Nervous about the sight reading portion of an upcoming audition? Find out how to work sight reading practice into your routine in this guest post by Saddle Brook, NJ teacher Christian D...
“Be prepared to sight read.”
That dreaded requirement on all auditions that makes us all nervous. But the fact is, you shouldn’t be! Sight reading is a learned skill, just like everything else in music. Think of it as sight reading a passage from a book in front of an audience. With so many books available on the market today, it makes preparing even easier.
We all know that sight reading is one of the most important skills for any musician, but it can be particularly daunting when you’re preparing for an audition. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your sight reading preparation!
First, make sure you have a good working knowledge of the material. If you don’t know the music well enough, it will be much more difficult to read it quickly and accurately. Be sure to practice as much as possible so that the notes are ingrained in your memory.
Secondly, try to use different methods of practicing. If you just sit down with the music and try to read through it once or twice, you’re not going to be very successful.
So how do you prepare for sight reading at an audition? Keep reading to learn more.
What Are the Three Rules of Sight Reading?
Whether you’re hoping to practice sight reading for an audition or just because, there are three major rules you’ll want to follow:
- Concentrate on the music
- Look ahead
- Don’t stop
With that in mind, one of the best ways to practice sight reading is to work with your singing instructor. They’ll be able to give you the help you need to hone your craft!
Plus, you’ll learn skills like the ones you see in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDbAiaLR5Mw
What is the Sight Reading Process?
Sight reading is the ability to read and perform music without prior practice or familiarity with the piece. Many musicians develop this skill through years of practice and experience, but it can also be taught through specific sight reading exercises.
The sight reading process begins by looking at the music and understanding the basic structure of the piece. This includes identifying the key, tempo, and time signature. Once these basic elements have been understood, the performer can begin to look at the individual notes and create a mental image of how they should sound.
This process can be difficult at first, but with practice, it becomes easier and more intuitive. With enough practice, sight reading can become second nature, allowing musicians to quickly and easily perform new pieces of music.
How Do You Practice Sight Reading for an Audition?
If you’re planning to audition for a singing role, one of the best ways to prepare is by practicing sight reading. This involves looking at a piece of sheet music and trying to sing it without any prior preparation.
While it may seem daunting at first, sight reading is an essential skill for any singer hoping to land a professional gig. Here are a few tips to help you master this important skill:
- Start with simple melodies. Don’t try to tackle a complex piece of music right off the bat. Instead, start with something basic that you can easily memorize. This will help you get used to the process of sight reading and get a feel for how the notes correspond to your vocal range.
- Use a metronome. One of the most important aspects of sight reading is being able to keep a steady beat. Using a metronome will help you stay on tempo and avoid rushes or delays in your singing.
By following these tips, you’re sure to ace the audition!
How Do I Prepare? I Have Never Seen the Music Before
How Do I Prepare? I Have Never Seen the Music Before
First of all, stay calm! If you know you are going to have to sight read for an audition, go online or to your local music store and find a book of etudes or sight reading exercises at your playing level. It doesn’t even have to be for your instrument. Then, just like you practice your scales, you can practice sight reading. It is important to practice it regularly, just like everything else. For myself, I play one page a day, then put a hash mark on the top of the page to mark that I’ve done it. Then the next day, I play the next page. Often the books are long enough that by the time I get to the end of the book I have forgotten the first example, so I start the process over.
That being said, having a direct method of how to practice the sight reading examples is important, too. Practicing them like normal etudes defeats the purpose of sight reading. I treat each day like it’s an audition. I look at the key signature and time signature, identify the hardest sections, then set a reasonable tempo for myself if there is not a tempo indicated. If the tempo indicated is too fast, I choose a slower tempo, but still try to push myself to make it as realistic as possible.
If you do this every day, you will notice a dramatic increase in your ability to sight read. You will realize it is more an issue of relaxing and focusing rather than technical ability. This will also give you additional confidence when you actually have to sight read in an audition.
Selecting Your Sight Reading Material
Choosing sight reading material to practice with is also important. Even though any kind of sight reading practice is beneficial, you want to choose material appropriate for your situation to best prepare. Classical players should choose classically oriented etudes and pieces. Jazz players should choose jazz-oriented etudes and pieces. You don’t have to practice out of sight reading books, either. You can pick up any piece you haven’t studied extensively and treat it as sight reading practice. That means orchestral excerpts, solo repertoire, big band charts (scores are cheap), tunes, and anything else you can get your hands on is fair game.
I myself have multiple orchestral and solo repertoire books to practice from, as well as some big band charts. These are the most applicable for me, since sight reading is a required part of being a musician in the New York City area. I also use “Develop Sight Reading” by Gaston Dufresne, edited by Roger Voisin for classical sight-reading and an older version of “Modern Jazz Licks for Sight Reading” by Eddie Harris for jazz sight reading (both advanced level sight reading).
Why is Sight Reading So Hard?
Anyone who has ever tried to sight read music knows that it can be a difficult and frustrating task. There are a number of reasons why sight reading is so hard.
First, musical notation is an abstract system for representing sound.
This means that there is no one-to-one correspondence between the symbols on the page and the sounds that they represent. As a result,sight reading can be a challenge even for experienced musicians.
Second, sight reading requires the ability to process a large amount of information in a short period of time. The musician must not only identify the notes that are being played, but also interpret the rhythm and dynamics of the piece.
This can be taxing for even the most skilled player. Finally, many pieces of music are quite challenging, both technically and expressively. This can make sight reading an daunting task for even the most experienced musician. Despite these challenges, sight reading is an essential skill for any musician who wants to perform at a high level. With practice, anyone can learn to sight read with proficiency.
Sight Reading Music for an Audition: Not as Hard as You Think!
Many singers dread sight reading music for an audition, but it doesn’t have to be a difficult task.
By following a few simple tips, you can be well prepared for your audition. First, take some time to familiarize yourself with the sheet music. Second, identify the key of the song and the main melody.
Once you’ve done this, you can begin to sight read the music. Start by singing the melody slowly, then gradually increase your speed. Pay attention to the dynamics and tempo markings as you sing.
Finally, be sure to practice sight reading regularly so that it becomes second nature. Ask your singing instructor for tips on the best ways to do so.
By following these tips, you can be confident and prepared when it comes time to sight read music for your next audition.
So, relax, find some sight reading material, practice different material every day, and I guarantee your next sight reading audition will go much better!
Christian D. teaches saxophone, trombone, tuba, music theory, and more in Saddle Brook, NJ. He just completed his BM in Music Education and Saxophone Performance at SUNY Fredonia, and is now pursuing his Masters in Jazz performance at New Jersey City University. Learn more about Christian here!
Photo by Chris Walts
Suzy S.