Hello and welcome back. I'm Joseph Hoffman,

and in this lesson we're going to be getting started in Sight Reading Trainer Book 2 for another sight reading challenge.

If you're still working on Sight Reading Trainer Book 1, that's okay.

You can always skip this lesson and come back later,

but if you've finished Book 1 and you're ready for some new challenges, then let's get started in Sight Reading Trainer Book 2.

A couple of new things happen in Sight Reading Trainer Book 2. So starting here with exercise 4, let's take a look at what you notice.

One new thing you might have noticed is that we're using dynamics now.

In Sight Reading Trainer Book 2, I'd like you to not just be playing the correct notes but trying to follow the dynamics

as well, so we'll play this exercise mezzo forte or medium loud.

Another thing you might have noticed is that now

you have to figure out the pentascale.

On certain pages you'll notice that it might give you two choices. Is this C major or C minor?

You'll have to look at the notes and figure that out.

You'll notice we have a flat symbol here. Can you tell me the letter name for this first note?

If you said E-flat, you're correct, then if we look ahead we'll have some F's,

G's,

and then if you look way over here we'll see the C. What pentascale are we in? C major or C minor?

If you said C minor you're correct. That E-flat is the clue.

Since we always have an E-flat,

we know that's the C minor pentascale.

So when you figure that out for each exercise you'll have to figure that out just by looking at the notes.

See if it's C major or C minor.

The easiest way is just find some E's. If you see E natural,

you'll know it's C major.

Now of course we're always going to check our clef.

Since we're bass clef we know our left hand is going to play,

and we'll always check our time signature to know how many beats to count per measure.

Now let's do our steps. Step one is to tap and count the beat.

So can you tap?

I'll count 1 2 3 4 to get us started, then I'd like you to count the beat while you also tap the rhythm.

Here we go, 1 2 3 4,

1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4

Next step is to say the steps, skips, or repeats.

So we'll say start on whatever letter name this first note is.

So start on E-flat, and now say how they're moving. We'll say step up, step up,

skip down a third,

whenever there's a skip, say the interval. Now you keep going by yourself.

And when you come to a chord, you can just say chord.

Okay, the correct answer is start on E-flat, step up, step up, skip down a third, step up, skip down a third, step up, skip up a third, step down, step down, skip down a third, and then chord.

And the next step is to point and say the letter names.

Can you say the letter names for this measure? Go.

the correct answer is E-flat, F, G, E-flat. Don't forget that a flat lives the full measure up until the bar line. So if you see

another note on the same liner space that had a flat that flat is still active.

So this is also E-flat.

Now say the letter names for this measure. Go.

If you said F D, you're correct.

Now go on to the next measure. Tell me the letter names, go.

If you said E-flat G F

E-flat. Don't forget that this flat is still alive. It lives for the whole measure.

So that flat is still there, and then what note do you see here?

If you said C, you're correct, and then what two notes make this chord?

If you said C and G, you're correct.

Now let's try to play it.

Which hand is playing exercise number four?

If you said left hand, you're correct, since we're in the bass clef.

Now can you find the position on your piano?

If you placed your left hand here, you're correct. Here's my middle C so my finger 3 starts on that E-flat

which places us in that C minor pentascale.

Now, remember when you sight read to keep your eyes on the page not on your fingers.

So pause the video, and use your left hand and practice. Try it once saying the letter names while you play,

and then try it again while you count the beat out loud.

Once you can do that with no missed notes, press play and I'll show you the correct answer.

Here's number 4,

and I'm going to play it mezzo forte according to the dynamics.

1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4

If that matched what you played, great job. You can always pau ...