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tpter1 · 12-03-2006, 10:43 AM

There are several great approaches to sight reading, but I think the one that works the best (for me,anyway) is to learn your scales and arpeggios. Really know them. Know them well enough that you could be woken out of a deep sleep and play an F# major scale, 2 octaves, with 3rds and 4ths, and the major, minor, dom.7 min. 7 arpeggios in root, 1st 2nd and 3rd inversions, ascending and descending. They need to be instinctive.

Most of what we play is based on scales. Knowing them at that level adds that vocabulary to your toolbox so you can pull it out when you need it.

The other issue in sight reading is rhythm. And not so much notes, but rather rests. It's not when we play, usually, but when silences are thrown in that we get fouled up. Be sure to work out rhythms subdividing to the smallest note value in the example. (For example, if the example contains no smaller than 1/8 notes, work out for music in 2's by dividing the beat in 2 parts; triplets is music with the beat in 3 parts; 16ths in 4 parts etc). Sing, sing, sing. (Not a reference to the great Benny Goodman tune, but a process). Sing the example bith silently and aloud. Sing it and do the fingerings. That way, you've practiced it several times through before the adjudicator says it's time to read the example. Most people I see in solo festival fail to do this and just blindly launch themselves into it and mess themselves up pretty good as a result. I think it's because they a. feel awkward with the silence in the room and b. want to get it over with. TAKE YOUR TIME. It's ok to study the example long enough that the adjudicator asks you to play it.

I suspect your nerves are mostly related to your sight reading issues. Go over this several times with freinds and teachers before your college audition. Have them put random pieces in front of you. Maybe even have them write something by following certain requirements.

There is a post in Manny's forum on the thread called "Stage fright" by Vulgano Brother. Check it out.

12-03-2006, 10:43 AM	#5 (permalink)
tpter1 Forte User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern New York Posts: 2,309	There are several great approaches to sight reading, but I think the one that works the best (for me,anyway) is to learn your scales and arpeggios. Really know them. Know them well enough that you could be woken out of a deep sleep and play an F# major scale, 2 octaves, with 3rds and 4ths, and the major, minor, dom.7 min. 7 arpeggios in root, 1st 2nd and 3rd inversions, ascending and descending. They need to be instinctive. Most of what we play is based on scales. Knowing them at that level adds that vocabulary to your toolbox so you can pull it out when you need it. The other issue in sight reading is rhythm. And not so much notes, but rather rests. It's not when we play, usually, but when silences are thrown in that we get fouled up. Be sure to work out rhythms subdividing to the smallest note value in the example. (For example, if the example contains no smaller than 1/8 notes, work out for music in 2's by dividing the beat in 2 parts; triplets is music with the beat in 3 parts; 16ths in 4 parts etc). Sing, sing, sing. (Not a reference to the great Benny Goodman tune, but a process). Sing the example bith silently and aloud. Sing it and do the fingerings. That way, you've practiced it several times through before the adjudicator says it's time to read the example. Most people I see in solo festival fail to do this and just blindly launch themselves into it and mess themselves up pretty good as a result. I think it's because they a. feel awkward with the silence in the room and b. want to get it over with. TAKE YOUR TIME. It's ok to study the example long enough that the adjudicator asks you to play it. I suspect your nerves are mostly related to your sight reading issues. Go over this several times with freinds and teachers before your college audition. Have them put random pieces in front of you. Maybe even have them write something by following certain requirements. There is a post in Manny's forum on the thread called "Stage fright" by Vulgano Brother. Check it out. __________________ -Glenn "Roses have thorns; shining waters mud. Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun; and history reeks of the wrongs we have done. After today, after today, consider me gone."- Sting