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I have been playing piano for about 2 yrs. I am not new to music, started playing cello in 4th grade, played violin, clarinet, and a little organ. I seem to lack confidence in myself now, at this age of 57. Is there anyone out there that is about my age, and worries about being able to site read? I get frustrated at times....but won't quit. My piano teacher is constantly challenging me to some the hardest songs......

Tom

Welcome to the forum, Musical Tom.

I think we all lack confidence at some time or the other. Your sight reading *will* improve, even if the improvement seems discouragingly gradual. The best way to improve sight reading, imo, is not by tackling challenging pieces but by engaging in sight-reading practice with slightly easier material than what you are capable of mastering with a little effort.

Tom, don't be afraid to veer off the path of structured sheet music from time to time.

Do you ever get your own musical thoughts? Do you ever play these melodies or incorporate them into your music? There is a whole other world out there to explore with your own creative input.

Welcome Tom. I share your passion for playing piano as well as your age (I'm 57 also). My teacher currently has me practicing pieces from 2 different books. One I find challenging, and the other seems somewhat easier where I use it to sight read the pieces. I guess it helps to keep the confidence level up, which also makes learning fun.

Welcome, young man . I started learning piano at the age of 57, 2.5 years ago.

Yes, I also have episodes of lack of confidence from time to time and I think it's normal, as Monica said.

Being able to sight read (play a vista) is great, but not essential unless you want to be a pro. You may just perform only learned pieces, playing them from the score or having them memorized and playing from memory, depending on your preference. There are even very good pianists who are not good sight-readers.

As others have said, the level of difficulty of pieces to be sight-read is well below your performance level.

Thanks for all the votes of confidence. I am happy to hear I am not the only 57yo newbie out there.......It takes all I have to not get frustrated and want to quit......I am working on it.....and I am sure those that have responded, are as well. I would be happy to support anyone if I can as well. We need ea. other for encouragement. I admire anyone at any age, starting to play.......it's a gift and great therapy....

Tom

Tom I can relate to your situation and have a few thoughts to share. I started playing in my mid-50’s and am now 61 (where has the time gone!) . Other than 1 year of lessons at age 10, I had no other musical training to sight read. When I started lessons my goal was to just enjoy playing without going through an overly structured training program. My teacher started me off with Hal Leonard’s “The Easy Fake Book” and “Your First Fake Book” featuring simplified harmonies and melodies all in the key of C. The music notation is larger for ease of reading for us old guys (LOL). Only five basic cords are used in major, minor, seventh, diminished and augmented. My teacher taught me easy rules to form the cords. Also there is a handy cord speller chart included in the back of the book. I concentrated on learning all the cords in the different keys in 1st, 2nd and 3rd inversions. Now they come naturally without thinking and I can concentrate on sight reading only the melody with the right hand. By learning to play the melody and filling in the basic with cords I was able to play over 60 popular songs in a couple of years which gave me a feeling of accomplishment and confidence. During the holidays Christmas music is enjoyable using melody and cords. My sight reading has greatly improved over time. I have gone on to more challenging Classical music where sight reading is much more disciplined. If a piece is difficult one of my teacher’s favorite techniques is to have me start at the last measure or phrase and work backwards, aiming to perfect that section before working on the rest of the piece. The idea is to learn a small part rather than playing a whole page and learning nothing. Talk to your teacher about starting off slowly and choose music you enjoy. Your determination not to quit will make you successful but small wins will eliminate the frustration.

59 here, and started a few years ago. As all have said, it WILL come, though from day to day it doesn't seem like it.

And, yes, there is a difference between reading the score and sight-reading. I might compare it to a junior high school student reading aloud from Dr. Seuss and Shakespeare. The sight-reading, for him, is from Dr. Seuss. It's well below his reading level, and he can easily and fluently read the words at sight-with enough humorous intonation to make his little brother laugh. The Shakespeare, though, is way above his level. Though he may read it slowly and laboriously at first, with practice and coaching he'll be able to get through a speech quite passably. However, give him another speech he hasn't seen before, and he's right back to the halting and stumbling reading that he gave the first time.

