Sight-Reading Tips for Musicians
I’ve grown to love sight-reading, so here are some of my favourite tips!
check your rhythms - count out, sing syllables, or sizzle the rhythms to internalize it a little before you play. Extra points if you can dance it out at the same time to ingrain some fun.
KEEP GOING
check for patterns like repeated sections, scales, arpeggios, etc - basically things you may already know or have heard earlier on in the music from other sections, or things from fundamentals in flute playing that you’ve already practiced outside of this moment.
KEEP GOING
check your surroundings: take a look at your key signature(s), time signature, accidentals that come up, any techniques you may or may not be familiar with (could range from extended techniques to a surprise trill - make sure you’re expecting them!), and make note of any moments you notice that might be a little more difficult so they’re not a surprise.
KEEP GOING
I’ve been asked a lot from my students about what priority should they take during sight-reading. My ranking may vary based on the situation in the moment, but it’s basically a “try not to sacrifice the things near the top of the list for things near the bottom of the list” - and I think this can also be applied to not just sight-reading, but learning something new (and fit in musicality and expression somewhere much higher on the list than tempo PLEASE)
Rhythms
Notes
Articulation and style
Dynamics and other details
Ornaments
…
…
!!!
Tempo
and above all, keep going.
If you’re looking for a flute teacher, wanting to try flute lessons, and/or want to build your sight-reading muscles or learn something new, I have space available in my online studio - I would love to work with you! Click here for more info on taking flute lessons with me, or click here to contact me!