Sep '25 • Practice Tips & Resources
Your Go-To Sight-Reading Workout
Once you understand the mindset and you’ve built the habit, the next step is structure. Otherwise, sight-reading practice can feel aimless.
Here’s a simple workout you can repeat daily (15 minutes is plenty):
1. Rhythm warm-up (1–2 mins): Clap or tap a short rhythm exercise. Don’t worry about notes yet — just get the pulse steady.
2. Hands separately (4–5 mins): Take 4 bars of an easy piece. Play right hand once, then left hand once. Don’t stop, don’t fix.
3. Hands together (4–5 mins): Now play those same bars with both hands at a slow tempo. Focus on flow, not accuracy.
4. New piece challenge (5 mins): Pick something below your level and play it straight through — one time only.
👉 Try this: Set a timer for 15 minutes. Follow the workout above. At the end, jot a quick note: Did I keep the beat? How many times did I stop?
Over time, you’ll measure progress not by “fewer mistakes,” but by:
• You stop less often.
• Your rhythm stays steady even when you slip.
• You cover more material in less time.
Remember: progress in sight-reading is invisible in the short term but dramatic over months. The more pages you turn, the more fluent you’ll feel.
Reflection question: Would you like me to share a list of my favourite “easy but useful” books for sight-reading practice?
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Your Go-To Sight-Reading Workout
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