Music Speed Sight Reading - Part 2

Suggestions for  reading music faster when sight reading Pre-scan and analysis.

I. Preliminary Scan and Analysis

1. Scan the Time signature
2. Find the lowest common note value. the extreme values for the piece at hand. Also pay attention to the rythmical clusters or patterns. If any look complex, tackle those vulnerabilities right away. If you can successfully perform the rhythm of the written page, you'r sight reading battle. Sometimes you may have to approximate the feel of the rhythm until later you gain a more solid and sure. It is far better to guess and keep the pulse flowing than it is to stop and try and figure it out perfectly the first run through.

2. After checking the time signature proceed to investigate the key of the piece or tonality. By knowing the tonality we can better approximate where  our hands WON'T be playing. This comes from again as I said above, being able to play in all 24 keys without looking at the keyboard The key of the piece will help in our placement of of fingers over the keys. Take an inventory and mentally note what are the highest, and lowest notes  to be played in the piece. This is smart because you know you will never have to play lower than the lowest nor higher than the highest. (This goes for 1 above too, by knowing the longest and shortest values of all possible rhythmical variations presented by the piece we'll know by process of elimination the things that we WON'T have to play.

3. Next theory comes into play. You have to look at the melodic patterns, take mental note of their periodicity. (Mozart is highly predictable) Compare phrases and then identify the accompaniment figure represented usually by the left hand. Things typical of stage 3 here would be looking at the melody patterns to see any prevailing chordal patterns  We want later to put any such patterns we notice into as few amount of 'handfuls' as we can. Also during this point which I might remind you is very very brief, see if there are any significant areas that represent contrary, oblique, or parallel movement  that might assist us in correctly sight reading the piece.

4. Count a full measure for free to yourself before you actually play the first sound but after that first measure ...GO!

II. The Actual sight reading begins

1. Read all the notes in a pattern as a single unit, quickly taking advantage of any patterns we recognize as chord outlines or scale lines.

2. Place you fingers over the correct keys for each pattern or single unit or 'handful'. This is facilitated by our ever enduring love of scale practice, which we faithfully perform like an accompanist's mantra to the east 3 times daily.

3. Play the patterns using the fingers which are above the appropriate keys. Less hand movement the better and plus we know the highest and lowest points or range of where the handfuls will be played.

4. Constantly look forward in your music Heave Ho! yo! You look ahead for new patterns  and hand positions, so your mind has to think inside of itself. You have got to be able to multitask at this point. Just keep playing and also in your mind at the same time decipher this new part or pattern that you see is coming up. Don't panic, you can do it. You've got the power. I know you can do it!

5.There will never be enough time to get it right the first run through, so knowing that you can lighten up. There is never time to go back and start again for those unseeming fould mistakes that our hands just happened to stumble upon. Its not even necessary to try to be perfect, just close as possible is good enough for the first reading and if you happen to play it flawless the first time, congratulations, you are know a part of the elite group of folk I like to label speed music sight reading professionals. Please if you take one thing from these suggestions take this. DO NOT STOP To Correct mustakes.

6. Above all watch the music not your hands, the music has a way of playing itself, you are just the medium through which it travels.  thank you that concludes the suggestions for speed music sight reading power session  Ultimo Magic and training gift. I let you have it but if you want even more strange theory on this fascinating subject read on and dont forget to visit my sponsors. Sheetmusicplus.com and freescores.net and perhaps update your current inventory of music. You know you've been wanting to buy that now for a long time. Well here is your chance. Get that music and show everybody how you have become proficient in your skills and are nearing mastery of speed music sight reading.

&n