That's the same with us adult learners. As we improve, the small little elementary pieces give us no trouble, but the more complicated ones must be learned measure by measure and worked over very carefully. I have found, though, that VERY SLOWLY the material I can perform quickly and easily has gotten a little bit more complex. You will find that too--IF YOU SIT DOWN AND PLAY EVERY DAY. It doesn't have to be long, but it has to be consistent.
Good luck.

Hi Tom
Welcome. I took piano lessons as a child but didn't practice, and started taking lessons again more than 50 years later. And I claim the title of the "world's worst sight-reader".
My teacher says that it comes with further practice and "pattern recognition". For the time being, struggling with getting the right notes, hitting the right keys in the right way with the right fingers, etc.
It's a difficult path. But it's well worth it. And it's good for keeping the 50+ year old mind very active.

Frito

Hi Tom,

Welcome to the forum.

I started lesson at age 60 and must have "quit" at least once a week.

Thanks to my PW friends and really wanting to learn to play, I hung in there. Never
give up, keep at it, sight-reading will come with time and follow Monica's advice.

I am 56, and started playing piano only four months ago. I played the violin for a really long time, and sightread almost every single note. The difference now is that you have two staves to comprehend simultaneously. I have researched the topic of sightreading. The eluted wisdom suggests that sightreading is skill that can be acquired by practice. But how to practice it?

My teachers said: "Don't look at your hands. Feel the intervals. Try to see the two staves as a unit, and look ahead." Much easier said than done! But, I started on easy stuff, and followed my teacher's advice (which I pay for, so getting my money's worth is important). Voila'! Over a few weeks, I started to get it. Now, I press forward with slighly more complex pieces. It gets easier.

Good luck.

That's a good advice. I would say, "Fell the intervals, AND fell the music".

Good luck!

Our backgrounds are similar. I started piano five years ago at 55. Played a saxophone for 7 years thru high school so I can "read" and understand printed music. Sight reading (in the context of piano) is an often discussed topic here on PW. I personally don't understand why. Yes there are situations that require the ability, but as a recreational player with interest in blues, boogie and rock, I learn a song one hand at a time, four measures at a time, commit it to memory and then almost never look at the music again.

Practicing sight reading for its own sake IMHO isn't the best use of my time. I'll spend it practicing scales, inversions, arpeggios, etc and learning songs. Along the way my sight reading has improved too.

Improvement comes in erratic spurts. I just keep grinding along and every now and then - I surprise myself.

Keep at it. hth

Hi, thanks all, I find all the comments quite encouraging. My old teacher was trying to teach me all the scales, cords, etc. But, the new teacher is pushing Hannon exercises.....go figure.....I did learn one song by heart, after practicing it several and I mean several times.......lol. Here is the link, I am a beginner, so made some mistakes, and don't play it as fast as some people can.....It's the Maple Leaf Rag....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks_YX1_b2ZQ

Thanks again everyone....

Tom

Musical Tom - after reading your post on this topic I was not at all prepared for how well you played this piece. You are indeed musical, Tom.

I played this several and I mean several times......and I still make mistakes.......I can't play it as fast as some people can.....and it's the only song I learned by heart, the rest I struggle with......I can't play Fur Elise through without making mistakes......it bugs me, but what can you do.....I practice every day, while working full time. To get the Maple Leaf Rag down, I practiced it for hrs. and wanted to give up several times....lol. My teacher didn't let me.....I would love to hear some of you guys play......I am sure everyone does well....as I say, I still struggle through most pieces without making mistakes, and really can't play in front of people, get too nervous.....thanks again everyone. I really enjoy this forum...

Tom

Monica, very nice video. I love new age music. You have quite a nice style, which I am sure comes from many hours and love for music. You truly have talent. Thanks for your comments and vote of confidence.

Tom

Tom,
Wonderful performance! I'm jealous and envious and all those other deadly sins, but I've got to give credit where it's due. Bravo!

Thank you Michael, (blushing). I don't mean to brag, just wanted to share.....It's the only song I can play through with the least amt. of mistakes, lol. I am still a bit self-conscious. I appreciate your feedback. It would be nice to hear others play as well.....I would love that....

Tom

If anyone has a video(s), I would love to hear them.

Tom