) is Rachmaninoff - Op.3 No.2 - Prelude in C# Minor. We only get a sample here but the whole piece is very beautiful.

[@MrVatov]

What is it the girl plays near the end? Sounds lovely...

[@KentYTsang]

MrVatov J. S. Bach - Prelude in Dmin, WTC book1. Whole of the Well-Tempered Clavier is wunderbar.

[@jonathanlara-cruz5972]

MrVatov Beethoven Pathetique Sonata mov. 2 and Bach

[@TheFapFactory]

Midian Judah thank you🙏🏻

[@sirbaguette8378]

So that's what Charlie Puth plays as his sing intro

[@esterleng860]

I absolutely love how he looks at where he’s going before his hands even reach it, it’s a good thing to do during performances

[@ZicajosProductions]

I️ would love to see this type of eye-tracking study implemented into more activities... it’s actually very interesting to see where specifically the ‘centerpoint’ of sight keeps shifting. I couldn’t help but smile at the sheer beauty of evolution and the ability for our eyes to move so much and focus on things and stay steady even in times of a lot of movement.

[@danyeun01]

I need to see osu players with this shit lol

[@galamix1127]

Lots of looking at the next note. us Osu’s pay attention to the future and not the past tbh

[@gj4312]

Haha. The dot would go everywhere on hard maps.

[@Solkin.]

for high AR maps i just stare at the center and use my peripherals to read the map

[@ExplosiveBrohoof]

On 5* + maps, my eyes usually stay pretty stable. I never look at each individual note but instead at the shapes that the patterns create. I'd be interested in seeing this with osu! as well, but I expect that it would be kinda boring.

[@Landest]

yeah

[@Pakkens_Backyard]

Whoa, my college professor :O

[@ailurophile4341]

Pakken11 how's he as a prof?

[@Vexcron]

Ailurophile pretty shit

[@xtaylorxboyx]

Darknis Toribash in what way?

[@adls04]

Hes mean to his student

[@drdandy5680]

ArthurHaXz “he’s mean to his student” in what way is he “mean” I think he’s giving necessary criticism in which she will improve on, from what I see they’re relationship is positive because the student is taking all he has to say and putting it into action without complaint.

[@pedrovolpinacif5965]

The song at 0:13 and 1:07 is Schubert's Impromptu in G flat Op. 90 No. 3 The one at 1:23 played by Charlotte Bennett is Beethoven's Sonata No. 8 Op. 13 (Pathetique) - Adagio Cantabile And, as everyone noted, the song at 0:02 and 1:54 is Rachmaninoff's Prelude Op 3 No 2 in C Sharp minor I couldn't recognize the others. So if anyone finds out, let me know please.

[@cutiepieviv3895]

P VN you are a life saver

[@nestorv7627]

P VN what about the one at the end?

[@VexyGuitar]

P VN thanks alot, but I've been searching for the one on 0:01 for so long, someone help!

[@pedrovolpinacif5965]

It's rachmaninoff's prelude op 3 no 2 in c sharp minor

[@LollipopGirl2695]

The piece at 0:42 is Bach's Italian concerto in F major :)

[@jeo1812]

The reason for dizziness probably has something to do with seeing what your brain interprets as head motion, but not getting confirmation from muscles and the ears

[@chr1s022]

i think i am focused the most of the time at the left hand even if the right hand is more complicated

[@blackspiderman1887]

I think because most people left hand is weaker so they eye it more vs their right hand.

[@spoilerboy4026]

This should be done with an experienced and trainee pilot in a simulator.

[@KiwiBirb63]

Pianists are so freaking amazing. I admire them so much, creating euphonic beauty by touch.

[@TheJigglingDB]

I would love to see a professional csgo player with these on.

[@killmepls4679]

Pretty sure there's already a video of that.

[@TheJigglingDB]

DeathTrooper905 link?

[@michibliblablub6743]

why not osu players?

[@sergejhrustic6462]

There was a video of an OW player with these glasses

[@jamesvarosy1651]

I would actually really like to see eye tracking osu!

[@XWorgosX]

this is actually a very interesting project, I hope you upload more of these ^^

[@UnknownUser-re6yg]

1:15 so I look probably ahead where my hands have to be, and then looks at the girl😂

[@LePeppino]

I see where this is going

[@thatmtrx1421]

Unknown User LMAO

[@chopinyt]

I guess It was really hard at that Moment to just look at her eyes :D

[@opex9]

*dont look at them they will see*

[@GLPentAxel]

Unknown User _Do you wanna give it a try?_

[@elyasteel8686]

I'd like to see you track a jazz pianist.. or compare different genres and styles of music. Something like Jazz involves more of the whole body, not just the hands - be interesting to see the footage..

