Which of these sight reading pitfalls can you relate to the most?? Timestamps 0:00 Intro 0:31 Pitfall #5 2:43 Pitfall #4 3:42 Pitfall #3 5:54 Pitfall #2 7:23 Pitfall #1 (Final)
#2 - my spacial awareness on the keyboard is weak. I memorize too easily and I have to stop reading the notes (to avoid the visual data stream interfering with the memory data stream) but then I start looking at my hands and that doesn't help me develop my spacial awareness.
One thing to add about sight reading and mistakes and going back to fix it. My piano teacher told me when I was rehearsing for a concert. (7yrs old at the time) "if you make a mistake. Don't fix it. If you stop and go back everyone will know. If you keep playing, they might not notice.. or may even believe it was part of the piece." But it holds true. Going back to fix something doesn't help. It freezes you and if you get into the habit of fixing a mistake.. when you play for people you'll realize you ruin the harmony by stopping and repeating or freezing and slowing down when you shouldn't.
I'm a stopper and a repeater...almost like I can't move forward. I also try to play pieces that are too hard. I also don't analyse the piece enough and end up reading note by note instead of really looking at the music and seeing that "that bar is the same as the another" and "that's a A minor chord" etc.
Great tips! Especially to just continue and not start again. I’ve noticed that it’s more difficult to work through an entire peace once you get into the habit of stopping by mistakes.
Jazer, thank you so much for your very clear, relaxed and helpful tutorials on UA-cam. Although I have a piano teacher I find your tutorials a fantastic way of being encouraged to correct my pitfalls and frustrations. Jazer, thank you for your natural ability to put across these concepts with ease.
Related to point 1 I find that proper analysis of new pieces builds faster recognition and understanding of theory which both help in sight reading. As a beginner my main issue is lack of interesting pieces below my level to practice with!
HAL LEONARD's "First 50 Classical Pieces" (or movie songs) will not let you down! MAXIMUM 4 notes at a time but it's mostly 2 or 3 notes at a time. ALSO, 'easy piano' "The Disney Songbook". For something slightly easier, go with John Schaum's "THE FOLK SONG BOOK" and "THE WALTZ BOOK" - all of the songs are quite beautiful and could be played for friends at a party.
1:17 agreed! In my experience, there’s also more of “wait i can play this way too?”. Learning different pieces with different styles and trying to play them as efficiently as I could really force me to position my fingers out of my comfort zone. Very rewarding imo
Thanks for the "looking ahead"...I realize when I'm doing that it makes the reading so satisfying, my pitfall is changing my concentration and zeroing in on the note I''m playing which just makes the whole thing fall apart...nice t hear someone talk about reading ahead as a concept. Again thanks.
Each note should be used as a reference for the next. This tip in particular is really helpful. Thanks. I also recommend reading the note intervalically rather than individually.
I purchased stacks and stacks of old sheet music from the 1800s all the way through the 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond and I have spent the last several years sight reading all of it as much as I can. Probably at least the last 5 years. I mostly used method ONE just trying to expose myself to as much diversity in style as possible. Only recently have I started switching over to method TWO which i find is serving me much better.
I really like that your videos hit on the things that students really have issues with, and help them to work on them themselves. I’m 63 years old and only started playing four years ago, but enjoy it so much. The fact that I have such a love for music allows me to make progress in so many areas, and it seems there is no end to things to study. Thank you for your efforts.
I studied piano for years and am getting back into it. I'm convinced had my teacher put more emphasis on sight reading it would have been much less frustrating. Now that I am getting back into it, I am trying to never look at my hands and am making progress faster. Your tips are helping too! Started recently trying to read ahead to be prepared and was pleasantly surprised when I heard your reference it in your video. I'm on the right track!
"Use each note as a reference for the next" is especially important to me! This seems to me to deserve its own pitfall. For me I would combine that with another suggested pitfall, "practice patiently/slowly playing blind, not looking at the keyboard, getting "the feel" of the notes/intervals". Another suggested pitfall, one which I am especially tortured, discouraged and exhausted by (such as with Sonatinas and especially even the easiest Bach Inventions and other Bach pieces), is "sight reading fingering". I can sight read level 3 pieces usually 80 or more percent without stopping, though I am only skilled at around a level 4, but if I try to get the fingering right, then...I am lucky if I can do level 2! Please say more about "not looking at the keyboard" and "sight reading fingering". ed
I have used an old hymn book which has really helped me to use each note as a reference to the next because the notes so often just went up one or two notes, so it was easy to get in the habit of playing based on referencing the notes.
