Sight Reading

pianoman1976

pianoman1976

New member
Hello,

I am looking for a software program (Mac) for sight reading. Does anyone have a recommendation?

Thank you.
 
i dont get the question... how is software going to help you sight read???? the ONLY thing that improves sight reading is doing it more and more.... till it becomes second nature.... back when i was a brass player i could read it upside down and backwards....
 
As far as improving your sight reading, I would highly reccomend using a dual-hardware device called a P.O.R. (Personal Optical Receptor). They work with sheet music of any kind. As far as I know, it's the best way to improve your sight reading. They are easy to use. They are guaranteed to improve your sight-reading. They work great and are located just above your nose and just below your eyebrows. Good luck with that!
 
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Old School Idiocy

What has happened to the help around here? These guys are clearly mildly retarded.

This is not a difficult question, and boys - if you aren't aware of any software for this purpose, why waste time insulting your own intelligence, with flippant remarks that do nothing but waste everyone's time?

I shouldn't have to go into this. But for the computer ignorant kids I will:

Software sightreading programs are big business. There are many developers out there who make this type of product..

The benefits to a computer based sightreading regimen:

- The ability to control the program via a MIDI keyboard.

- Note Recognition and Timing (rhythm) can be addressed. A program can adapt the time allowed for a note or chord dynamically in response to how quick the student is.

- The difficulty of the sight-reading material may be gradually increased from easy to more difficult. A single new note, rest, duration, accidental, or other element may be added at a time, resulting in a smooth increase of ability

- A program can provide instant feedback to the student about his playing, indicating correct and wrong notes and timing. This allows the student to practice more effectively without a teacher.

- A program can force playing “in time” to a metronome – one of the aspects of sight-reading discipline most frequently neglected

- A program can randomize the musical material presented, to prevent students from “learning” the material by ear, rather than reading it on sight.

It was actually a professor of music at USC that recommended the "Practica Music" sightreading program. She claims it's the best way to learn.

Just because you are a musician doesn't necessarily mean you also have to be a bone head moron, so keep your irrelevant comments to your self. They are of no help.

I'm not here asking weather or not you approve of my choice to use software for sightreading, rather I came here to get some feedback from those of you that may have tried similar programs.. because there are many of them out there.

Dragon, what has become of this place?
 
I'm not aware of software that presents sight-reading material. I'm a person that spends much time sight-reading, and teaching it. BTW, sight-reading is usually considered instrument-specific though of course there's some crossover there. You didn't mention keyboard in your original post. It was so vague that I don't blame the posters for being sarcastic. But, I guess, your name does have "piano" in it so everyone should have assumed that?

From your description in the previous post it sounds like you want something more on the order of quickly sequenced software flash cards that quiz on pitch and interval recognition, rhythm patterns and the like. Reading randomly generated pitch and rhythm patters is different IMO than actually sight-reading music.

But, best of luck to you.
 
Do they make software to wipe your ass, too???

Hey Pianoman1976:
- The ability to control the program via a MIDI keyboard.??

No thank you, I'll just use my fingers to turn the page of the sheet music.

- Note Recognition and Timing (rhythm) can be addressed. A program can adapt the time allowed for a note or chord dynamically in response to how quick the student is.???

No thanks, I have ears for that.


- The difficulty of the sight-reading material may be gradually increased from easy to more difficult. A single new note, rest, duration, accidental, or other element may be added at a time, resulting in a smooth increase of ability????

I can gradually increase the degree of dificulty by sight reading more complex piueces of music!!

- A program can provide instant feedback to the student about his playing, indicating correct and wrong notes and timing. This allows the student to practice more effectively without a teacher.

A teacher can provide instant feedeback AND tell/show the student how to correct a problem!!


-A program can force playing “in time” to a metronome – one of the aspects of sight-reading discipline most frequently neglected

A "metronome" can force playing in time!!

- A program can randomize the musical material presented, to prevent students from “learning” the material by ear, rather than reading it on sight.

A stack of sheet music can randomize the material!!

Hey, I don't mean to be sarcastic but too many people rely on their precious computers to do things people have been doing for hundreds of years. You need your fingers to turn the page of the sheet music, your eyes to read it and your ears to hear it. Just because some geek software developer is making it, doesn't mean you need it.

And while some peoples comments my be irrelevant to you, they are not to me, and we DON'T have to keep them to ourselves!!!



ToxicMojo: Personal Optical Receptors!?!?!?! I LOVE IT!!!!! TOO FUNNY!!!!
 
Wow, there's a lot of hostility in this thread. Guys there's nothing wrong with being creative and finding new tools to help improve an aspect of playing. Now some of us may have more desired methods, and hey that's fine! But I really don't see how that could possibly justify attacking someone asking about software.
 
