What’s the one piano playing skill that will enhance your enjoyment more than any other? Learning to read music! Also called sight playing, sight reading is a skill that must be learned. If you have a hard time reading music, starting any new piece of music will be frustrating. It is hard to begin any new piece of music, including music that is enticing to the student and hence the enthusiasm can wane much too quickly.

Learn To Read Music

Many piano teachers believe that after about nine months to a year of instruction, it is time to begin teaching the student to read music. It is important to wait until the student has a firm grasp on counting and reading notes first. It helps if the student understands why it is important to be able to read music. It can help if you remind him or her of a hard piece that he struggled to learn to read, and how much more he enjoys it now that he can play it fluidly.

Next, choose new pieces that are at least a level below the student’s current ability in playing the piano, two levels below would be even better. If other aspects of the piece are simpler, the student can focus more on reading the music.

Teach them the three basic rules for reading music. First, examine the piece for patterns, such as measures that are repeated or lines that are repeated. Also look for traps, like key signature changes and accidentals, accents, dynamics, unusual counts or odd fingering. Write in the tricky counting if it will help.

Second, play very slowly the first time through. The goal is to play it correctly, not to play it at performance speed. Play to incorporate all the details, this is your one chance to get it right, so play it slow enough to be accurate! While playing, read ahead so as not to be caught by surprise. Eyes and brain can be (and should be) on the next note while sustaining the current note. Play slowly enough to be able to read ahead. This experience of reading music may take fifteen minutes or even thirty. Don’t worry, as that time will pay you back later.

Remember that this piece won’t sound like what you expect. The melody will likely not be audible at all, in fact that helps you know the sight reading is being done right. It can be frustrating to not hear the tune, but that’s okay and expected.

Reading music should be a part of every practice. If the student starts at various places in the piece, the practice can be more useful. This skill is important, and having it be a part of the daily practice reinforces that fact. By having the student start wherever you request at a lesson encourages him to make the most of his sight-reading practice at home.

Remember two other points. These skills will need to be re-taught whenever it seems they need to be – whenever reading music isn’t being done the most effective way. Also, don’t expect them to sight-read much of the music, as sometimes all they should be doing is one or two lines of the music.

The time spent learning to read music will never be regretted and it will provide a lifetime of benefits for your student.