Thank you. This is actually what I need. My primary instrument is voice and I am pretty good with diction, and learning a vocal piece after hearing it. I have taken some piano lessons as a child and I would definitely like to improve my sight reading and sight sightsinging skills
"practice sight reading ten minutes for every one minute watching youtube about practice" harmonizes perfectly with your anecdote about 'just practice' at the end of the video- loved your call to action at the end of the video.
I recommend piano marvel too. it's pretty cheap, the sight reading practice is really good, those contests are pretty fun and it all has a good way of making it more interesting by gamification. It's also got a lot of practices for things like chords, chord inversions and progressions. I do those every day in my practice and it's skyrocketed my progress. Same with sight reading practice. You can also upload your own exercises or songs which is what I'm gonna play more with. It's great when you get a solid routine in and then just sit down and practice it
They don't have as much compatibility with Android yet. Here's what I found on their website, but it's from 2020: "Support for Piano Marvel’s biggest features is available for Mac computers running OSX 10.9 or later, PC computers running Windows 8 or later, Chromebooks, iPad & iPhone devices running iOS 12 or later."
@shaunreich - I agree with you. Piano Marvel is definitely one of the absolute best apps for sight reading. It's very comprehensive. 100% recommend it! By the way can you provide a bit more details about your experience uploading your own exercises or songs? Do you need the teacher's account to be able to do so or you can do with the regular individual membership? Thanks.
@@gabrielmillien2145 Hi Gabriel, I haven't gotten around to uploading my own songs haha, I only tried it like a couple of times 😅. I'm not sure I find it necessary now that my skill level is higher, it ends up just being easier to read the sheet music and play. Other tips you may find useful, is using a large A4 size tablet to read off of (Galaxy tab ultra S8 is perfect for music reading), then I've got a Bluetooth pedal to turn the pages. I hate dealing with physical paper so much, this has helped my organization and the "struggling to fit a few sheets at a time and flipping while playing"issue. I can also annotate them and erase cleanly without the paper getting uglier each time with my messy handwriting 😉. I also have my computer running an open source software which displays the chords, circle of fifths, etc. Highly recommend this workflow, especially now that I've been getting into better chord understanding, jazz etc. Hope some of this is helpful for you or others journey. Any questions feel free to ask!
Thanks for your review of these four apps. I have tried Piano Marvel, but got a little frustrated trying to get things working correctly on a laptop (tech is not my friend). I may try again with my cheap tablet. I have a high end hybrid digital (Kawai NV5S) so It hopefully won't be too difficult getting it hooked up. The one app I use is Sight Reading Factory. I do like SRF, but it does have some downsides. The samples are not very pianistic/musical, but I like that you can really drill into the parameters to really focus in on your level/goal (currently I'm focusing on Gb major...OMG...I never get the Cb correct). I also like being able to change the tempo. I READ SLOW and need a comfortable tempo so I can read correct rhythms in time (16th note passages are not my friend). One other things about SRF your students might find helpful is sight reading using the voice section. So if you go to the voice section of the app, you can choose up to four separate voice (SATB or a combo of up to four). Again you pick all your parameters and get to the practice samples, but now the student has to read multi clefs (ug!). Reading multi voice parts might be good for choral ed majors or composition majors as they are going to have to read multi line scores a great deal. The other upside to using the voice parts for keyboard reading is the AI samples created are a little more "musical" and have more natural voice leading lines. I personally only use two voice parts to practice (Soprano and Base), but that is hard enough!!! Anyway, thanks for your videos...I really do enjoy them!
Thanks for your comment! G-flat Major is SO tricky - you're totally right! 😂 That's very cool - I will check out the open score sight reading for my students!
