Comments on: New Discovery for Building Sight-Reading Skills

By: Monday Mailbag – Teaching Note Recognition « Music Lessons « MUSIC LESSONS

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:53:00 +0000

[...] Notes in the Fast Lane – these wonderful worksheets by Susan Paradis have become a staple in my studio. If you haven’t used them yet, do yourself and your students a favor and print off the whole set, make several copies, stick them in sheet protectors, and start using them! [...]

By: Jeannie

Jeannie — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:40:31 +0000

I am not a believer of “every good boy does fine” I use the Edna Mae Burham books “A Dozen A Day” which is finger exercises. The repeat of the notes of Middle C to G (treble clef) and the Middle C down to F (bass clef) in the Mini Book and the Preparatory Book teaches the notes. Each book then teaches more and more notes alsong with different rhythm patterns Also this book is great for ADHD kids because they can sit at the piano and “do” the physical exercise, then play it on the piano. The name of the exercises, with a picture of a stick person doing the exercise, is entertaining. When the students are finished with these 7 books of exercises, they know their notes and they are ready for the Hanon Exercises.

By: Cynthia Irion

Cynthia Irion — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 22:44:16 +0000

I have been doing lots of research on this subject. I would appreciate if you could participate on my blog too. I have been working with an optometrist and it has been very helpful. I have had incredible results!
Thanks (sightreadingpianomusic.blospot.com)

By: Gretchen Saathoff

Gretchen Saathoff — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:38:15 +0000

p.s. Another aspect of sightreading that I’ve found useful is comparison of an upcoming note to previous ones. Say, for example, you have C G D. Finding the D is easy when compared to C. The student’s visual field has to include more notes that way, and that is a good thing.

By: Gretchen Saathoff

Gretchen Saathoff — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 05:35:37 +0000

Natalie, I noticed your mention of intervallic recognition, too. My adult student, a beginner 6 yrs. ago, is progressing with that, which is a huge step up from figuring out the name of every note.

Great post!

By: Sean Jackson

Sean Jackson — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 01:44:42 +0000

Thanks for recommending these. It is interesting that you should point out the shortcomings of the flash cards. Very recently I was quite amazed to see how fluently one of my students handled the flash cards but yet when it came to reading a piece of music at or below his level the fluency was gone.

By: Kids Reading

Kids Reading — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:10:28 +0000

This is an interesting concept which seems to work with music. My interest in this is trying to teach kids to read. I may be able to apply the concept to some of the reading exercises.

By: Cori Brooks

Cori Brooks — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:59:32 +0000

Wow, I think I need to try that!