[@bassmaiasa1312]

"Something like Jazz involves more of the whole body, not just the hands" Oh, that is so not true. Torso motion is a huge part of classical piano. Also arm weight and motion, very major part. I warm up daily with torso and arm weight before I even strike a key. Look at the Taubman/Golandsky videos to see how much body awareness is a part of it. It's much like a serious yoga practice. No one plays classical piano with just the fingers. Jazz pianists vary in how much they develop their left hand. Some develop advanced left hand technique, others don't. However, the classical repertoire leaves no choice. Especially in Liszt, Chopin, and Debussy, the hands are often far apart or at the extremes of the keyboard, and outside the visual field.

[@chrisnoran]

I don't walk down the stairs without looking

[@Valbuenium]

Christopher Noran unless you're really comfortable with the stairs

[@thesakman7]

thats true, i can go up and down my stairs in complete darkness with confidence.. if i at some point think that im going to make a mistake i just touch the side or the wall and re calibrate my next step, after that its the same... same thing goes with piano aswell, i can play some pieces with my eyes closed even if they have small jumps in certain areas, and i feel like i dont quite remember Where a key is ill just open my eyes before i reach that part in the piece

[@gia257]

when you get older you are gonna look even your own stairs

[@wazzap500]

Deus This applies even more to Guitar Players. An experienced guitar usually won't look on his fretboard when he plays something he has memorized.

[@KC9UDX]

UrbanDanger ! I sure wouldn't say "even more". It's the same. I make it a point to play both instruments whilst only looking at the sheet music. Anything I can play on the piano, I can play blindfolded. Same with the guitar and accordion.

[@fondue8897]

They should do this with Stevie Wonder.

[@juanvelez5699]

Fondue best comment I've read all day

[@that1kidudidntmeet11]

He actually moves his head a lot. Maybe there’s some correlation with where he moves and how he plays

[@angelorizzieri3696]

wow that’s really f-ed up but it’s funny

[@myoman1977]

I just spit out my coffee you fucker

[@myoman1977]

Two years that joke has been waiting to get to me. The end result is a table with spittled coffee on it

[@2beastmanga240]

That sight reading part was interesting

[@wenboguo2238]

This is so cool!! I'm doing a research on interpreting and I use eye-trackers as well. It feels amazing to see how people from different domain using eye-trackers to make sense out of things that we either don't care enough or take for granted. I hope we can exchange ideas about eye-tracking. Really impressive work!!

[@darryllmaybe3881]

Often, unless I'm playing anew piece or a particularly difficult piece for my current skill level, I often find myself actually more starring off into space rather than my hands, focusing more on my memory of how my hands should move and how it sounds rather than on visual confirmation that I'm doing it correctly. Which is why I find it so surreal to watch videos of myself playing, because it seems so magical what my hands are doing and because I'm usually not looking at them 100% of the time.

[@Justin14379]

It’s amazing to see that he isn’t actually looking at the notes. He is finding the centre most position between the notes he is playing and uses his peripherals to focus on both hands.

[@msc6227]

Now do it with Vinheteiro Always looks at the camera

[@skkart4885]

Yes!!!

[@page970]

Did you know Vinheteiro is Brazilian, Search for lord music academy

[@Populous3Tutorials]

would be interesting to track a blind pianist

[@GeometryDashDyno]

Would it really? Most blind pianists are extremely good at using the black keys as reference and knowing interval distances, but eye tracking probably won’t reveal much

[@justasfarr4327]

@@GeometryDashDyno r/woooosh

[@diveinstructordaniel1095]

A wooosh? Why would it be one ?it would be interesting to see the differences

[@justasfarr4327]

@@diveinstructordaniel1095 their eyes don't move...

[@diveinstructordaniel1095]

Justas Farr their eyes move too

[@Mr850man]

Glad to see he didn't stare at any inappropiate part

[@Kk-lb2vy]

It was nice to hear him play one of the piece that I am currently working on. Also understands with the whole comfortable with keyboard thing. It’s like keys and hand motions are already registered so you only need to focus on the music ...

[@aliciachingching9021]

BTW for anyone wondering, the first piece he played is prelude in c sharp minor by rachmaninoff

[@felixfelix6770]

First she is gonna be devastated then mad at him, once she knows where he didn't look ...

