sightreading
Playing without practice
Sightreading is performing music from a score you haven't seen before, without practice or preparation.
Musicians develop sightreading skills to handle unrehearsed material: The audition included a sightreading portion.
The term extends to any cold reading of notation, including sight-singing for vocalists.
To sightread is to perform this way: She can sightread almost anything you put in front of her.
Trial performance for selection
- rehearsalPre-performance practice session
- accompanimentSupplementary support element
- ensembleUnified group or outfit
- orchestraLarge instrumental ensemble
reprise · run-through · gig · wedding · recital · Broadway · accompanist
Acting without forethought
- intuitionInstinctive immediate understanding
- on-the-spotOccurring immediately where needed
- unrehearsedNot practiced beforehand
- unpreparedLacking readiness beforehand
real-time · adaptability · cold · impromptu · extemporization · jazz · comping
Poles or music lines
- clefStaff pitch indicator
- barlineVertical line dividing measures
- accidentalsPitch-modifying notation marks
- noteheadsOval parts showing pitch
rests · beams · ties · slurs · dynamics · articulation · tempo · fermata
Smooth linguistic command
- accuracyDegree of correctness
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
- chunkingDividing into manageable parts
- anticipationState of awaiting something
coordination · fingering · tracking · scanning · rhythm · pitch · intervals · transposition
audition
Trial performance for selection
- rehearsalPre-performance practice session
- accompanimentSupplementary support element
- ensembleUnified group or outfit
orchestra · reprise · run-through · gig · wedding · recital · Broadway · accompanist
spontaneity
Acting without forethought
- intuitionInstinctive immediate understanding
- on-the-spotOccurring immediately where needed
- unrehearsedNot practiced beforehand
unprepared · real-time · adaptability · cold · impromptu · extemporization · jazz · comping
staves
Poles or music lines
- clefStaff pitch indicator
- barlineVertical line dividing measures
- accidentalsPitch-modifying notation marks
noteheads · rests · beams · ties · slurs · dynamics · articulation · tempo · fermata · coda
fluency
Smooth linguistic command
- accuracyDegree of correctness
- decodingExtracting meaning from symbols
- chunkingDividing into manageable parts
anticipation · coordination · fingering · tracking · scanning · rhythm · pitch · intervals · transposition · synchronization
exercises
Activities for fitness
- etudesMusical practice pieces
- flashcardsPaper memorization tools
- drillsRepetitive training routines
sightreadingplaying by ear
Performing without written music
improvisation · improvising · jamming · busking · extemporizing
sight, reading, vision, reader, insight, oversight, sights, foresight, sighted