Hmmmm... when I re-read the first several posts I see a non-offesive opinion in post 2, a good-natured joke in post 3, then a hostile over-reaction by the OP in post 4. No one was abusing him. Did I miss something?
 
It's quite possible I misread the intent, so maybe I just need to stop reading too much into some comments :). But I'll forgive myself for now since one post was just being pretty harsh and going after the very thought of using software, and the majority of the others were blowing the idea off entirely.

Edit: Pianoman, I should mention that I unfortunately don't know anything about software for that. I was a bit lucky and learned it the old way and had lots of practice over the years. But I can think one thing you might try and look for in a feature. One of the keys for me to really good sight reading is that I'm never reading what I'm playing. I always read at least a measure or two ahead of what I'm playing. Now that technique will definitely not always be possible depending on the piece. But it's a great thing to learn to do. And it would seem to me that this is perfect for the software environment, if any of the makers are using it. Like say a setting that actually removes the notation of your currently played measure so that you actually have to read ahead and not 'cheat.'
 
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ok so not once did i suggest you were mildly retarded though all evedence seems to suggest you are... as you took offense where there was none... ya wanta throw your money away expecting someone do your homework for you go ahead... and just because someone is making money selling this shit does not mean it is effective... and dont ask questions if ya dont like answers... punk..
 
dementedchord said:
ok so not once did i suggest you were mildly retarded though all evedence seems to suggest you are... as you took offense where there was none... ya wanta throw your money away expecting someone do your homework for you go ahead... and just because someone is making money selling this shit does not mean it is effective... and dont ask questions if ya dont like answers... punk..
Click to expand...

I will ask the questions, as there are many people here who can manage to lend practical assistance without letting their ego get in the way. Do you always talk like this? You've got the emotional intelligence of a trout. Your original response angered me because it did nothing other than service to your ego. I think it's fantastic that you could read music upside down and backwards back in the day, yet this information does not help me. I'm not here to battle your ego. I simply wanted advice on a software genre that was recommended to me by a respected professional. I had already made my mind up about this being a good means to learn. I didn't come here to debate this. My original question wasn't if you agree with me or not on this decision.
 
Surely Pianoman the idea is to make music yourself. If you want the ideal interpretation of your music then buy a CD.
Is your idea to scan the music, convert it to MIDI and then let that drive your friendly Yamaha or whatever? Why? What is the point?

Reading music like reading words is to expand our ability and enjoyment. It allows us to put our interpretation on the music and to expand our understanding of the composer. (Grand words- I know. But what is the point of others doing the work for you?)
Go buy a CD - its a lot cheaper.
 
i really dont see why you seem to want to turn this into a pissing match... if this was about my ego as you suggest believe me i could find better places to feed it... if you should decide to search these forums for my posts i think you'll find that ,while i may not be as PC as you would like, i have genuine info to share and do so freely... my credentials are solid... and i dont need to list them as that would only feed your impression of my ego... i suggest you reread that old psych text as i find the only ones who question someone elses ego are those with problems concerning their own...

ps.dont bother responding to me here... i've spent all the time i'm going to on this thread...
 
Wow this thread is really lame. I can't believe the hostility. While I have no experience in this, I can't see how anyone could be so completely offended by the notion that a piece of software could help expedite the learning time for a particular skill set. People use all sorts of tools to learn different things - Hooked on Phonics, Rosetta stone, flash cards, Idiots Guide to x and "For Dummies" Books, Pipelineaudio's video tutorials, Fretboard Warrior, highlighting things you read, taking notes, using cliff's notes. The point is there are LOTS of ways to learn things (and yes some may be utter bunk).

I'd say unless you've tried one or more of these software trainers and PERSONALLY found them to be useless than you have no business commenting. And even then your comments are really only valid with regards to that particular software.

Don't be afraid to try new ways of learning things. Who knows, you might learn something.
 
Interesting sociological observation:

It's funny how on boards like these, we can become pathologically inefficient in our approach. Instead of responding directly to questions, we dance around the question talking about how and why we're discussing what we're discussing, and then going back over the thread step by step, tracing our steps as to who said what, who's an asshole..so and and so forth. What a waste of time. ..and yes, it is primarily an ego driven motive that always diverts us and sends us down this path. From there, the herd consciousness (per Jungian psychology) takes over and the thread is lost in ridiculousness.

Thank you to the few of you who operate with differentiated egos and can see outside of your own experience enough to understand the potential validity in my original question, even if you yourself didn't learn this way. I appreciate you speaking up in the midst of the ignorant herd mentality.

I don't mean to disrespect anyone. In fact so much is lost in this type of conversation. My trout comment was said in jest, yet I did feel this way. I can come off a bit harsh in my typing, yet I'm always smiling.

Peace,

Ryan ;)
 
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