Hi Jazer bhai, you are too good, using exceptionally correct words to express yourself with correct diction. It's a pleasure to hear you and listen to your music and of course your your fantastic music tips. Thanks and may God bless you abundantly. I have learnt a lot from your music tips, although I am a slow learner. Love and appreciation from India.
I can really relate too stopping and trying to do fix the notes too often. In fact, it really is difficult to keep going despite all the mistakes you're making
I like the points you made about 1. Not flying off the keyboard 2. Reading ahead 3. Looking at the piece for a couple min before actually starting it 4. Continuing even when you mess up Continuing when you mess up is one thing I’ really need to work on more
also it is a broken tonic triad in G major- then it changes to the broken subdominant 2nd inversion- back to your advice to learn music theory- totally support!
Excellent pointers! Truly helpful!!! When I wondered how to even sight read a sheet music, my second piano teacher actually told me to pick up any piece and start reading. I’m an instructional designer, and right away I felt I needed a new teacher. After several years of researching on UA-cam, and literature, I finally came up with four of the five pointers as Jazer organized. Oh my, how much I wish I could have found this channel sooner! Thank you. Thank you!
Your tips are completely relevant for learning instruments not related to the piano. I'm working on classical guitar and doing a lot of sight reading. But rather than read the name of the note, and translate the name of the note to a hand position, I associate the written note(s) directly with my hand position, and I can thus eliminate the intermediary step.
I love your videos. Everyday, during my practice, I work on finger exercises, sight reading, and learning new pieces. Right now I am focusing on reading ahead. I also practice everything slow and increase speed as I go.
Thank you very much, Jaser! I love your tutorial videos, you give your audience a huge amounts od very usefull tips and your piano learning experience! 👍🎼💥
Really great tips. I've been playing piano as just a hobby for over 20 years, but after stopping lessons when I was younger, I never really worked on my sight-reading, which is something I've always struggled with. I've always done the classic thing of trying to play pieces that are too difficult, then getting demotivated. After watching your videos, you've inspired me to work on my sight-reading again, in a more structured way! Thank you! Ps. Outliers is an awesome book! 😄
Should I write the letters on top of my notes to learn it better? I still got problems with this. Is it helpful as a right handed person to do things with the left hand in the daily routine?
I relate to pitfall no. 3 a lot when sight reading because I would interchangeably use both sight reading methods, with and without stops. This pitfall has never left me unfortunately, and I also have to get into the habit of relying on spatial awareness to be able to glue my eyes in the score most of the time, and work on quick analysis as well.
Hi Jazer you explained well and you speak well. I got you, practicing is not about recital therefore I must not stop since what is needed is skill technique and sight improvement . Often when I stop I’m lost to key identification so I need to count from c or f , more techniques for older beginner please . Wheww!
At the start of my journey finding the next note was always the problem+getting my right and left hand to play in co-ordination and in unison...but now I'm comfortable sight reading..still the hack you told us about breaking down difficult pieces was so helpful..I now apply this method regardless of the difficulty of the piece..great video...a lot of useful insights..thank you..🙏
The sight reading is the part I struggle with. I end up counting Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge etc..... I have to write the notes onto the music, I'm hoping to get the pattern eventually and wean myself off. I am a beginner, I started Jan 2022 with a teacher. I love learning it but the sight reading frustrates me
It takes time! And it's especially frustrating that our reading skills aren't yet to a level that allows us to play things we're really interested in playing. But try to be strict with yourself about not writing in the note names - or at least not many. It's painful in the beginning, but it will help you out in the long run:) I have a few videos about how to improve your reading on my channel, and also some "shorts" videos that can help you practice it, if you're interested. And Jazer has some really great videos about using chords in a way that sounds beautiful!
Where do you actually put your eyes when sight reading? Do you put them on the G Staff? Do you put them on the bass staff? Do you put them in between???
