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Sight Reading

There are few skills that create as much return as investing time in sight reading. One does not have to dig deep to understand the benefit. An increased proficiency in sight reading allows the singer to be able to learn more music, and harder music, faster.

Unfortunately, sight reading is not a skill that many singers are greatly proficient at. This lack of proficiency stems from a lack of time spent, a lack of understanding of how, and an incomplete vision of how the skill will improve the singer’s experience.

The Method

When it comes to sight reading the most important thing to remember is accuracy. In order to maximize accuracy taking it slow is the best practice. How slow? Really, really slow. In the words of one of my previous professors, so slow that you can’t possibly make a mistake. The caveat that I want to add is that accuracy also applies to rhythm.
Below you will find an ever growing list of sight singing practice. Some of these practices will be melodies, some will be harmony parts. They will represent beginner, intermediate, and advanced difficulties, various clefs and keys.

When you first choose a practice complete the key center exercise, then silently read (audiate) the score; can you sing it correctly? Repeat the key center exercise if needed, then sing the music. You can sing on a vowel of choice, on numbers, or solfège. On the score you will find numbers, moveable do solfège, and fixed do solfège.

Repeat the exercise until you are confident you have sung it correctly. You can then check the answer at the bottom of the page.

Happy Practicing!

Exercises

Check back often for new exercises

Beginner - L1
Beginner - L2
Beginner - L3
Intermediate

​Beginner - L1

Beginner - L1 sight reading contains major melodies with a range up to a Perfect 5th, simple rhythms, and no skips.

Climbing

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 10 Bars

Let's Go

Exercise 2

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Start

Exercise 3

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Activate

Exercise 4

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Launch

Exercise 15Wn

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Sing

Luch

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 11 Bars

Engage

Seinn

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 14 Bars

Here We Go

Sight Reading B

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Activate

Sight Reading C

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Begin

Sight Reading D

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Get It

Sight Singing 1

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

I Choose You

Storm Clouds

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 14 Bars

This One

Waiting

Difficulty: Beginner - L1

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Let's Go

​Beginner - L2

Beginner - L2 sight reading contains major and minor melodies with a range of up to a Major 6th. Non-consecutive skips of a 3rd are included.

Annasach

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Minor

Length: 16 Bars

Off We Go

Aon

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 10 Bars

Look

Brathair

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 6/8

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Sing

Caisteal

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Play

Coineanach

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 12 Bars

Believe

Ceart Gu Leor

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Minor

Length: 16 Bars

Got It

Duine

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 10 Bars

Continue

Feannag

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 14 Bars

Learn

Ghlic

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 6/8

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 15 Bars

Grow

Laith

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 10 Bars

Enable

Muir

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 6/8

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Winner

Neoni

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 14 Bars

Complete

Obh Obh

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 10 Bars

Start

Sia

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 17 Bars

Launch

Sight Reading A

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 9 Bars

Visit

Sight Reading E

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 9 Bars

Wrangle

Sight Reading G

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 6/8

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 9 Bars

Read

Tagsaidh

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 13 Bars

Do

Traigh

Difficulty: Beginner - L2

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 13 Bars

Engage

​Beginner - L3

Beginner - L3 sight reading contains major and minor melodies with a range of up to a Major 9th. Skips of Perfect 4th, 5th, and octave are included. More complex rhythms and time signatures. Consecutive skips are permitted.

Bainne

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 3/8

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Here We Go

Cluinntinn

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 3/8

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 9 Bars

Get It

Crosta

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 9/8

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 13 Bars

Launch

Curran

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 15 Bars

Continue

Dealbh

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 2/4

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Let's Go

Gilchrist 5

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Grow

Gilchrist 14

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 2nd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Initiate

Mac

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 15 Bars

Read

Mar Sing Leibh

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Major 3rd

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Minor

Length: 13 Bars

Do It

Nettleton - Tenor Part

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 3/2

Max Interval: Perfect 4th

Clef: Bass

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Launch

Seall

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Activate

Spiosrach

Difficulty: Beginner - L3

Time Signature: 9/8

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 9 Bars

This One

​Intermediate

Intermediate sight reading contains contains more complex rhythms and all intervals.

Arirang

Difficulty: Intermediate

Time Signature: 3/4

Max Interval: Perfect 4th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 16 Bars

Challenge

Beatitudo

Difficulty: Intermediate

Time Signature: 3/8

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 14 Bars

Engage

Gilchrist 53

Difficulty: Intermediate

Time Signature: 3/2

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Begin

Gilchrist 59

Difficulty: Intermediate

Time Signature: 6/4

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Wrangle

Stephanos

Difficulty: Intermediate

Time Signature: 4/4

Max Interval: Perfect 5th

Clef: Treble

Tonality: Major

Length: 8 Bars

Sing