From this video, I tried Piano Marvel (PM) again...I got hooked and use it everyday now. So much more enjoyable than SRF. BTW, do you know of any app that help notes reading on notes well above or below the grand staff. My sight reading has improved (somewhat), but its a very very very slow process. When it comes to reading notes on the fly that are at the ends of the keyboard, the reading just falls apart. I just need an Ipad app that can test well beyond the grand staff lines. Also interesting is the struggle when a score has 8va and 8vb...it can just throw me off (its odd how the brain gets easily confused with 8va, 8vb). Also, I have found that PM staff is good at responding to emails so customer support is refreshing (either on a piece that has an issue or technical issues).
holy cow, I thought that was you! I wish I had said hello. I was just at that conference in Chicago. I was the really tall beginner student who played fluttering leaves on the main stage with my teacher... Small world.
Thank you! This was very helpful. And I agree... most important is practice DAILY with sample pieces. that builds you abilities over time. Will check out the resources you recommend.
Did you ever do a video for Apps for Learning Note Reading? I'm 58 and have just started learning how to play 😅and learning how to read notes and I have been struggling. Thanks for any suggestions!
Thanks for your comment! I haven’t done a video specifically on apps for note reading yet, but that’s a great idea-I'll keep it in mind! In the meantime, I recommend apps like Tenuto or Note Rush, which are fantastic for beginners. Piano Marvel also teaches note reading. It introduces notes gradually through its structured lessons and includes interactive exercises to reinforce note-reading skills. The "Method" section guides you through reading music, while the "Technique" section focuses on improving proficiency. It’s a great tool for beginners to build confidence in reading music. Good luck!
Do you have videos for any online piano learning recommendations Professor Kate? Also like the way you explain piano topics and your sincere reviews on these apps. Thank you so much.
I haven't made any videos yet about online piano learning recommendations - thanks for the suggestion! Of the apps mentioned in this video, Piano Marvel has a comprehensive online learning curriculum that I think is good.
I have an acoustic so I’m not sure if Piano Marvel would be worth it for me. I have a series of books for sight reading and I also try to read and play a new song every day. I don’t get scored for how I do but I know I’m getting better with consistent practice with it. It’s more the old fashioned way and that’s ok with me
Well, it depends on what you're looking for. All four have pros and cons. Wish I could be more definitive, but I chose all four of these because I like them all. RCM is especially good if you are preparing for their exams. Sight Reading Factory is especially good for customizing an inexhaustible supply of material. Piano Marvel is especially good if you have a keyboard you can connect, to monitor exactly what you played and give you a score; and Read Ahead is especially good if you want to practice reading ahead and enhancing your short-term memory when you sight read.
I now have both Marvel and SRF. I just got Marvel last week after watching this video so I'm still getting used to it...I like that it tracks right/wrong notes and gives a score, but the tempos are hard and really focuses on the level you are at. My SASRS score is in the 600s and that's were I sit (slow improvement when you find your current score). I do like SRF cuz you can customize it and slow down the tempos on the exercises.
I have something to say about using AI to compose melodies for this sight-reading drills. This is for those studying music in universities,, academies, and conservatories. If you take classes in music theory, harmony, maybe a year of counterpoint, and solfeggio, you should be able to make up your own melodies with accompaniment. The need for AI will never be needed.
Looking for more resources? Watch this next: ua-cam.com/video/haCpQvM6Beg/v-deo.html
I think I’m going to grab all of these as I’m in prep for grad school. Thanks. Amazing video ❤
I'm glad this video was helpful to you! Good luck with your grad school preparations! 👏🏻
Thank you. This is actually what I need. My primary instrument is voice and I am pretty good with diction, and learning a vocal piece after hearing it. I have taken some piano lessons as a child and I would definitely like to improve my sight reading and sight sightsinging skills
Wonderful! Good luck!
Thank u. Will definitely try these apps to learn sight reading
"practice sight reading ten minutes for every one minute watching youtube about practice" harmonizes perfectly with your anecdote about 'just practice' at the end of the video- loved your call to action at the end of the video.
Haha! Right!! 😂
Piano Marvel is amazing.