If I'm correct, these advices are addressed towards beginners? If so, I don't agree that they should try to play without stopping. I believe much better approach is to play as slowly as possible, but to be very mindful about your fingering, dynamics, each note that you playing etc. Only after you are able to play very slowly, but also confidently through the piece, you should try to play it without stopping in the faster tempos.
@@georgegividen Well yes, that is true, but still, even when you learn some piece so well that you have it in your muscle memory, you will still benefit from playing very slowly and mindfully.
What do you think of practicing by playing alongside a recording? For example, sightreading with Musescore and synthetic instruments playing with you. How does it compare with a metronome?
Great lesson, I’ve just started looking ahead because I was getting irritated by stop starts, I don’t know why this never occurred to me before it’s so sensible, also I love the key referencing thank you so much
Thank you very much for your sight reading tips and advices you 've given in previous videos. I find all very useful. I am back to playing the piano after a very long time. I am now 74 years old and am picking it up in retirement to keep my mind active. Maraming salamat sa iyo, hijo!
As an audition accompanist, tempo and feel are the only important things. Sight-reading a moderately difficult piece within this context usually yields no growth or even musical stimulation, but at least you gave the singer/instrumentalist the correct sound and feel they were looking for. So many times (especially with Sondheim or Jason Robert Brown) I feel I played like crap, lots of wrong notes, chords, rhythms, but I am praised because I kept the tempo and feel correct throughout and the focus was not really on me to begin with.
I don’t think this is wrong at all. Rhythm > Intonation only because the feeling is more important. However sight reading is definitely a skill that should be developed. It’s not your goal to only play in rhythm, but to also play correctly as well. Not to mention (maybe a little off topic), there are positions where it’s basically required to sight read in order to get by. But I do agree with your ideology of Tempo and feel being better than intonation as a simplified whole.
Jazzer...really helpful ... loved reading ahead and low hands...i have done film before this challenge so i suggest you minimize the jump cuts...i can deal with the real time frame as you are quite personable and the jump cuts give me a headache...thanks for all the good input though as i trust your knowlege.
When you begin piano, your focus is so tight you can’t imagine “looking ahead.” But as soon as you have learned three successive measures, you widen your gaze in the first measure as you play and take hold of the next. Soon, your focus is on a theme, a variation, a transition, a development, a recapitulation, each over several measures. Now you can look near ahead, far ahead, watch yourself play, check your timing, hear articulation, and listen intelligently as you play. Your fingers are fully under control. Your mind is everywhere at once.
I'm am so guilty of pitfall #3 thanks for the advice. Wow. I don't think I can read ahead. I usually just take it slow and one at a time. That's like when I tried to learn circular breathing.
Good sight-readers get the job! Very good sight-readers get a lot of jobs! It's either playing in the church, for a pop act, a small solo piano gig to seniors' house, working with soloists, recording piano/keys tracks, doing accompaniments, being a piano tutor, or even working as a musician on cruise ships. All these require good sight-reading skills. It's that simple!
In addition to these fantastic guidelines, I find my mind drifting and taken away by the beauty and emotions expressed by the piece I practice. What advise would you offer? Thank you greatly..
I tend to stop and start a lot. I’m thinking that metronome watch would be a big help because I find the repetitive ticking of more conventional metronomes gives me a terrible headache. Thanks for your great tips!
I have an automatic tendency to start and stop and it puts a barrier to me "not stopping" and my brain tells my fingers to fly off the keyboard and I lose my place constantly. So now I have analysed my weaknesses I can start to build up my piano strengths.
Best sight-reading practice I ever received was being an audition pianist- there is literally no way you can stop. Do you have any specific tips on how to practise music more effectively when you can sight read most things to about 80% and can’t be bothered to learn things properly?
Thanks for the nice tips! Just like many things we initially were beginners - skill level improves when spending enough and more time on something, and learning techniques like shown in this video - and visualising patterns for efficiency.
