Many pianist and players of the piano, both professional and amateur are good sight readers. They are the envy of those who are “not good sight readers”! This in itself is somewhat sad, as those who are less able at reading from sight, are often well equipped aurally, and can play by ear; other’s music, or they can improvise.

Those “super readers” may not improvise or play easily by ear. Some are good “all-rounders”:theres’s space for all of us…

Music is made up of many facets, and each one is wonderful in its own way. I was never very good at sight reading… I am still not the best sight reader: far from it!… but how do we compare? To what, and whom? To the likes of the late John Ogden, who could sight read complex sonatas in concert? To our piano teachers? I am now quite content that my sight reading is not as good as others: I can improvise better than plenty: I am me, as a person, and a musician… but, I got way better at sight reading than when I used to struggle in those grade exams! And do you know what? it has given me great pleasure, and helped my learning no end, so, while there may be folk who are quite, and rightfully content with their musical skills, there will be others who wish, for a variety of reasons, to improve their reading skills. Why not?!! Why struggle over something where it can be made easier? So, I have produced a few pages that can be downloaded for FREE, to help address some of the things that make sight reading (and indeed learning for many) difficult.

Once a few basics were “unlocked” for me, it was literally like opening a case full of secret instructions that could now be understood and applied! Piano notation requires a different skill from reading single line notation, (although some of the things applied to piano music can also greatly improve reading for all instrumentalists).

Struggling with reading comes from reading in the “wrong way” which almost hinders our ability to get things from the page, through our eyes, our brains and back out of our fingers again… I hope that some of the things in the pdf will help you too! 

Take a look at the tray of objects below for four seconds. Look away: can you remember all the objects? (If you can, your brain is already working on the right lines for improving your reading skills!) If not, take a look at the second tray of objects… again for four seconds. The chances are you will have remembered most if not all of the objects. Of course, you didn’t look at 12 random things, you saw four groups of three RELATED objects in each… THIS, is the way to help our brains when reading: to read in groups and patterns, and the download pages I have created have ways to help with this… (oh, and it’s actually interesting and quite fun too!!)

ps Do send me a message to let me know if it’s helping, or with any questions.