I recommend piano marvel too. it's pretty cheap, the sight reading practice is really good, those contests are pretty fun and it all has a good way of making it more interesting by gamification. It's also got a lot of practices for things like chords, chord inversions and progressions. I do those every day in my practice and it's skyrocketed my progress. Same with sight reading practice. You can also upload your own exercises or songs which is what I'm gonna play more with. It's great when you get a solid routine in and then just sit down and practice it
Is "piano marvel" the full name of the app? I can't find it at the playstore.
They don't have as much compatibility with Android yet. Here's what I found on their website, but it's from 2020: "Support for Piano Marvel’s biggest features is available for Mac computers running OSX 10.9 or later, PC computers running Windows 8 or later, Chromebooks, iPad & iPhone devices running iOS 12 or later."
@shaunreich - I agree with you. Piano Marvel is definitely one of the absolute best apps for sight reading. It's very comprehensive. 100% recommend it! By the way can you provide a bit more details about your experience uploading your own exercises or songs? Do you need the teacher's account to be able to do so or you can do with the regular individual membership? Thanks.
@@gabrielmillien2145 Hi Gabriel, I haven't gotten around to uploading my own songs haha, I only tried it like a couple of times 😅. I'm not sure I find it necessary now that my skill level is higher, it ends up just being easier to read the sheet music and play. Other tips you may find useful, is using a large A4 size tablet to read off of (Galaxy tab ultra S8 is perfect for music reading), then I've got a Bluetooth pedal to turn the pages. I hate dealing with physical paper so much, this has helped my organization and the "struggling to fit a few sheets at a time and flipping while playing"issue. I can also annotate them and erase cleanly without the paper getting uglier each time with my messy handwriting 😉. I also have my computer running an open source software which displays the chords, circle of fifths, etc. Highly recommend this workflow, especially now that I've been getting into better chord understanding, jazz etc. Hope some of this is helpful for you or others journey. Any questions feel free to ask!
@@ThePianoProfKateBoyd if you have a samsung tablet you can treat it like a laptop by using piano marvel on chrome
Thanks for your review of these four apps. I have tried Piano Marvel, but got a little frustrated trying to get things working correctly on a laptop (tech is not my friend). I may try again with my cheap tablet. I have a high end hybrid digital (Kawai NV5S) so It hopefully won't be too difficult getting it hooked up. The one app I use is Sight Reading Factory. I do like SRF, but it does have some downsides. The samples are not very pianistic/musical, but I like that you can really drill into the parameters to really focus in on your level/goal (currently I'm focusing on Gb major...OMG...I never get the Cb correct). I also like being able to change the tempo. I READ SLOW and need a comfortable tempo so I can read correct rhythms in time (16th note passages are not my friend). One other things about SRF your students might find helpful is sight reading using the voice section. So if you go to the voice section of the app, you can choose up to four separate voice (SATB or a combo of up to four). Again you pick all your parameters and get to the practice samples, but now the student has to read multi clefs (ug!). Reading multi voice parts might be good for choral ed majors or composition majors as they are going to have to read multi line scores a great deal. The other upside to using the voice parts for keyboard reading is the AI samples created are a little more "musical" and have more natural voice leading lines. I personally only use two voice parts to practice (Soprano and Base), but that is hard enough!!! Anyway, thanks for your videos...I really do enjoy them!
Thanks for your comment! G-flat Major is SO tricky - you're totally right! 😂
That's very cool - I will check out the open score sight reading for my students!
From this video, I tried Piano Marvel (PM) again...I got hooked and use it everyday now. So much more enjoyable than SRF. BTW, do you know of any app that help notes reading on notes well above or below the grand staff. My sight reading has improved (somewhat), but its a very very very slow process. When it comes to reading notes on the fly that are at the ends of the keyboard, the reading just falls apart. I just need an Ipad app that can test well beyond the grand staff lines. Also interesting is the struggle when a score has 8va and 8vb...it can just throw me off (its odd how the brain gets easily confused with 8va, 8vb). Also, I have found that PM staff is good at responding to emails so customer support is refreshing (either on a piece that has an issue or technical issues).
holy cow, I thought that was you! I wish I had said hello. I was just at that conference in Chicago. I was the really tall beginner student who played fluttering leaves on the main stage with my teacher... Small world.
