Ben asked:


I am in my 3rd year at uni. I am doing composition, and I am doing well. Yet I am not exactly the best pianist on earth (I can read music, but I am a slow sight reader), and it takes me ages to get a piece right, unfortunately sometimes I lack motivation to learn a piece, so I just improvise. However, my lecturer says I am developing as a composer, and even he admits that he’s not the best viola player. My friend, who also composes, plays a few instruments, but admits she doesn’t play any of them really well. So, do you have to be a virtuoso musician in order to compose?

How to Sight Read Music

Terra asked:


so ive played the violin for.. 11 years? 12 maybe. lol a while. anyways im pretty good but my city’s orchestra is taking on new members in a couple months and i would like to try out. the thing is i havent played for the last 2-3 months and im rusty. i could use some work on my technique anyways. i need to work on bow control, overall tone, vibrato, and sight reading. i could probably fine tune more, but i cant think of anything else)
im willing to practice 2-3 hours a day. maybe more. (i’ll split it up so that its not 3 hours straight) but what should i do during my practice sessions? i cant afford lessons right now. i have some sheet music and a book of exercises. so do you have any advice?

Sight Reading Music

Lets play Russian Roulette asked:


Tomorrow i have to do a chair tryout and were playing excerpt from “El capitan”, a lot of scales, and their giving us a piece of music we’ve never seen before and were not sure what it is so we can sight read it. Im scared out of my mind because ive been practicing but don’t know how to play the piece and im even doing bad on the scales! I know im not a bad player [ive been playing for almost 6 years now] and only 2 other trombones can play them but they said they even struggle a little and their way good. So what can i do so i do decent tomorrow? [bands 1st hour btw lol]

thanks :]
lol i’ve been practicing since 4:30 and i STILL cant get it :[
Silverflute :: I didnt i started practicing 2 weeks ago when we got the music :/

how to sight read music

Tawlks asked:


I’ve been playing guitar for about 4 years and did my grade 6 in February, I want to do another grade and I’ve been told that there is only a very small difference between grades 7 and 8 and I’d rather not have to do two grades to get to 8, should I do grade 7 or 8 now?
I found the grade 6 songs very easy but the theory and sight reading a bit more difficult, I’ve since learnt alot more about the theory side of music and I’m doing A level music.

Sight Reading Music

Walking Contradiction asked:


Okay, in music at school we have these guitar booklets we have to work through and I really want to get to the next one. I’m great at actually playing the songs but when it comes to sight reading I’m stuck. How long does it take to be proficient at sight reading?? Is there a good and bad way to learn how to?

How to Sight Read Music