Become a Better Musician

What Is Sight Reading? 8 Tips to Be a Great Sight Reader

Picture of Rose Park

Rose Park

updated 2/16/24 • 4 min read

What Is Sight Reading?

Sight reading is an important skill for any music learner, but it might be new to beginners. Basically, sight reading means being able to glance at a piece of music and play it without prior practice or preparation. It’s a skill that every musician wants to get better at so they can expand their repertoire and learn music faster. 

With practice and guidance, anyone can improve their sight reading skills and feel confident taking on new music. Check out these 8 tips to help you become a great sight reader!

Try a Half Hour Music Lesson Completely For Free!
Meet your music teacher, discuss goals and begin 1-on-1 instruction. No contract or credit card necessary.

60+

Instructors

25,000+

Lessons taught

4.9/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Average lesson rating

1. Check the Basic Musical Frame First

Reading a new piece of music is like starting a new book. Sight reading is like quickly scanning the table of contents and chapter titles to get a sense of what the book is about. Before diving into sight reading, it’s important to take a quick glance at some elements first.

Structure

Start with the structure of the music: locate the main melody and see how it’s repeated throughout the piece. How many times does the main melody show up? Are there any accompanying melodies or harmonies? Don’t stress over the details just yet – start by getting a sense of the overall structure.

Harmony

Check out the harmony next. What key signature does the music have – major or minor? Count the flats and sharps you see. Keep an eye out for any changes in the harmony.

Rhythm Patterns

Look for common rhythmic patterns and identify how often they show up. If you see particular sections where you see complex writing of rhythms, circle them. This can help you anticipate what’s coming next without getting lost in the music.

Challenging Sections

Take note of measures that seem particularly difficult to play, and mentally prepare yourself to tackle them. You can circle or mark these sections to make them easier to remember when sight reading the whole piece.

Tempo and Dynamic Markings

Now it’s time to check the tempo marking and dynamic range of the sheet music. Make sure to circle the tempo markings so you can play sight read music at the right speed. Also, take note of the dynamic notations to get a better idea of how loud or soft you should play.
Lesson With You live online music lessons with pro teachers

Explore LWY music lessons

We offer music lessons with expert instructors in 20 instruments. New students are eligible for a free trial for any instrument, including voice.
Piano Lessons | Singing Lessons | Guitar Lessons | Cello Lessons | Drum Lessons | Violin Lessons | Viola Lessons | Flute Lessons | Clarinet Lessons | Saxophone Lessons | Acoustic Guitar Lessons | Bass Guitar Lessons | Electric Guitar Lessons | Trumpet Lessons | Trombone Lessons | Oboe Lessons | Ukulele Lessons

2. Visualize the Music

Imagine the music in your head before sight reading the music. Try to imagine playing the melody, the rhythm, and the overall sound of the music. This will help you prepare for the actual playing and reduce anxiety. It’s a great way for every musician to build confidence and improve sight reading skills.
Tip: Visualize challenging sections that have sudden changes in rhythms, meters and dynamics.

3. Choose the Right Tempo

A tempo marking tells you the speed or pace at which a piece of music should be played. It’s usually notated under the title of the music, such as the “Andante” written here:
What is a sight reading? 8 tips to become a great sight reader

The tempo marking is an important element that tells you the overall pace of the music. Don’t just play fast without paying attention to it.

Try remembering that the goal of sight reading is to play music steady without missing details.

4. Group the Notes

Instead of reading individual notes one by one, try to read them in groups, such as measures or phrases. If you read each note, it can cause you to stop frequently, making it challenging to keep a steady tempo. Reading in larger groups of notes will let you see the bigger picture of the music.

Tip: If you’re a pianist, start reading from the left hand notes to the right hand notes.

Tip: If you’re a singer, locate where the melody peaks and plan where to breath in and out for the next measure. This helps to avoid running out of breath easily.

Start Your Free Trial Lesson

Take a 30-minute complimentary lesson with exceptional music teachers. Flexible scheduling, Competitive Pricing, No contracts required.

