I do teach sight-reading as I teach the other skills. I find it’s a matter of breaking it down and working each component. As you say – key-signatures, time-signatures, intervals, rhythm patterns and so on. Each part can be practised and improved on its own and with other parts.
Some things I do with my (violin) pupils:
1. Away from the instrument (get used to engaging the brain before starting to play!):
- I ask them to tell me about the key signature, tonality, time signature, high notes, low notes, the shape of the melody, what’s the first note/last note…
- do they notice any accidentals
- clap the rhythm
- identify a bar or phrase that looks to be more difficult than the rest and consider how they are going to approach it
2. With the instrument
- sometimes after having done the above, and sometimes without having ‘prepared,’ I get them to sight read a short piece of music, then we go through and learn the piece so they see the things they missed and learn how to approach them for next time. Then we try another one…
- it’s fun to play along with a cd of pieces that are easier than your student would normally learn. This is a no-pressure way for them to get used to keeping going (as the cd doesn’t stop when they do!).
I find that since sight-reading is very much part of the lessons, and they get to hear themselves make music along with piano or cd accompaniment, sight-reading is not at all a scary thing for the pupils, but it’s all about making music. And good reading skills will only improve the experience. 🙂
Rhoda Barfoot is a violinist and experienced strings teacher and is Director of The Strings Family. Think of Rhoda as your personal shopper for the stringed instruments world! If you have a question about stringed instruments, music study or related topics, check with Ask Rhoda on The Strings Family website.