Thursday, January 22, 2009

Sightreading

So, today, I looked at sheet music for the first time, with the intent of trying to find something I recognize. It was from a book of video game music that I'd heard before, but I was looking for a particular one. Only, all of the titles were in god-knows-what-language (cause I sure don't), so I couldn't just look in the index. Oh noes!
So, the only way I could figure this out, was to sightread. *Gasp*
Okay, I lie, I totally could've asked Evan, as it was his book, and he reads freaky languages a little, and he's played the one I wanted, but I felt like being difficult, okay? Besides, my way was educational.
Anywho (ha, guess which teacher I picked that one up from), I sightread the right hand of the pieces quickly. Okay, I scanned them for the rhythm of the one I wanted, but it counts. Kinda.
And I could do this a lot easier than I used to, because I've been practicing. There is this awesome website
http://www.practicesightreading.com/index.php
and it spits out sight reading rhythm examples like that. No, wait, like *snaps* that. And you can pick what level you're at, and how many measures, and what kinda meter you want. It also does more than three-four, four-four, six-eight, etc. You know you wanna practice five-four and seven-twelve. Give in to the urge. It builds character.