Sign up for Free Trial

5. Keep Playing Even if You Make Mistakes

It’s natural to make mistakes while sight reading. Don’t worry if you make mistakes and just try to move on to the next measure. Try to avoid fixing mistakes in the middle of playing as you can review and correct them after the first sight reading. Typical mistakes in sight reading are: 

  • Inaccurate counting
  • Inaccurate rhythms
  • Missing sharps or flats
  • Wrong keys or registers
  • Hesitation or stumbling.

Whatever the mistake is, make sure to get back on track quickly. Forget about the mistake, move on to the upcoming notes. Also, keep the tempo in mind and count always.

6. Anticipate the Next Measure

When sight reading, it’s important to keep an eye on the upcoming measures to prepare for the notes and rhythms. Look ahead a few beats or a measure and avoid focusing too much on the note you’re currently playing. Once you sight read new music this way for a week or two, it will get easier to keep playing new music each time without stopping too much.
What is sight reading? 8 Tips to be a great sight reader

7. Review Your Sight Reading

Here are some suggested questions to ask yourself after finishing sight-reading the music.

  • Did I keep the tempo steady throughout the music?
  • Did I misread any notes or rhythms?
  • Was I feeling hesitant in the middle of a measure or a phrase? Where did I feel hesitant?
  • Did I stop anywhere? Why did I stop?
  • How well did I play in the challenging sections?
  • What can I do better next time? How can I improve the problems and minimize the similar mistakes?

8. Build a Consistent Sight Reading Routine

Sight reading can be a stressful and frustrating process for any music learner, especially when you’re trying to improve quickly. Remember, every small improvement matters in the long term and consistency is the key.

Start your practice session with 5 minutes of sight reading for the next 10 days. Then gradually increase the time based on the level of music. If the music feels too long, you can work on a small section of the piece. Feel free to switch up the music you sight read each time or every two days. Your goal is to build a regular sight reading habit and expand your repertoire. 

Learn and apply the tips outlined above in your practice sessions, and even if one sight reading session doesn’t go well as you hoped, don’t give up. You have plenty of time to practice and improve your skills!

Start a Free Trial Lesson at Lesson With You!

Learn how to master sight-reading and other music techniques at Lesson With You! Our award-winning music teachers can help you learn performance focused skills, theory, and techniques in a professional way.

The first trial lesson is free! No Contracts Ever.

Start a Free Trial Today

Music Guides: Beginner to Advanced

Here are some related music articles you might be interested in.
Piano Buying Guide - Piano Set up accessories -

The Complete Guide to Buying a Digital Piano or Electronic Keyboard

What to accomplish in first free online music lessons - Lesson With You

What to Expect in a Free Trial Online Music Lesson

How much do guitar lessons cost? Guitar Lesson Cost Guide - Lesson With You

How Much Do Guitar Lessons Cost?

Concert Attire Ultimate Guide - Lesson With You - Concert attire for children and adults

Concert Attire Guide: What to wear for your successful music performances

Interested in a certain style?

From Pop, to Musical Theatre, to Classical and more, our instructors are here to teach the music you love.
Classical Piano Lessons | Pop Piano Lessons | Jazz Piano Lessons | Gospel Piano Lessons | Broadway Piano Lessons
Musical Theatre Singing Lessons | Classical singing Lessons | Rock singing Lessons | Country singing Lessons | Pop Singing Lessons
Classical Guitar Lessons | Acoustic Guitar Lessons | Jazz Guitar Lessons | Rock Guitar Lessons | Electric Guitar Lessons | R&B Guitar Lessons
Picture of Rose Park

Rose Park

Rose Park is a graduate of the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University where she studied Piano Performance and Arts Administration, receiving both Bachelor's and Master's degrees before co-founding Lesson With You. As a pianist, Rose was a prizewinner in many international piano competitions and performed at various summer programs and festivals across the United States, Italy, and Japan.