Starting Sight Reading with VERY Simple Pieces is the way to go it just gives a feeling of sucess as you said. And then VERY SLOWLY increasing difficulty. I hated Sight Reading in my first Year and now its kinda fun since i sight read very easy pieces to practice :)
So sight-reading is essentially analysing the relative pitch and patterns, not necessarily every single note, right? Because that's basically how we read words; we see a group of letters and analyse the context, allowing for a skim and scan effect
Hi! I've played piano a fair few years but I never taught myself to read sheet music because I'm self taught. I'm now learning to read sheet music by myself and I would like to know if you have any pieces you would recommend for someone who is learning? And whether, at my stage, you would recommend sight reading both hands at the same time or each one individually?
I’m a non-classically trained piano player. I’d just like hear the thoughts of classically trained pianists on lead sheets. I can’t read sheets to save my life but I find that I’m pretty decent at reading chords even complexe extended chords. I would like to learn to read sheets in the future but not sure if I should suffice with lead sheets. I don’t really play classical music.
One question: How about the fingering? Do I figure it out before starting to practice sight reading on a certain piece, or does it kind of "evolve" in practicing? I am thinking here about the "muscle memory". I am a bit worried that my fingerings on a piece might differ too much from day to day - what might make it more difficult to get stable on a certain fingering.
Scales bro i have the exact worry which is why i started doing alfreds music theory which is like worksheet for sheet music as well as lessons which don’t require to actually play the piano to learn and then ill run through scales everyday both hands until im fluid with it im literally doing this rn so idk how well is helps in the long run but ive deduced that scales ultimately give u the correct fingering and definitely are major part that’s necessary in progressing out of being a beginner but thats just me
I find it very difficult to read notes above and below the lines. I have to count them up down from c. Can you give tips on how to read higher and lower notes quicker ????
I think new learners should get into sight reading right away even if it's super simple. And like you said not reading enough is one of the biggest pitfalls I've seen.
Enjoying your channel truly! Would you please introduce us the different techniques of touching the keys, fingers? As a adult beginner I struggle at relaxing my fingers, wrists and arms. Knowing that I need to relax but unable to do it. Are there any exercises for me to get there? Why it is so important to relax while playing btw? Many thanks 🙏
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Which of these sight reading pitfalls can you relate to the most??
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:31 Pitfall #5
2:43 Pitfall #4
3:42 Pitfall #3
5:54 Pitfall #2
7:23 Pitfall #1 (Final)
I’m a stopper 😅
Pitfall #3 is very hard to overcome.
#2 - my spacial awareness on the keyboard is weak. I memorize too easily and I have to stop reading the notes (to avoid the visual data stream interfering with the memory data stream) but then I start looking at my hands and that doesn't help me develop my spacial awareness.
Me, i used to watch my piece on youtube with the audio and sheet on the screen
Is it a good practice ?
3
When something is difficult or frustrating it is only natural to avoid it. "Do lots of sight-reading" is the only way to learn to sight-read!
Just ordered my first piano yesterday, so excited to try these tips and techniques of yours. You're the best, thank you Jazer.
Thank you Thanh for the kind words. We hope your piano purchase goes well and that you enjoy learning to play through my videos!
One thing to add about sight reading and mistakes and going back to fix it.
My piano teacher told me when I was rehearsing for a concert. (7yrs old at the time) "if you make a mistake. Don't fix it. If you stop and go back everyone will know. If you keep playing, they might not notice.. or may even believe it was part of the piece."
But it holds true. Going back to fix something doesn't help. It freezes you and if you get into the habit of fixing a mistake.. when you play for people you'll realize you ruin the harmony by stopping and repeating or freezing and slowing down when you shouldn't.
I'm a stopper and a repeater...almost like I can't move forward. I also try to play pieces that are too hard. I also don't analyse the piece enough and end up reading note by note instead of really looking at the music and seeing that "that bar is the same as the another" and "that's a A minor chord" etc.
I have watched countless authors of videos for beginning pianists, and simply, you are the best. Thank you.
Great tips! Especially to just continue and not start again. I’ve noticed that it’s more difficult to work through an entire peace once you get into the habit of stopping by mistakes.
Jazer, thank you so much for your very clear, relaxed and helpful tutorials on UA-cam. Although I have a piano teacher I find your tutorials a fantastic way of being encouraged to correct my pitfalls and frustrations. Jazer, thank you for your natural ability to put across these concepts with ease.
Related to point 1 I find that proper analysis of new pieces builds faster recognition and understanding of theory which both help in sight reading.
