Sight-reading is a necessary skill as it allows you to jump in and get into a song quickly. But there are some rules to adhere to:

• Look at the clefs
  Many a student has been fooled into playing the wrong keys because they failed to notice that the piece required both hands to be in the treble or the bass!

• Look at the key signature
  This will give you a great deal of information including which keys will be sharps or flats if the piece will be happy or sad if the piece is to change key, which key is it likely to modulate (change) into.

• Look at the time signature
  This is necessary to establish your pulse and natural accents. For example, a piece in 2/4 time will be likely a march compared to something that may be in 3/4 time and played as a waltz.

• Go through the rhythm
  Tap the rhythm out on your leg or say it to yourself a few times to have an understanding of the rhythm. Bad notes can be written off as a slip but the bad rhythm is less forgivable!

• Go through the melody
  Pay attention to the starting note, the highest notes in the piece and the lowest as these will give you a good indication as to where to put your hands so you avoid bad fingers and can bring out a clear melody line

• Add the musical elements
  Pay attention to changes in touch, dynamics, and speed!