Hi all

The answer I guess is practise more.

The answer that I have just been given last week on the telephone to my piano teachers father, who used to be the organist at Westminster Cathedral may surprise everyone.

He stopped being the cathedral organist and went into teaching and has also made an albumn in the past of his piano playing.

Let me just say at this point, that he is elderly, and on the phone he gave me an example of himself sight reading at his piano whilst I listened on the phone.

I have been waiting for a good time to share his advice and this appears to be perfect to help folk.

As I listened on the telephone, he went and played at first sight, a piece by shultz with such virtuosity and vigour I was rooted to the spot, and can honestly say, I was floored.

I have allways believed in life, if you dont know how to do something, no matter what it is, and you find someone who can do what you want to do, then observe carefully and listen well to what they say, even if its not what you want to hear, such is the best way to learn, from a master at their chosen craft.

This was his advice on sight reading: 101 from the begining.

Pick a stave, draw a note on it anywhere. lets say a G in the treble clef.
play it.
Do you have to think about it? answer yes? then start again.

Once you have that G note, where your finger goes straight to G without thinking " er G" then, only then add an F below the G, then an A above it.

Make some little excercises of g, f a , nothing else, in as many variations as you can .
Over and over.

Then add a B above the A and an E below the F .

again, make many little excercises, that contain these notes, things like g,g,ff,bab, ee a,f,f,a,b,g,

When you are playing these excercises, the first time you have to thinK "er is that a?" whilst looking at the score you have written,

You have made ( in his words) "a horlicks of it" and have to start again.

The deal is that step of "is that an A or is that a G?" has to be removed, you have no time for it.

gradually bit, by bit, you add notes at the top and at the bottom, and repeat the making of excercises step.

Your fingers have to go to what you see on the stave, Without the "thinking step"

So, I personally am taking his advice, and allthough this means for me starting further back than I wish too,
I know I will improve faster as a result, but more importantly, if this is the way to learn to be able to do what he can do, then I want in big time.

He has also sent me a book, that he thinks will also help, I will share the name of it when I get it tommorrow.

He stressed, "you have no time to be "thinking" what the notes are" "You must avoid that step"

I hope this helps folk, and can promise, I personally will be employing this technique.

you need to know instantly what the note on paper is on the keyboard, AND you need to know immediately what the note is called

(did john thompsons)

I am having to read by intervals rather than what actual note it is...The answer I guess is practise more.

The answer that I have just been given last week on the telephone to my piano teachers father, who used to be the organist at Westminster Cathedral may surprise everyone.

He stopped being the cathedral organist and went into teaching and has also made an albumn in the past of his piano playing.

Let me just say at this point, that he is elderly, and on the phone he gave me an example of himself sight reading at his piano whilst I listened on the phone.

I have been waiting for a good time to share his advice and this appears to be perfect to help folk.

As I listened on the telephone, he went and played at first sight, a piece by shultz with such virtuosity and vigour I was rooted to the spot, and can honestly say, I was floored.

I have allways believed in life, if you dont know how to do something, no matter what it is, and you find someone who can do what you want to do, then observe carefully and listen well to what they say, even if its not what you want to hear, such is the best way to learn, from a master at their chosen craft.

This was his advice on sight reading: 101 from the begining.

Pick a stave, draw a note on it anywhere. lets say a G in the treble clef.
play it.
Do you have to think about it? answer yes? then start again.

Once you have that G note, where your finger goes straight to G without thinking " er G" then, only then add an F below the G, then an A above it.

Make some little excercises of g, f a , nothing else, in as many variations as you can .
Over and over.

Then add a B above the A and an E below the F .

again, make many little excercises, that contain these notes, things like g,g,ff,bab, ee a,f,f,a,b,g,

When you are playing these excercises, the first time you have to thinK "er is that a?" whilst looking at the score you have written,

You have made ( in his words) "a horlicks of it" and have to start again.

The deal is that step of "is that an A or is that a G?" has to be removed, you have no time for it.

gradually bit, by bit, you add notes at the top and at the bottom, and repeat the making of excercises step.

Your fingers have to go to what you see on the stave, Without the "thinking step"

So, I personally am taking his advice, and allthough this means for me starting further back than I wish too,
I know I will improve faster as a result, but more importantly, if this is the way to learn to be able to do what he can do, then I want in big time.

He has also sent me a book, that he thinks will also help, I will share the name of it when I get it tommorrow.

He stressed, "you have no time to be "thinking" what the notes are" "You must avoid that step"

I hope this helps folk, and can promise, I personally will be employing this technique.

If you play only by note-names, you need to know what key/note is under each finger at all times.
If you play only by intervals, you can lose everything from a small error.
I think you need a holistic approach, becoming aware of both the notes and intervals.

Thanks so much Al! I tried it with a very easy beginner piece and I was able to transpose it while reading the intervals. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me this information. I will check out the link with the flash cards.

I have another question. How is it possible to read the intervals with both hands at the same time? Is this hard to do?