As a beginner my main issue is lack of interesting pieces below my level to practice with!
HAL LEONARD's "First 50 Classical Pieces" (or movie songs) will not let you down! MAXIMUM 4 notes at a time but it's mostly 2 or 3 notes at a time. ALSO, 'easy piano' "The Disney Songbook". For something slightly easier, go with John Schaum's "THE FOLK SONG BOOK" and "THE WALTZ BOOK" - all of the songs are quite beautiful and could be played for friends at a party.
"you simply just must move forward" so true!! thanks for sharing!
1:17 agreed! In my experience, there’s also more of “wait i can play this way too?”. Learning different pieces with different styles and trying to play them as efficiently as I could really force me to position my fingers out of my comfort zone. Very rewarding imo
Thanks for the "looking ahead"...I realize when
I'm doing that it makes the reading so satisfying, my pitfall is changing my concentration and zeroing in on the note I''m playing which just makes the whole thing fall apart...nice t hear someone talk about reading ahead as a concept. Again thanks.
You are a fantastic teacher...I started piano at ten until sixteen...taking it back up at 74💕
Each note should be used as a reference for the next. This tip in particular is really helpful. Thanks. I also recommend reading the note intervalically rather than individually.
Your videos feel like having a personal tutor Jazer.
Thanks!
I love your content about sight reading, there is not much information in UA-cam about it. Great video as always :D
There is plenty of UA-cam content on sight reading. Manu Fonsny has devoted her entire channel to nothing but, for example.
I purchased stacks and stacks of old sheet music from the 1800s all the way through the 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond and I have spent the last several years sight reading all of it as much as I can. Probably at least the last 5 years. I mostly used method ONE just trying to expose myself to as much diversity in style as possible. Only recently have I started switching over to method TWO which i find is serving me much better.
I really like that your videos hit on the things that students really have issues with, and help them to work on them themselves. I’m 63 years old and only started playing four years ago, but enjoy it so much. The fact that I have such a love for music allows me to make progress in so many areas, and it seems there is no end to things to study. Thank you for your efforts.
I studied piano for years and am getting back into it. I'm convinced had my teacher put more emphasis on sight reading it would have been much less frustrating. Now that I am getting back into it, I am trying to never look at my hands and am making progress faster. Your tips are helping too! Started recently trying to read ahead to be prepared and was pleasantly surprised when I heard your reference it in your video. I'm on the right track!
Jazer, great video. I make all the mistakes you've mentioned, but I'm slowly improving. Reading ahead ... if only I got into that habit
"Use each note as a reference for the next" is especially important to me! This seems to me to deserve its own pitfall. For me I would combine that with another suggested pitfall, "practice patiently/slowly playing blind, not looking at the keyboard, getting "the feel" of the notes/intervals".
Another suggested pitfall, one which I am especially tortured, discouraged and exhausted by (such as with Sonatinas and especially even the easiest Bach Inventions and other Bach pieces), is "sight reading fingering".
I can sight read level 3 pieces usually 80 or more percent without stopping, though I am only skilled at around a level 4, but if I try to get the fingering right, then...I am lucky if I can do level 2!
Please say more about "not looking at the keyboard" and "sight reading fingering".
ed
I have used an old hymn book which has really helped me to use each note as a reference to the next because the notes so often just went up one or two notes, so it was easy to get in the habit of playing based on referencing the notes.
Hi Jazer bhai, you are too good, using exceptionally correct words to express yourself with correct diction. It's a pleasure to hear you and listen to your music and of course your your fantastic music tips. Thanks and may God bless you abundantly. I have learnt a lot from your music tips, although I am a slow learner. Love and appreciation from India.
I decided to spend the pandemic finally learning to sight read. I force myself to do 3-10 new songs every day. Its getting much easier with time.
I can really relate too stopping and trying to do fix the notes too often. In fact, it really is difficult to keep going despite all the mistakes you're making
Amen to all of these! I would also add KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE MUSIC.
when my friend is driving and starts to look at his phone instead of looking at the road 7:55 8:17, great lesson btw, thanks!
Again... You tell what I need to know and you are at the point of our pitfalls...
