- An approach based on self-learning and recognition of rhythmic and melodic patterns. - Original tunes, rather than abstract sight-reading exercises. - 214 carefully graded pieces in a range of musical styles. - Eight sections ranging from open strings to 3rd position. - Each section concludes with a set of duets and accompanied pieces for practice of ensemble sight-reading. - Tunes progress towards all key signatures up to three sharps and flats. - Preliminary towards grade 5.
This book of pieces aims to establish good practice and provide an early introduction to the essential skill of sight-reading. In Part 1 the basic keys of C, G, F and D major and A and D minor are explored while keeping the movement limited to steps, skips and repeated notes in a 5-note range. In Part 2 students are encouraged to identify the key for themselves. Accidentals, dotted notes, simple ties and syncopations occur in the exercises. Intervals of 4ths and 5ths are also included.
Flute Sight-Reading 1 aims to establish good practice and provide an early introduction to the essential skill of sight-reading. Sight-reading in some form should become a regular part of a student's routine each time they get out the flute, and this book aims to establish the habit early in a student's learning process. There are 8 sections, which in a logical sequence gradually introduce new notes, rhythms, articulations, dynamics and Italian terms - much as you would find in a beginner's flute method. The emphasis is on providing idiomatic tunes and structures rather than sterile sight-reading exercises. Each section contains several solo examples, beginning with only three notes, and concludes with duets and accompanied pieces, allowing the student to gain experience of sight-reading within the context of ensemble playing.
A comprehensive supplement for classroom or studio in a unique format, Sight-Read It for Strings will develop consistent reading habits and improve sight-reading for violin, viola, cello and bass students. Using a non-sequential unit format, materials are flexible and can be individualized. Sight-Read It for Strings develops consistent reading habits by addressing: -Counting System -Identification of musical and non-musical cues -Identification of musical patterns -Awareness of the music page layout (the "road map") -Special reading issues not necessarily related to notes
(Misc). This method book teaches self-learning and recognition of rhythmic patterns through carefully graduated pieces in a range of styles. Includes teacher/student duets.
Here comes a book with really fresh ideas just at the right time. The two authors John Kember and Martin Beech are profound experts on guitar didactic problems. They present a compendium of pieces arranged in progressive order that is without equal. Due to the guitar's specific fingering, sight-reading is, by tradition, a real pain for all generations of guitar players. By cleverly splitting the learning steps, the two authors have succeeded in creating a consistent and practical concept of easy to medium difficulty. Most important approach: all pieces without fingerings! In combination with a textbook and selected accompanying literature, teachers and pupils will certainly greatly enjoy the exercises and pieces. This book will turn a budding guitarist into a mature musician!
(String). 195 carefully graded sight-reading pieces and exercises in a range of musical styles. Includes solos, duets and pieces with piano accompaniment. Suitable for beginning to advanced level students. "Both tenor and treble clefs are introduced in later chapters. Many tunes throughout the book have simple accompaniments, either for bass or piano. This is helpful, especially early on, to assure good rhythm and pitch, without playing the exact same tune as the sight reader." American String Teacher
First and foremost: THIS IS NOT A METHOD BOOK. It is precisely what it says it is: 300 Progressive Sight Reading Exercises! Volume One is comprised of 300 progressive eight-bar exercises that cover the keys of C Major, F Major, G Major, A Minor, D Minor and E Minor. Time signatures include 4/4 (Common Time), 3/4, 2/4, 6/8, and 2/2 (Cut Time). The remaining key signatures, additional time signatures, tempo markings and dynamics markings will be covered in future volumes. All of the exercises are eight measures long. If one has done any study of formal analysis, they will find that eight measures is a typical 'period' of music and usually contains two, four-bar phrases (also typical in length). For example, many sonatinas, jazz standards, and pop songs use "32 Bar Form" (A A B A), "Binary Form" (A B), and "Ternary Form" (A B A), with each section often being eight bars. Thus, eight measures (one period of music) makes the perfect length for sight-reading studies in my opinion. How to use this book: Start where the exercises begin and work across the book - from exercise 1, 5, 9, 13 and so on until you get to a point where the music challenges you and then mark your ending point. The next practice, play exercises 2, 6, 10, 14, and so on... The next: 3, 7, 11, 15 and so on, and finally 4, 8, 12, 16, and so on. If you want to work at your "break point" (the point in the book where you can no longer play musically), work DOWN the page instead of across the pages. Note: This book is also available in a LARGE PRINT version that for printing purposes had to be divided into two books. If you have poor vision or want this book to be easy to SEE on an electronic device, you might prefer the Large Print Version. "These books differ from conventional 'methods' in that technical and theoretical instructions have been omitted, in the belief that these are more appropriately left for the teacher to explain to the student." - Bela Bartok, Mikrokosmos. I whole-heartedly agree with Bartok's sentiment and if music teachers would ask their students what they like least (or hate the most) about typical lessons, it is the method books that win this contest EVERY TIME. I have completely eliminated method books from my own teaching practice and have much happier and more productive students than ever. While this book is intended to train sight-reading skills, it may also be used by beginners or those new to reading to acquire basic reading skills, but it assumes one either has a teacher or can at least find C on their instrument. It starts at a very basic level (only three notes) and adds a new note, rhythm, or concept every four exercises and thoroughly reinforces them throughout the rest of the book. Next, the music's composition is a slave to its function: The purpose of the books is to train reading skill, and the exercises keep challenging the range that has been established by previous exercises as well as less-than-convenient intervalic skips. They are composed from a 'music-first' perspective, as opposed to an 'instrument-first' perspective, and are purposely composed to be difficult to memorize. For example, the first exercises begin on C because they are in the key of C, and then go on to sometimes start and end on different scale degrees of the same key. Those familiar with the Fundamental Modes will likely recognize what they are hearing, but those unfamiliar with these modes will likely be hearing something that sounds a bit different, or odd, until their ears acclimate to these sounds. I see many students go through this process with altered dominants and augmented triads as well. Additionally, a 20th-century composition technique (Bartok, Stravinsky) - Serial Composition - has also been used on several of the pieces, so if your ears are unfamiliar with this type of music, you might at first be uncomfortable with what you are hearing.
