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Band Directors Talk Shop

Improving Sightreading Skills with Thirds

6 Dec

Thirds patterns are an excellent way to bridge the gap between playing scales and sightreading within a specific key.  Here’s a way to change up the monotony of playing straight through a page of thirds.  To keep it easy, teach these patterns by rote – just tell the kids to double the note. (see below)

sight-reading with thirds

Play straight through the thirds as written in eighth notes. 

Pic.WE.SR.Thirds1

Tell the students to “double the higher note” and count it for them and demonstrate on your instrument.

Tell the students to “double the lower note” and count it for them and demonstrate on your instrument.

Pic.WE.SR.Thirds3

Tell the students to “double every note.”  Count and demonstrate again.

Pic.WE.SR.Thirds4

After they get the hang of it, don’t stop in between variation.  Play through one key signature like this:

Pic.WE.SR.Thirds5

Then 4 beats later go to the next key and do it the same way.  This is also a great tonguing exercise as well as a way to increase endurance.  You can have them play different styles as another way to change it up.

Just to clarify – the students do not ever see this copy with all the different rhythms.  They only see the top line.  The variations is taught by rote and the students look at the eighth note line while doubling the various notes to make the patterns.

Try these thirds patterns with your band and let us know if their sightreading abilities (and technique/articulation) improve throughout the year.  Please share this to Facebook or Twitter if you have colleagues that would benefit from a new idea.

If you want to spice it up and make it more exciting, try playing Band Drop out – the post is here… Drop Out Contest

beginning band fundamentals

Related Reading:
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Selecting Music for Your Band – Guidelines

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Filed Under: Concert Band, Sightreading

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  1. Should You Be Practicing Right Now? (Free Image) - Band Directors Talk Shop says:
    January 16, 2016 at 1:57 pm

    […] Related Reading: Reach Higher (A Tim Lautzenheiser Activity) Improving Sightreading, Endurance and Tonguing with Thirds […]

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Band Directors Talk Shop is all about helping you be a better band director so your students can be better musicians.  It is a collaborative effort of band directors, former band directors, private lesson teachers and fine arts administrators. Learn.  Posts will strive to teach you something you can use in your classroom today. ... Read More about About Us

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Improve sight-reading skills with thirds