You are gorgeous.. thank you 🌷🌷
I like the points you made about
1. Not flying off the keyboard
2. Reading ahead
3. Looking at the piece for a couple min before actually starting it
4. Continuing even when you mess up
Continuing when you mess up is one thing I’ really need to work on more
also it is a broken tonic triad in G major- then it changes to the broken subdominant 2nd inversion- back to your advice to learn music theory- totally support!
thank you so much for giving these lessons for free
Love that you made “mistakes” with tip #3. It still sounds great. 😂
I love how you demonstrated 'looking ahead' rhetorically at 7:55 xD
Excellent pointers! Truly helpful!!! When I wondered how to even sight read a sheet music, my second piano teacher actually told me to pick up any piece and start reading. I’m an instructional designer, and right away I felt I needed a new teacher. After several years of researching on UA-cam, and literature, I finally came up with four of the five pointers as Jazer organized. Oh my, how much I wish I could have found this channel sooner! Thank you. Thank you!
Everything you do is simply awesome! From the way you record, communicate on camera and obviously share your craft. Thank you
I’ve got a Roland FP-30 on law away gonna learn at 42 I’m also learning a couple other instruments too
Your tips are completely relevant for learning instruments not related to the piano. I'm working on classical guitar and doing a lot of sight reading. But rather than read the name of the note, and translate the name of the note to a hand position, I associate the written note(s) directly with my hand position, and I can thus eliminate the intermediary step.
Your videos provide a lot of value. Thank you!
My pleasure!
Amazing teaching and amazing teacher you are 👍👍👍
I love your videos. Everyday, during my practice, I work on finger exercises, sight reading, and learning new pieces. Right now I am focusing on reading ahead. I also practice everything slow and increase speed as I go.
I relate to all of these pitfalls. Thanks for a very accurate video
Thank you very much, Jaser! I love your tutorial videos, you give your audience a huge amounts od very usefull tips and your piano learning experience! 👍🎼💥
Really great tips. I've been playing piano as just a hobby for over 20 years, but after stopping lessons when I was younger, I never really worked on my sight-reading, which is something I've always struggled with. I've always done the classic thing of trying to play pieces that are too difficult, then getting demotivated. After watching your videos, you've inspired me to work on my sight-reading again, in a more structured way! Thank you! Ps. Outliers is an awesome book! 😄
Should I write the letters on top of my notes to learn it better? I still got problems with this. Is it helpful as a right handed person to do things with the left hand in the daily routine?
Those are all great, great tips! You are the best piano teacher!
Grazie per il tuo lavoro, sei un grande
I relate to pitfall no. 3 a lot when sight reading because I would interchangeably use both sight reading methods, with and without stops. This pitfall has never left me unfortunately, and I also have to get into the habit of relying on spatial awareness to be able to glue my eyes in the score most of the time, and work on quick analysis as well.
Hi Jazer you explained well and you speak well. I got you, practicing is not about recital therefore I must not stop since what is needed is skill technique and sight improvement . Often when I stop I’m lost to key identification so I need to count from c or f , more techniques for older beginner please . Wheww!
At the start of my journey finding the next note was always the problem+getting my right and left hand to play in co-ordination and in unison...but now I'm comfortable sight reading..still the hack you told us about breaking down difficult pieces was so helpful..I now apply this method regardless of the difficulty of the piece..great video...a lot of useful insights..thank you..🙏
The sight reading is the part I struggle with. I end up counting Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge etc..... I have to write the notes onto the music, I'm hoping to get the pattern eventually and wean myself off. I am a beginner, I started Jan 2022 with a teacher. I love learning it but the sight reading frustrates me
It takes time! And it's especially frustrating that our reading skills aren't yet to a level that allows us to play things we're really interested in playing. But try to be strict with yourself about not writing in the note names - or at least not many. It's painful in the beginning, but it will help you out in the long run:) I have a few videos about how to improve your reading on my channel, and also some "shorts" videos that can help you practice it, if you're interested. And Jazer has some really great videos about using chords in a way that sounds beautiful!
Thanks, Lee this encouraged me especially number 4.
tks again. great tips n learning skills. can't thank you enough
Please make a video on how to read ahead. This is my number 1 problem with sightreading
Where do you actually put your eyes when sight reading? Do you put them on the G Staff? Do you put them on the bass staff? Do you put them in between???