[@jessejojojohnson]

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@Sebach82]

This man has been in training for years. Clearly, he has a wife, and they can always triangulate where their husband is looking. That's why you gotta work on your peripheral game, son.

[@hannahkemarly6089]

Bwahaha

[@Arguingfish]

Felix Tröger oh boi

[@wolfpsx6210]

TRIANGULATE, LOL :D

[@Ditto-js1or]

I have been playing for about 4 or 5 years and consider myself a beginner. Seeing a professional play through his eyes is very interesting.

[@Rhyff]

He's got such a soothing voice as well

[@LivingGuy484]

*When the video opens with Rachmaninoff* Me: You now have my full attention.

[@TedWillingham]

Great video, very well produced.

[@CrystalJiang]

i've always wondered this as i've played the piano! it would also be interesting to see how fast their eyes move when playing a familiar song (one that's been practiced) but also using the sheet music, do not completely memorized nor sight read! i do know that it has to be pretty fast movement of the eye because sometimes my contacts don't keep up and i much prefer playing with glasses than contacts. maybe also taking a piece where the hands are on opposite ends of the keyboard and seeing which hand they generally look at more

[@eggspectations]

It would be interesting to see this done with other instrumentalists. I have played violin for fifteen years (I'm nineteen) and my boyfriend said it amazes him that i just look off into the distance when i play difficult music, so until recently i never realized i trust my muscle memory more than thinking about what I'm doing

[@hairglowingkyle4572]

I wonder what Animenz sees...

[@ericheiner8183]

Same...

[@PL-pn9iu]

Each key is an anime waifu for him

[@dallacerayne2481]

I FREAKING LOVE ANIMENZ!!!!!!

[@pikasfed]

Damadafaqing stooge totally wasn't expecting this comment

[@mellowfellow2434]

I want to see him play Unravel.

[@sharifalhumaid8537]

Excellent video, as it helps us a hint on how good pianists play. What's in the brain is the miracle that makes it possible.

[@mirandawilkey7548]

Oh, it takes practice.

[@mellamosteve331]

When I know a song from memory I play it with my eyes close, or I look at the environment if it is not boring.

[@pubgplayer1720]

Basically, he's looking where his hands are going to go before they go there. Very simple. As a pianist, it's extremely important to look before playing securely. Eyes are almost everything in a piece with huge leaps and big chords, like Liszt or Chopin.

[@HC-ol4yj]

Lang Lang: literally nothing because his eyes are closed half the time

[@amusteata5052]

Ahhhh I love that Rachmaninoff prelude

[@alancrook1034]

In the mid-'80s a similar scan was done on text reading which led me, and other students, to discuss "Music" reading. It ended when a fellow student said: "I just look at the page and if the note that comes out of my Trumpet is the same as the one I hear in my head I've played it right.". "When I think I can't do it.".

[@romanarriaga19]

I'm a pianist myself, I know what I look at when playing, I don't know why I'm watching this video at 12am, but I love it!

[@jessejojojohnson]

Hey guys, thanks for this video. Can you please (x3) do one for choral singers and for a violinist (each with a familiar piece and one they have to sight-read)?

[@hamzahalasadulloh7779]

Jesse Jojo Johnson as a violinist, and maybe youre one too, if youre playing in an orchestra there are practically only 3 things you look at: the sheet music, the conductor, and other players. For soloists it's down to the individual. People like joshua bell probably looks at nothing since he's always closing his eyes haha. Whereas ray chen would constantly look at his own fingers. It would be interesting to see the difference between chamber players, soloists, baroque players etc.

[@CyanPhoenix_]

yeah if i'm playing solo (or with an accompanist) on the violin i will either have my eyes closed, focused on a spot on the wall, or just completely spaced out, focusing on nothing. i would imagine being a soloist with voice would be similar (i've only ever sung in a choir where you're obviously looking at the conductor 99% of the time)

[@MrVaskor]

That sounds like it would be informative; I've recently joined a choir, and I quickly realised it made sense to hold my music score as high as reasonably possible so I could see the conductor in the background at important moments. I'm fairly inexperienced as a chorister, but much more at ease with the piano, as I've been playing for almost 35 years for pleasure.

[@stephen-toth]

you should do an episode with a Rubik's cube, now that would be interesting

[@CyanPhoenix_]

i'd be really interested to see what people who solve cubes in ~10 seconds or less look at.

