The ability to read a musical phrase at sight is considered invaluable by the vast majority of musicians.
- Sight-reading ability gives one access to the vast literature of published sheet music - Classical, Jazz, Contemporary and all other styles
- Musicians who can sight-read are much more likely to get work as session musicians, for recording and for live performance
- The ability to sight-read greatly speeds up one’s training as a musician because he or she is able to read examples, studies and exercises
Problems of Learning Sight-Reading
Traditional methods of learning to sight-read often require a teacher to spend long periods of time with the student, giving feedback and correction. The student is encouraged to practice sight-reading at home, but here he or she is deprived of the feedback of the teacher. Many students learn the piece they are reading through repetition, so that after a few times through, they are not really practicing reading anymore, but are playing the piece from memory.
Many misconceptions regarding sight-reading are prevalent, such as:
- it is “too difficult to learn”
- it “takes too much time”
- it is “only necessary for Classical Music”
However, many musicians who have a good sight-reading ability agree that the only secret to this skill is lots of practice.
Etude Sight Reader makes practice time much more productive and more enjoyable
How Etude Sight Reader Improves the Process of Learning Sight-Reading
- Both Note Recognition and Timing (rhythm) are addressed. All key signatures and accidentals are supported. In Note Mode, Etude Sight Reader will even adapt the time allowed for a note or chord dynamically in response to how quick the student is.
- The difficulty of the sight-reading material may be gradually increased from easy to more difficult. A single new note, rest, duration, accidental, or other element may be added at a time, resulting in a smooth increase of ability
- Etude Sight Reader provides instant feedback to the student about his playing, indicating correct and wrong notes and timing. This allows the student to practice more effectively without a teacher
- Etude Sight Reader forces playing “in time” to a metronome – one of the aspects of sight-reading discipline most frequently neglected
- Etude Sight Reader randomizes the musical material presented, to prevent students from “learning” the material by ear, rather than reading it on sight
- If you are a music teacher interested in creating your own lesson files, please consult the file "Etude Lesson File Spec" provided with the software or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.for information.