I don't really get this either. I try to look at the treble cleff and end up missing the bass!
If I'm correct, these advices are addressed towards beginners? If so, I don't agree that they should try to play without stopping. I believe much better approach is to play as slowly as possible, but to be very mindful about your fingering, dynamics, each note that you playing etc. Only after you are able to play very slowly, but also confidently through the piece, you should try to play it without stopping in the faster tempos.
That makes a lot of sense to me
The way I've always heard it is to play at the speed of no mistakes.
@@georgegividen Well yes, that is true, but still, even when you learn some piece so well that you have it in your muscle memory, you will still benefit from playing very slowly and mindfully.
Great tips. What about left and right line what is your recommendation just like read ahead. Thanks
As a terrible sight-reader, I say thank you sir. I'll implement this on my playing journey.
Greetings from the republic of Ireland....great video mate.!!
Your videos are very refreshing!
What do you think of practicing by playing alongside a recording? For example, sightreading with Musescore and synthetic instruments playing with you.
How does it compare with a metronome?
Good information for a student just beginning, hopefully before I fall into the pit!
This lecture is definitely helpful to all piano students!!! Thank you.
Great lesson, I’ve just started looking ahead because I was getting irritated by stop starts, I don’t know why this never occurred to me before it’s so sensible, also I love the key referencing thank you so much
Thank you very much for your sight reading tips and advices you 've given in previous videos. I find all very useful. I am back to playing the piano after a very long time. I am now 74 years old and am picking it up in retirement to keep my mind active. Maraming salamat sa iyo, hijo!
As an audition accompanist, tempo and feel are the only important things. Sight-reading a moderately difficult piece within this context usually yields no growth or even musical stimulation, but at least you gave the singer/instrumentalist the correct sound and feel they were looking for. So many times (especially with Sondheim or Jason Robert Brown) I feel I played like crap, lots of wrong notes, chords, rhythms, but I am praised because I kept the tempo and feel correct throughout and the focus was not really on me to begin with.
I don’t think this is wrong at all.
Rhythm > Intonation only because the feeling is more important.
However sight reading is definitely a skill that should be developed. It’s not your goal to only play in rhythm, but to also play correctly as well. Not to mention (maybe a little off topic), there are positions where it’s basically required to sight read in order to get by. But I do agree with your ideology of Tempo and feel being better than intonation as a simplified whole.
hi Jazer, l am getting a habit of rewatching your videos whenever there are valuable tips inside. Thanks again !
Definitely relating position of my fingers to the next note and reading ahead.
Thank you Jazer. You are such a great teacher.
Jazzer...really helpful ... loved reading ahead and low hands...i have done film before this challenge so i suggest you minimize the jump cuts...i can deal with the real time frame as you are quite personable and the jump cuts give me a headache...thanks for all the good input though as i trust your knowlege.
When you begin piano, your focus is so tight you can’t imagine “looking ahead.” But as soon as you have learned three successive measures, you widen your gaze in the first measure as you play and take hold of the next. Soon, your focus is on a theme, a variation, a transition, a development, a recapitulation, each over several measures. Now you can look near ahead, far ahead, watch yourself play, check your timing, hear articulation, and listen intelligently as you play. Your fingers are fully under control. Your mind is everywhere at once.
I'm am so guilty of pitfall #3 thanks for the advice.
Wow. I don't think I can read ahead. I usually just take it slow and one at a time. That's like when I tried to learn circular breathing.
You are a super teacher Jazer!
Hello from Coles Bay Tasmania
Good sight-readers get the job! Very good sight-readers get a lot of jobs! It's either playing in the church, for a pop act, a small solo piano gig to seniors' house, working with soloists, recording piano/keys tracks, doing accompaniments, being a piano tutor, or even working as a musician on cruise ships. All these require good sight-reading skills. It's that simple!
Great tips - pretty much broken all of those rules! Thank you, Jazer. Keep up the good work
In addition to these fantastic guidelines, I find my mind drifting and taken away by the beauty and emotions expressed by the piece I practice. What advise would you offer?
Thank you greatly..
