Hello and welcome back I'm Joseph Hoffman.
Today we're doing another sight reading challenge. Let's come to the piano to get started.
Let's start today with exercise 87 in the Sight Reading Trainer Book 1.
Which remember, you can download from our website so you can have your own
great collection of sight reading exercises to practice every day.
Let's go ahead and find 87 in your own book if you have that.
Otherwise you can look on your screen, and I'll have it up here as well,
and first step whenever we're doing a sight reading exercise
is to identify the clefts and the time signature. So what do you see?
We have a treble clef and bass clef for right hand left hand, and the time signature is what?
It's 3/4 so we will have 3 beats per measure.
Step two is to tap the rhythm while counting the beat out loud.
So I'm going to close my piano lid so I can tap on the lid. You can tap on your lab or on any flat surface
available, and we'll use right hand for tapping any notes up in the treble staff,
use the left hand to tap any notes down in the bass staff.
So remember we're going to count 3 beats per measure,
and we start with the right hand.
I'll count 3 beats and then we'll start.
1 2 3
1 2 3 1 2 3
If you don't feel successful you can always pause and try it again.
Otherwise, let's keep going to step three
which is to point to each note on the page identifying the steps, skips, and repeats.
Now sometimes the melody is going to skip down into the bass staff,
and so you can say like big skip down if you want, or you can name the interval down.
It's up to you. So I'd like you to pause the video and try this on your own.
Point to each note one at a time. Identify the steps, skips, and repeats.
Then press play we'll try it together.
Alright, let's say together. We start on middle C, then repeat, big skip down to the bass staff,
big skip back to middle C, step up, step up, skip down, or we could say down a third,
repeat, skip down a fourth, skip up a fourth, repeat, repeat.
Now for bonus points if you want to say the interval that's great practice too.
Now next step is to point to each note and say the letter names.
So pause the video again and I would like you to try that on your own, then press play
and I will tell you the correct answer.
Okay, the correct answer is C or middle C, C
G C D E C C G C C C
Now four steps five through seven, we need our piano so I'm going to open up my lid again.
and step five is to place your hand in the correct position on the piano.
How do we know where to go?
You have to look for the first note that each hand plays and find the finger number.
So, can you find the correct position for your right hand? Look at the first note and the first finger number.
Place your right hand in the correct position.
If you're placing your right hand here you're correct. Your finger 1 should be on middle C.
Left hand you find the first note which is G, bass G below middle C. Also finger 1.
So here's the correct position for your left hand.
Now we're ready for step six which is to play and sing the letter names.
Pause the video and try that on your own.
Play each note while you sing the letter names, then press play and we'll try it together.
Step six should sound like this:
C C G C D E
C C G C C C
If that's what it sounded like when you played it, great job. if not then
pause and you can go back and try and fix it.
Let's try step seven together.
This is to play and count the beat.
Actually no let's not do it together, I changed my mind. I'd like you to pause the video try it on your own.
More and more I want you to be independent,
which means you can figure these out without any help from me. So pause the video,
try counting the beat out loud while you play this exercise, then press play and we'll try it together.
Now let's try it together.
Count the beat out loud with me and we'll play it.
I'll count 3 beats and then we'll start.
1 2 3
1 2 3 1 2 3
Remember, one of the keys to great sight-reading is always looking ahead in the music.
So don't watch the note you're playing, try and look ahead so you're ready for it so there's no pausing
as you go. If you weren't able to play that exercise without a pause,
well then pause the video and try it some more on your own practicing counting with a steady beat and
always looking ahead to the next note so you can play without pause.
Now let's go on and try exercise 88.
Can you identify the clef and time signature for me?
I should say clefs.
Since we're in the grand staff we have a treble clef and a bass clef and what's the time signature?
It's 4/4, so we'll count 4 beats per measure. Let's go on to the next step which is tap
the rhythm while we count the beat. Remember your left hand will play any notes in the bass staff
which we don't get until the very last measure here. The right hand will tap any notes in the treble staff.
Now I want you to be on the lookout for rests. Remember, when you get to a rest
you lift your hand you won't tap.
Don't tap but you still have to count the beat.
Remember a rest gets a beat,
so the beat's there, there's just no rhythm to tap because a rest means silence.
So like in measure two we'll have 1 2 3 4. Just kind of lift your hand up when you see that rest.
Okay let's tap the rhythm for 88. I will count 4 beats and then we'll start.
1 2 3 4
Pause if you need more practice or if that went well let's go on to the next step.
Just point to each note on the page and tell me if the notes are stepping, skipping, or repeating.
This time if you see a skip let's go ahead and say the interval.
So start on the first note.
Now, pause the video and can you name all the steps, skips, and repeats on your own,
and then press play and we'll try it together.
Here's the correct answer. You can try saying it along with me if you like.
Start, step down, step down, step down, step down, repeat, skip up a fifth, down a fifth,
repeat, and there's a rest, repeat, skip down a fourth, repeat,
skip back up a fourth. Going from that middle C down to the G that's
a fourth. Going across the staff that's always a tricky interval to figure out
Now can you point and say the letter names? Pause the video and try it on your own.
I want you to be independent, so you're trying this on your own and then I'll give you the correct answer.
Let's try to say the correct letter names together. Say it along with me. We have:
G F E D C C rest G
C C rest C G G C
Great, now it's time to try to play it.
First of course we need to find our position.
the first note is G and it needs a finger 5.
Can you find the hand position placing your finger 5 on G.
If you place your hand here you're correct.
And for the left hand you need a finger 1
also on G but bass G below middle C. So you need your hand right here.
Now pause the video and see if you can play and sing the letter names by yourself,
then press play and we'll check your answer.
Okay, play along with me if you like I'm going to show you the correct answer.
You can listen or you can try play along. We'll start with G and I'll count 4 beats to get us started.
1 2 3 4
G F E D C C rest G
C C rest C G G C
Now the last step is play and count the beat one more time
to build your independence press pause and on your own try playing and counting the beat,
and then press play and we'll try it together.
Here's what it should sound like. You can play along with me or you can just listen.
I'll count 4 beats and then we'll start.
1 2 3 4
Remember, one of the keys to great sight-reading is keeping your eyes on the page
not your fingers. it's really tempting to look down at your fingers
to make sure they're doing the right thing, but you've got to trust your fingers.
Your eyes are guiding your fingers by keeping on the notes so you're always ready for the next note
or the next rest.
If you need more practice with this exercise feel free to press pause.
Otherwise, now it's time to just tell you on your own
please do two of these exercises from Sight Reading Trainer Book 1 every day.
Going through those steps,
and the more you do this the better a sight reader you will become
so eventually you can just open up any sheet of music
and be able to play it on your first try.
Nice work today with the sight reading challenge.
Happy practicing and see you next time!
Hi everyone! Mr. Hoffman asked me to give you one more sight reading challenge for you to try.
So, here it is! Good luck!