[@076657]

CyanPhoenix the cube

[@Erika-jn9jm]

This is so interesting! As a pianist who's been playing for ten year, I would love to try this out.

[@Quotenwagnerianer]

He was spot on describing what he would look at.

[@billyrowe0064]

1:22 We all saw that... her eyes are on her head!

[@kyowey4847]

You act like everybody needs to sacrifice everything just to make eye contact and only eye contact with girls. Wouldn't it be weird for somebody to just look right at your eyes and not look away at all? Also, I'm assuming you're a girl, since you're complaining about this?

[@Smung]

Billy Rowe saw what?

[@YT_Eric_Cartman]

" *** His eyes are on her head!" _If you're talking to someone, it's natural to make eye contact with them._ Sadly, no matter what a man does, he'll always be sexist; He see's a woman in his field of view, he's lusting. Make eye contact with her and it's sexual harassment.

[@ArmandoBlue]

Good Night how does have anything to do with politics

[@drdca8263]

Kyowey why assume that "Billy" is female? People can make "defenses" of a gender/sex regardless of the necessity/reasonableness of the defense in question regardless of their own sex/gender. There may be correlations, but I don't think they are strong enough to be stronger evidence than the username is, for the purpose of predicting gender/sex .

[@Cyber128]

Get a pro league player, Imaqtpie

[@Fwizzle45]

That's been done before. Just google it.

[@MissMyoozikal]

I'm working on sight reading now. It's one of the more challenging things I've wanted to improve during my time here at Berklee College of Music, this video is encouraging and it helps. Thanks for posting!

[@JKingMedia]

You guys should do a Lead Trumpet Player in a Jazz Band, a conductor for a symphony orchestra, and an instrument player during a field show or concert.

[@drew6017]

I've played the piano for 12 years, and I was always taught that the only time you should look at your hands is when you first sit at the piano. You don't have time to site read music fluently if you are looking at your hands.

[@drew6017]

Valinax, hence why I referred directly to site reading instead of when he was playing from memory.

[@drew6017]

It's not my fault you can not understand basic English.

[@m-yday]

It was ambiguous, therefore it could be interpreted in different ways (I know, that was redundant). You don’t need to attack personally when you’re talking with people. Be more open to discussion and changing the way you think :3

[@m-yday]

It’s ambiguous. Either way is “right” to interpret because the word use was not specific. One is the way the speaker meant to convey and is “correct”. I wouldn’t call anyone stupid for interpreting this either way

[@m-yday]

Valinax Although, if you take the comment as a whole, you’ll see that he was in fact talking about sight reading! The second sentence has a direct link to what the first was talking about and sight reading. If you take the first sentence by itself, it could go either to sight reading; playing from memory; or both. I do admit that it veers more to “both”, though

[@zeliumite]

Since when did Harrison Wells become a pianist?

[@JuliaHoepffner]

zeliumite this is the best comment on the internet

[@blackwood5851]

I play the piano and when you play you mostly look at the keys where you're gonna play next for reference. But after playing a song many times, your fingers already know the way so you can play while simultaneously looking at someone else in the room, or if the song is easy with your eyes closed.

[@spoderman15]

this is why I try not to look at my hands while playing as much as possible, it's annoying when you try to make a leap and you miss it but it's worth learning so when you get to advanced pieces you can focus entirely on the page.

[@cr_un]

What is the name of the song in 1:25? I've been looking for it several years ago :(

[@TheoryStyle]

Cristian Camilo Rodríguez Ramos that's Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, second movement.

[@theonewiththebird2296]

Eye track a violinist

[@vanessavillanueva6248]

kitsu kitty Their eyes would be on the music the whole time

[@steodoreben]

Now I know why people argue which common instrument is very difficult to play. PIANO vs VIOLIN. To each its own.

[@chiaracorrado8172]

As a cellist I generally watch at the music, but when I play high notes or notes after the 7th/8th position, I also look at the instrument

[@gabrielbirds9162]

Two set violin just did a video with it

[@wittiko2607]

No one really pointed this out in the comments yet, but I find it interesting to see that they pianist are looking almost exclusively at the sets of C/C# and F/F# to just get reference for where their hands are goings, as opposed to looking at the exaggerated note or furthest notes they will be playing.

[@yerimwon1995]

Prelude Opus 3 No.2 Rachmoninoff is probably my favorite song on the piano.

[@cynthiaaaa5204]

He was playing a Rachmaninoff prelude, but what was she playing? I know it's a super common one, but the title escapes me at the moment.😅

[@wmconorbrown]

Beethoven Sonata Pathetique mvt. 2?