Your lessons are v v v good…clear and inspiring
I tend to stop and start a lot. I’m thinking that metronome watch would be a big help because I find the repetitive ticking of more conventional metronomes gives me a terrible headache. Thanks for your great tips!
Hey Jazer, can you please make a video on how to avoid a bad arpeggio form and how to practice?
Thank you for all your amazing tips...Glad I found your channel🙂
I have an automatic tendency to start and stop and it puts a barrier to me "not stopping" and my brain tells my fingers to fly off the keyboard and I lose my place constantly.
So now I have analysed my weaknesses I can start to build up my piano strengths.
Best sight-reading practice I ever received was being an audition pianist- there is literally no way you can stop. Do you have any specific tips on how to practise music more effectively when you can sight read most things to about 80% and can’t be bothered to learn things properly?
Thanks for the nice tips! Just like many things we initially were beginners - skill level improves when spending enough and more time on something, and learning techniques like shown in this video - and visualising patterns for efficiency.
Starting Sight Reading with VERY Simple Pieces is the way to go it just gives a feeling of sucess as you said. And then VERY SLOWLY increasing difficulty. I hated Sight Reading in my first Year and now its kinda fun since i sight read very easy pieces to practice :)
Lots of love from INDIA...💕
Loved this episode ❤️ thanks for your insights.
So sight-reading is essentially analysing the relative pitch and patterns, not necessarily every single note, right? Because that's basically how we read words; we see a group of letters and analyse the context, allowing for a skim and scan effect
Lol I'm dumb
Thanks for your teaching
Hi! I've played piano a fair few years but I never taught myself to read sheet music because I'm self taught. I'm now learning to read sheet music by myself and I would like to know if you have any pieces you would recommend for someone who is learning? And whether, at my stage, you would recommend sight reading both hands at the same time or each one individually?
try sheet reading twinkle twinkle little star
I recommend both hands
Hi Jazer. Could you make a tutorial on various whamping styles on the piano?
I’m a non-classically trained piano player. I’d just like hear the thoughts of classically trained pianists on lead sheets.
I can’t read sheets to save my life but I find that I’m pretty decent at reading chords even complexe extended chords.
I would like to learn to read sheets in the future but not sure if I should suffice with lead sheets. I don’t really play classical music.
Very helpful tips!
All of these videos are so helpful to me as it helps me know what I’m doing right and what I’m doing wrong. Nice work.
One question: How about the fingering? Do I figure it out before starting to practice sight reading on a certain piece, or does it kind of "evolve" in practicing? I am thinking here about the "muscle memory". I am a bit worried that my fingerings on a piece might differ too much from day to day - what might make it more difficult to get stable on a certain fingering.
you have to know scales very well and practice a lot of runs up and down
Often pieces will have suggested fingering. I'd suggest analysing any piece before playing it and define your own where needed.
I think sheets with good edittings will put fingering where neccessary, everything else will be intuitive
Thanks for your answers. So i should still stick to a certain fingering.
Scales bro i have the exact worry which is why i started doing alfreds music theory which is like worksheet for sheet music as well as lessons which don’t require to actually play the piano to learn and then ill run through scales everyday both hands until im fluid with it im literally doing this rn so idk how well is helps in the long run but ive deduced that scales ultimately give u the correct fingering and definitely are major part that’s necessary in progressing out of being a beginner but thats just me
I practice Opus 25 No 11(Winterwind) even it is way too hard.
But it improve my sightreading really much
I find it very difficult to read notes above and below the lines. I have to count them up down from c. Can you give tips on how to read higher and lower notes quicker ????
Thanks Jazer often stop when sight reading and don't look forward enough so some points to take in there
David
Great advices! Tysm, love the piece as well.
*VERY* helpful! Thank you!
I think new learners should get into sight reading right away even if it's super simple. And like you said not reading enough is one of the biggest pitfalls I've seen.
Useful video, your videos are in my journey as a beginner on the piano (and I guess a lot of other people).
Enjoying your channel truly!
Would you please introduce us the different techniques of touching the keys, fingers? As a adult beginner I struggle at relaxing my fingers, wrists and arms. Knowing that I need to relax but unable to do it. Are there any exercises for me to get there? Why it is so important to relax while playing btw?
Many thanks 🙏