How can I improve my violin sight-reading skills? (Beginner)?

    
How can I improve my violin sight-reading skills? (Beginner)?    06:39 on Tuesday, July 12, 2011          

Chazchaz
(2 points)
Posted by Chazchaz

I decided to pick up the violin quite late, and have been having lessons for just over a year now. I'm a quick learner and am now at grade 4, but my sight reading is extremely bad.
It's not that I don't know the notes, it's that I can't seem to get the right rhythm when playing. I find time signatures really difficult and sometimes I find it almost impossible to count and play at the same time I also have problems playing in different positions when sight reading, normally when I change into another position I can play the first few notes without a problem but then I start to get confused because i'm so used to the finger pattern in 1st position... But i'm guessing this might be something i just need to get used to?
My teacher has told me to go through all my books and try and sight read everything but I don't feel like i'm getting any better...
Any ideas? Any exercises or books you'd recommend? Any methods?

Thanks


Re: How can I improve my violin sight-reading skills? (Beginner)?    22:45 on Sunday, August 7, 2011          

Scotch
(660 points)
Posted by Scotch

I have two suggestions: 1) Try going through pieces a few times without the violin. Tap the beat with one hand, and tap the rhythm of the violin part with the other hand. Then try singing the violin part while you tap. 2) Find some easy duets, for violin and any other instrument, and read through them with a friend. This way you can tell more easily if your rhythm is right. If the two of you are not together, at least one of you is off.


   




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