AP Music Theory

Advanced Placement Music Theory covering musical notation, harmony, and composition.

Study Strategies

Effective Sight-Reading

Tips for Effective Sight-Reading

Sight-reading is playing music at first sight—no practice required! To get better, scan ahead for tricky rhythms, key changes, and accidentals. Keep a steady tempo, and don’t stop if you make mistakes—just keep going!

  • Practice with new pieces often
  • Focus on rhythm and counting
  • Mark hard spots to revisit later

Sight-reading helps you perform confidently in any setting.

Examples

  • A pianist sight-reads a new piece at a rehearsal.

  • A band member fills in for absent players by reading their parts.