Sight Reading Books

I just bought "Super Sight-Reading Secrets: An Innovative, Step-By-Step Program for Music Keyboard Players for All Levels" which was recommended by someone in this forum. However, my teacher also gave me "Sight Reading Exercises for Piano by Hannah Smith", has anyone used these books before? Any comparison comments or suggestions? Thanks!

From what I've heard, I think "Super Sight-Reading Secrets" has hints and tips as well as exercises, whereas the Smith book is just exercises. I have the Smith book, but haven't seen the other one yet.

you should start out by reading both left and right hand together at a very slow pace trying not hit any wrong notes until you can increase the level at which you are reading. Read through the piece only once and then go on to another, trying not to make any mistakes.

I have "Super Sight-Reading Secrets". I found it really, really helpful because it taught my fingers to move confidently around the keyboard without me looking at them.

Before getting the book I had been trying to learn to sight read by spending a short time each day reading through simple graded sight reading exercises. This approach simply didn't work for me - it was like banging my head against a brick wall! Very frustrating.

Looking back I'm not surprised I had difficulties - I was trying to watch both my fingers and the music and it's hard looking in two places at once! "Super Sight-Reading Secrets" resolved that problem.

Thank you all for your replies! I will work on both books and hopefully my sight reading skill will improve soon.

Smidgeon, just curious, how long did you see the result since you started using "Super Sight-Reading Secrets"?

I've got both books.

My then 9 year-old practiced the exercises in "Super Sight-Reading Secrets" for two weeks and went on to "Bach Chorales" as suggested. He could read pretty much anything in "the Library of Piano Classics" soon.

For me, it's a different story. I was dead when I encountered "Bach Chorales". I refocused my effort on Smith's book --- it's fairly strict five-finger position exercises and limited mostly to one note for each hand. I've been trying to pick my son's brain for tricks and short-cuts without much success so far.

Thanks for your post. That's a very interesting comment and I can totally relate to your situation. I often find myself WAY behind my 7 year-old on memorizing pieces, very frustrating!

I'll ask our teacher if we could try both books and see what will happen.

I started noticing the benefits as soon as my hands had learnt to find the black notes and then find the white ones relative to them, and as soon as I had learnt to relate the notes on the stave to the notes I was feeling. This would have been after the third set of "Drills".

Unfortunately though I can't remember how long it took me to get that far as it was a while ago, but I think it took several weeks. A slow process, but absolutely worth it!

Hi smidgeon

I also bought this book but have not read and touch on it yet.

Well, may I know at what grade are u as I am a fresh beginner learning for only 4 months.

For sight reading I use the Faber "Accelerated Course For The Older Beginner" Book 1 and Book 2