That's awesome! I remember you from the conference - great job! Next time let's say hello! 👋
Thank you! This was very helpful. And I agree... most important is practice DAILY with sample pieces. that builds you abilities over time. Will check out the resources you recommend.
Glad it was helpful! Enjoy!
What app would you recommend to practice while commuting?
I NEVER thought I’d use an app but piano marvel has been super helpful for sight reading and technique work.
Great to hear! I agree - I am very impressed with it!
Did you ever do a video for Apps for Learning Note Reading? I'm 58 and have just started learning how to play 😅and learning how to read notes and I have been struggling. Thanks for any suggestions!
Thanks for your comment! I haven’t done a video specifically on apps for note reading yet, but that’s a great idea-I'll keep it in mind! In the meantime, I recommend apps like Tenuto or Note Rush, which are fantastic for beginners. Piano Marvel also teaches note reading. It introduces notes gradually through its structured lessons and includes interactive exercises to reinforce note-reading skills. The "Method" section guides you through reading music, while the "Technique" section focuses on improving proficiency. It’s a great tool for beginners to build confidence in reading music. Good luck!
Merci beaucoup, I used Schäffer Opus 45, and I have to use it again since I stopped after about lesson 20.
Keep it up!
Great video. I just subscribed!
Awesome! Thank you!
Do you have videos for any online piano learning recommendations Professor Kate?
Also like the way you explain piano topics and your sincere reviews on these apps.
Thank you so much.
I haven't made any videos yet about online piano learning recommendations - thanks for the suggestion! Of the apps mentioned in this video, Piano Marvel has a comprehensive online learning curriculum that I think is good.
Thank you so much for your reply Professor Kate.
Looking forward to your review video.
What keyboard are you playing in that snippet from the pedigogy conference? I'm in LOVE!. I would never leave the room that contains it.
Fantastic
Thank you! Cheers!
I have an acoustic so I’m not sure if Piano Marvel would be worth it for me. I have a series of books for sight reading and I also try to read and play a new song every day. I don’t get scored for how I do but I know I’m getting better with consistent practice with it. It’s more the old fashioned way and that’s ok with me
Thanks for sharing - sounds like you have a system that works well for you!
Wich one is the best would you say dear prof ?
Well, it depends on what you're looking for. All four have pros and cons. Wish I could be more definitive, but I chose all four of these because I like them all.
RCM is especially good if you are preparing for their exams. Sight Reading Factory is especially good for customizing an inexhaustible supply of material. Piano Marvel is especially good if you have a keyboard you can connect, to monitor exactly what you played and give you a score; and Read Ahead is especially good if you want to practice reading ahead and enhancing your short-term memory when you sight read.
I now have both Marvel and SRF. I just got Marvel last week after watching this video so I'm still getting used to it...I like that it tracks right/wrong notes and gives a score, but the tempos are hard and really focuses on the level you are at. My SASRS score is in the 600s and that's were I sit (slow improvement when you find your current score). I do like SRF cuz you can customize it and slow down the tempos on the exercises.
Nice❤❤❤, have you tried also Sight Reading Studio?
Haven't heard of that one!
I have something to say about using AI to compose melodies for this sight-reading drills. This is for those studying music in universities,, academies, and conservatories. If you take classes in music theory, harmony, maybe a year of counterpoint, and solfeggio, you should be able to make up your own melodies with accompaniment. The need for AI will never be needed.
I wish sightreading factory detected your midi signals.
Me too! There is a section to make requests for future enhancement, but I don't know how much the developers look that the suggestions.