[@spacecatmeows]

that is correct!

[@DrPekulier]

Felt like she was a little belittled. Most would guess if your studying under a professional piano player who's also a professor or whatever, then the student is also vastly accomplished. Interesting data tho.

[@076657]

Is she hot or no. That’s the important question imo.

[@Mike_the_Barbarian]

I'd love to see this for a guitarist. I think that would be really interesting.

[@Akdmeh]

I played in orchestra as keyboardist. Totally mindblowing action: you need to watch to the keyboard, on notes and to the conductor - one the most hard experience in my music career

[@polopallanan8512]

DESTROY THOSE GLASSES.... THEY MIGHT USE IT IN THE FUTURE SO THAT EVERYONE CAN'T CHEAT IN THE EXAMS!!!

[@WiseGuy508]

Then just don't allow them to be warm at exams...

[@076657]

Wise Guy i like your attitude

[@silentry]

why is this in my notifications? I'm not even subbed to him.

[@zachlafleur6651]

SilentSense1 Same thing here (but interesting nonetheless)! Probably because you also like to watch keyboard instrument videos on KZbin? It is one really good way to learn this type of music particularly if you are not really into spending a lot of time and money on lessons. If you learn well this way, great, but what I find is that learning hands on with your own keyboard instrument really helps (and really well, particularly in the way that I learn things the best)!

[@uhatetoseeit]

I would really love to see an eye tracking video of people without adhd doing anything versus people with adhd doing anything, I think it would be very fascinating!

[@jacquesnicolay9221]

Yea it really is just a function of how many times you’ve played the piece and how much movement over the piano there is. Larger moments across the piano require more eyes on the keys and even super complex runs that happen to be in the same 8 note section basically require no eyes on the keys at all, because feeling the keys is enough to find your way through no matter how complex the run. That is how blind people play the piano, if you’ll notice they run their fingers over the keys much more, no big jumps.

[@bassmaiasa1312]

The spatial skill I practice is to fix a position with a glance, and then look away and strike the key -- it may be a two octave jump with the hands four octaves apart. You can see this Beliavsky fellow anticipating his jumps with his eyes. I'd like to see this test with a more advanced piece, with the hands in distant registers. I also practice jumps and spatials with my eyes closed, but that is a 'work in progress' haha. In Nobuyuki's case, his spatial sense is every bit as reliable as vision. Of course, he practices his spatials all the time.

[@Cookieqwedsazxc]

What's the song at 0:12?

[@knotty75]

Schubert impromptu

[@SuperRtek]

and do you know the title of the very first piece we hear? I can't find it and it's bugging me :p

[@knotty75]

SuperRtek Rachmaninoff prelude c sharp minor.

[@SuperRtek]

Thanks ^^

[@brianmchaney7473]

Sounds like Toni-Ville Henrik Virtanen, Sandstorm No. 12, to me.

[@ellarose8352]

what a surprise he sees a piano

[@Centttttt60]

You could try this with a Marimbist. Since you cannot "feel" your way around a marimba like on a piano, you have to look around even more, go back and forth between the hands especially for pieces that are more involved and when the hands are spread far apart.

[@MerryShrug]

oh my god! music videos/films that want to capture the perspective of a character by emphasizing on showing their own body parts won't have to use those heavy burdens of cameras to carry on their heads! these tobii pro glasses are amazing in so many ways...

[@TB-ih7bg]

Am I the only one who thinks the name "sight reading" is a silly thing to call it?

[@simeonnewman7639]

Pan Haha not at all.

[@simeonnewman7639]

Cuppa Tea Forgive my lack of music knowledge but, isn't what you just described simply reading?

[@incognitoburrito6020]

+Pan What else would it be called then?

[@thekingoface8338]

Sight reading means you're looking at the music for the first time ever and then playing it immediately. After that, the second, third, etc times that you pay it is just reading, not right reading

[@hannahwilkinson1085]

SimmySammy 07 it's the fact that you've never seen the piece before. You read through a piece before learning it. With sight reading you have to learn it from just looking at it briefly

[@oDyLaNx]

This guy tries so hard to sound smart. He is smart - no need to talk like a guy trying to regurgitate a thesaurus.

[@watfisthat]

??? The biggest word he used was 'linearly.' That too hard for you?

