what's the best way to improve sight reading (piano)?

[grasswire]

When I was a kid taking lessons it was too easy for me to play by ear and I didn't fully develop the ability to sight read. I would ask my sister to play my lesson and then I would just play it by ear.

I want to develop that aspect now. What's the best hint? Play something I don't know, so that I have to practice reading? I have about 12,000 pieces of vintage sheet music. I could work on the 19th century stuff that I don't know.

Now that I think about it, the problem is this: I can play the melody to anything, along with some basic chords. But I can't quickly enough sight read the chords, the changes, riffs, the runs, etc.

What's the best way to improve sight reading?

[ProfessorGAC]

1. Sorry, I Don't Know Of Any Magic Pill

I'm not that good at it anymore because i don't do it enough. It's strictly a matter of practice and repitition for me. I was much better at it when i was 10 then i am now, which is clearly because i'm out of practice at it.

So, all i can suggest is to slog away until it becomes more automatic.
GAC

[old mark]

2. gw, I'm in the same boat. I took lessons on bass for 6 months

in the early 1960's, including very basic reading, but I quickly surpassed any reading I did playing by ear and then playing in bands for the next 15 years or so.
I later taught myself guitar as well, again by ear.

I doubt I could even read bass clef notation now, and the only thing I can suggest is to bite the bullet and do it.

I keep telling myself I will start, but I have been putting it off foe about 45 years now, so it's not likely.

Good luck - I know it would be helpful for me, too.

mark

[grasswire]

3. can you play at the level you wish to play at?

That's the thing. I can't. Because I can't play a lot of the chords and harmony I want to play, without painstaking figuring out. Melody and simple chords are easy, by ear. I guess it just takes a lot more time each day than I've been devoting.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. Good Points

But, actually if you just use chord charting and get a feel for sound and "color" of various chords, you will start to hear them and can incorporate them when playing by ear too!

Like i said earlier, i am extremely rusty in sight reading, but i know i can still play just about anything i hear. (OK maybe not some Liszt things! LOL!)

But, i wouldn't limit yourself to sight reading as the only way to get better.
GAC