I love to sight-read!
…and yes, I can feel you groan as you read that! No one ever really taught me to sight-read, I just seemed to pick up the necessary skills, and my goodness, it’s probably the most useful musical skill of them all. I use it more than any other. Understandably, sight-reading isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and for many, it is prefaced by a sense of dread like no other. Sadly, I think sight-reading has got rather a bad name for itself, mainly because it’s something associated with music exams. Therefore, I think there is a distinction to be made between sight-reading, the thing we do every time we pick up a new, unseen piece of music, and sight-reading, the supporting test found in many graded exams.
In some respects, sight-reading isn’t a skill in itself, but rather, a collection of skills which come together to enable us to make an attempt to play unseen pieces in a way which makes them as close to what’s written as possible on first playing…what a mouthful! We talk a lot about reading music, and perhaps, at its most basic level, sight-reading is simply reading for the first time.
It’s always a privilege to review Paul Harris’ books, and his latest in the Improve Your Teaching! Series is How to Sight-Read, subtitled ‘the art and science behind developing sight-reading technique’. The book is broadly divided into four sections:
- Setting the scene: demystifying sight-reading
- Aspects of knowledge: the process of reading
- Developing sight-reading technique: understanding the ingredients, brain processing, pattern recognition, peripheral vision, and location awareness
- Practical matters: teaching and practising sight-reading, and sight-reading in exams.
One of the things I really liked about this book is that it draws on the expertise of those in fields beyond music, notably optometry. This recognises that the skills required to be an effective sight-reader are not musical alone.
Paul explores some of the myths behind sight-reading, why people can’t sight-read, and why it’s often neglected. He also emphasises the importance of developing the inner ear, and the value in being able to hear what’s on the page before a sound is made. He writes much about the importance of rhythmic reading and pattern recognition, and the way in which these, often hand in hand, provide a basic foundation for effective sight-reading. Music theory isn’t ignored, and highlighted alongside practical application, is the need for a thorough understanding of the notation on the page, and an ability to translate symbol into sound.
If sight-reading is something you’ve struggled with, either as student or a teacher, then this book is packed full of encouragement and down-to-earth, practical advice. Like me, Paul believes that everyone can sight-read, and that when approached in the right way, sight-reading is a skill which can be acquired and practised, even later in life, or later on a musicians’ journey. The book recognises that for many, sight-reading is stressful and challenging, and once again, I would say that exams, for many, have played a negative part in that.
Overall, the book is packed full of sensible down-to-earth advice, underpinned with experience of teaching at grass roots level. As ever, Paul’s books are inherently accessible and readable for teachers at all stages, and for even the most experienced, there’s still plenty to enjoy and learn from this book and the others in the series.
A ‘must’ addition to your bookshelves!
Published 18.7.24; revised 23.11.24.
[This post contains affiliate links]
How to Sight-Read by Paul Harris, is published by Faber Music, ISBN 9780571543076, RRP £10.99
I was sent a review copy of this book free of charge; however, this review is my honest opinion as a teacher. You can find my Reviews Policy here.
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