[@meinerHeld]

Yeah we have a certain expectation coming from others to appear hmmmmm....sophisticated and also artistic-minded with our talk. It's not a good thing I think, but it's super-hard to not play to.

[@deldaflaquita9244]

Maybe he next time he will try to sound dumb to make you happy.

[@chrispham6599]

He’s not just throwing words out there!

[@biffii5568]

Sorry eloquence is hard for you little guy.

[@HowardEllisonUKVoice]

I give myself 12 months to sight read. So, learning not to look down at the keys could help in a really deep way. What an interesting video.

[@johnlaurencepoole6408]

Liszt's Mazeppa would be a fun one to demonstrate. Also, for sight reading, have one playing duets or ensemble where they have to follow someone else. (I'm a big fan of 2 piano 8 hand sight reading and convene players for run-throughs of my collections.) Very clever!

[@zacho5318]

Boi that interpretation of rach's c# prelude is awful

[@iCapybara]

I find sight reading easier when I remember to force myself to not check my fingers so often and instead try to focus more on splitting some attention towards peripheral vision (and proprioception) for my hands, so that I don't lose my place in the notes.

[@Potatoe_Masher]

As a professional musician majoring in the kazoo, I can relate to this completely.

[@TommySasaki]

When learning a song, I usually create visual checkpoints. And I divide the music into sections. And I mostly focus on my left hand, the right hand I dont usually have to look at all.

[@ricepatch]

THAT BACH IN THE BEGINNING TRIGGERED ME BECAUSE I'VE PLAYED THAT ITALIAN CONCERTO BEFORE AAHHHHH

[@photoxlo]

ah i thought so! as a fellow pianist, it makes sense to look at hands as a reference. but honestly it’s a lot of muscle memory involved!

[@miqla]

1:53 looks interesting to me cause it looks like your eyes look to the position your hands have to move to while they still move to a totally different position. thx for this "inside view"

[@remotegod255]

im a pianist and songwriter, this is incredibly informative and interesting. especially the differences between experienced and student during sightreading :)

[@FlyingPigMD]

I don’t play piano. I do however play guitar and this is accurate. I don’t usually look at the neck when I play. If I do it’s the top. And I measure the distance between the head and body of the guitar. They’re reference points. Your fingers do really have a mind of their own. I mostly feel my way around an instrument.

[@petermorris1769]

I've tried a pair of these. They are surprisingly accurate, and work fine when you wear glasses too!

[@caitlingomez-makivirta4423]

I feel like this would be interesting to try on players of all 4 instruments in a String orchestra. I want to see how often the players have to look at their music, back up to the conductor, and then to their instrument!

[@ChristopherWoods]

Please do this for every complex task ever conceived

[@JonatasMonte]

I'd love to see this in a rehearsal. The bouncing between the sheet and the conductor.

[@kipora]

This was way cooler than I expected

[@gabrielleblanc4852]

I’d like to see this with some sight reading sheet music.

[@loublue22]

I think it would be cool to see what a basketball player or a tennis player would look at. Definitely a sport where the athlete is moving around a lot to see how they think and react so fast.

[@momentmusical9866]

When I play a piece from memory, I actually see a kind of pattern that I follow to the end, just like when I program software or when I speak or write, as simple as that, follow the pattern.

[@thiagoskapata]

Further works: process the videos in a way the dot will always be at the center, use more cameras to increase the recorded area (it will be useful when the dot is next to the corners).

[@thepityscene]

He’d be definitely looking around a LOT more of he had sheet music. Looking around lots is key for how a piece will go

[@lohphat]

I think what is unstated is that your fovea is where the dot is tracking but there’s no associative measure of where *mental* focus is. It would be fascinating if it were possible to know when your brain is actually processing what’s at the dot vs assigning attention to something else like the quality of the music output. Just because your eyes are pointed at a point doesn’t mean your brain is there too. Looking doesn’t equal attention. It’s just a mechanical measure of position.

[@leonwillett4645]

would be cool to see this in a jazz trio setting, where there is not only improvisation, but also some glances at other players for various reasons :)

[@youtuberabbithole6969]

he has such a pleasant speaking voice

[@Sunkuwong]

I just find the Bb and Eb keys and I’m all set. I can already read sheet music, so the rest is fairly easy once I play for a little while.

[@ssimms8995]

As a pianist of 10+ years, I know that I do the same thing as her when sight reading, but i play like him normally. It is probably because I am sort of a perfectionist especially with sight reading. I thought I could sight read well, but he is awesome. 20 more years to go until I can be just as awesome