Brandon asked:


Hi! I’ve been playing the violin for about 2 and a half years and I’m pretty all right. The only thing I really lack confidence in is my sight reading. I have a really hard time sight reading music for some reason. I am able to play the piece when i practice but it’s hard for me to play it right there when someone gives a piece to me. Are there any tricks or websites that help to improve your sight reading for violin? Any scales or something on sheet music I can practice for sight reading. I take the suzuki method book and they have the fingering (example: 1, 2, 3) below the note which is what I usually use to read my music (unfortunately). Please help! Thanks!

sight reading music

Minna C asked:


it, I’m glad I’m getting started. I also play some basic guitar and VERY basic piano. Yet I can’t really read music, but I have quickly refreshed my mind over basics.

Ok, here’s the deal. Do you think I can be able to learn sight reading within a year?
A year, because I want to be able to make it to a singing group that you audition into, which is part of my school music program. Our school’s music program is VERY good, we went to Canergie Hall a few years ago, and this year in February and April for the Orchestra and singing groups.

A little about me, I’m very good with languages (a friend of mine says its like learning a language, and I’m proficient and top the class for Latin and French). Generally, I catch onto lessons quickly and have a good memory. I’m not so sure about music though; I’ve grown up around a Cantonese family which is a very tonal language (6 tones as opposed to Mandarin Chinese which has 4 tones).
When I do sing (and record myself), which is a bit rare (and never in front of my friends) I have good pitch.

For audition, you have to sing your scales and a piece of music (choose the key) then something where you see your sight-reading level (there are 15 total).

One of my friends who plays piano decently got 11 on the sight reading levels. What does this mean? Another one of my friends who is active in the music program got an 11 too.
Could anyone please expound on this? Does it take a lot of experience to get to that level, and I don’t understand how one is placed within a level.
I don’t know what that instructor looks for when she auditions the kids, but they all say that if you have an OK (not GOOD, but OK) voice but have good sight-reading abilities you’re likely to get in. I’m so nervous already, lol!
To sum it all up,
I’d like to get an idea about these “levels”
AND: suppose I intently study and focus on music all summer and throughout the school year- THEN by April could be good enough to reach a decent level?
Thanks to anyone who answers, I’m not learning all just to get in a prestigious singing group (though it would be nice if people could finally recognize me, lol!!) but so I can express myself like I’ve always wanted to. All my life I’d keep my thoughts pent up about me wanting to create beautiful music that makes people feel good.
I’ve always enjoyed many types of music- instrumental, and vocal too! (Most of my friends don’t, and when we attend the concerts they only talk about the boys performing! Oh brother! Hopefully they’ll see me up there and enjoy the music more!)

THANKS AGAIN!
((Sorry, I’ve written so much but before the first time I meant to say “I am signed up for vocal lessons this Tuesday, and it’ll be my first class. I’m so pumped for it, I’m glad I’m getting started.”)) Hope that clears everything up!!

How to Sight Read Music