8 Sight Reading Tips To Put Into Practice
“Sight reading.” Those two words have given me anxiety more times than I can count. It’s times like these when I have to decide if I’m going to sight read a piece of sheet music like a boss or curl up under my music stand in the fetal position.
Whether you’re a session bass guitar player working with a new artist or a high school student trying to pass your district audition, let’s look at some sight reading tips you can put into practice to nail your part when the time comes.
8 Sight Reading Tips To Put Into Practice
- Use a writing utensil.
- Look at the form of the song.
- Identify the key signature and key changes.
- Look for cue notes and use your ears.
- Check for tempo changes.
- Look for accidentals.
- Search for complex rhythms and interval jumps.
- Identify the time signature and time signature changes.
1. Use a writing utensil.
If you don’t read anything else in this post, then at least hear me out on this: please have a #2 pencil handy. Second to your instrument, a pencil can be the most crucial tool in your arsenal!
Key change approaching? No worries, because you’ve got a big circle surrounding the new key signature. D.S. al Coda coming up? Piece of cake, because the gigantic arrow you’ve drawn has already made you mentally prepared to jump back to the designated measure.
2. Look at the form of the song.
Repeat signs. Codas. Verses, choruses, and bridges. Scan your music for these to successfully navigate through a song and keep you from derailing.
3. Identify the key signature and key changes.
This will be KEY to your success (sorry – had to). Look at measure #1 (or the top of your chord chart) and identify the key. Once you’ve done this, play through some pentatonic and major scales in the song’s key to drill it into your head. And be sure to look out for key changes throughout the piece as well.
4. Look for cue notes and use your ears.
Song arrangers will often place cue notes in a piece of sheet music to identify important parts played by another instrument. They are typically drawn smaller than the other notes in the notation with the identified instrument name either above or below the staff.
Cue notes are great visual and aural aids, and they come in handy when you have an extended period of rest. For example, you have 50 measures of rest. Rather than marking the full 50 measures, arrangers will often mark, let’s say, 48 measures of rest followed by an important theme played by the guitarist for the last two measures. Watch the guitarist or listen for them to enter (or both if you have the option) during a performance. Then, even if you get lost counting your measures of rest, you’ll know when to come in. This is one of my favorite music hacks!
If an arranger is feeling exceptionally generous, they will also include vocal cues written above or below the music staff.
5. Check for tempo changes.
Look at the beginning of the piece to check for BPM and feel of the song. Then scan the rest of the piece for any changes to the tempo and/or groove.
6. Look for accidentals.
Not every tune is played diatonically. Accidentals are common, especially when a measure contains secondary dominant chords, chromatically altered chords or key change transitions.
When these sharps, flats, and naturals jump out at you, make sure to circle them to mentally prepare to shift outside the key of the song.
7. Search for complex rhythms and interval jumps.
A string of sixteenth notes or a complex rhythm can be intimidating, but if you have time you can break down these difficult passages.
Examine the intervals and their relationships – are there any extreme jumps?
How about the motion of the notes? Do they diatonically ascend/descend? Do they hop up and down in thirds? Think in terms of “1 e & a” to count out complex rhythms.
8. Identify the time signature and time signature changes.
Like checking key signatures, always be on the lookout for the established time signature and if there are any time signature changes throughout.
Let’s face it: sight reading is hard, but when we improve our chops we become faster learning, highly adaptable musicians who have no fear of the unknown. I hope you’ll use these tips to tackle an unfamiliar tune on the spot during your next competition, session, or audition.
As always, thanks for reading! Leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or questions.
