Frequently Asked Questions
Tina Illig, pianist and creator of Sight Reading for Piano and the Extra Skip Method, answers commonly asked questions about her method below. If you have additional questions, feel free to email Tina at tilligmethod@gmail.com.
What is sight reading?
Sight reading is being able to play a piece of music fairly decently the first time you see it, “at sight”.
Is sight-reading important for piano?
Yes. If you want to play written music on the piano, sight reading is important. It’s more enjoyable to play written music if you can process the notes on the page to your fingers quickly.
How long does it take to get good at sight-reading piano?
Because my method teaches the concept of how to sight read, it doesn’t take long. Once you understand the concept, you get better every time you use it to read notes in any song you try to play until it becomes natural for you.
What is the fastest way to sight-read piano music?
The fastest way to sight read piano music is by training yourself on my method. Go through the book and do the exercises and you should become a good sight reader.
Can you master piano without reading music?
Yes. In my opinion, if your listening skills are so good that you can imitate on piano whatever you hear, you could become a master piano player. In my experience this is rare.
How long should I practice sight-reading piano?
You should do the exercises in the book so you understand the concept of how to sight read. Every time you play a piece, that will be your sight reading practice so there really is no separate practice for sight reading.
Can all levels of musicians sight read?
Yes. Since sight reading is being able to play a piece decently the first time through all levels of musicians can enjoy sight reading.