Sight Reading in a Grade Exam - Guitar

In an ABRSM grade exam, you get 30 seconds to have a look through a short piece before
you attempt to play it. Students with specific needs may get longer. Here’s my way of using
that time, in the order I suggest you do it.

1. TEMPO: Establish the tempo and feel. Work out the indication at the start, which
could be a traditional Italian marking, which tells you how fast to play the piece. It
may also indicate something about the mood or style. In the upper grades, the piece
may have a title. This is often a clue to the mood and style of the piece too.
2. PULSE: Look at the time signature, and establish the beat, taking into account the
tempo from step 1.
3. RHYTHM: Establish the basic shape(s) in the rhythm. For example, it may have a
dotted feel; it could be made up of running quavers, or vary throughout. Have a look.
You may not get time to secure the whole rhythm, but at least get a feel for the basic
patterns, keeping the pulse in mind as you go.
4. NOTES & BASIC FINGERINGS: Look at any key signature that may be there, and have
quick look through the pitches, noting anything awkward (including chords and
position changes, as the grades progress). Imagine the right hand a little too, at least
whether the thumb, just the fingers, or both, will be required along the way.
5. EXPRESSION: Observe any dynamics and other marks of expression or articulation.
6. Re-establish the pulse; look at the opening bar or two again. You’ll probably catch
the examiner’s eye and they’ll confirm it’s time to start.
7. FLOW: Once you start, keep going! You’re looking for a continuous, rhythmical
performance, while getting as much of the detail as possible. Don’t be tempted to
correct errors; move on. Read ahead a little as you go, and make the most of any
dynamics and other indications.

There’s not much time to do all that, but it can be long enough, with practice. Give yourself
more time initially, and then reduce it by the time of the exam. Obviously, your basic note
reading needs to be good, and can be worked on separately. Use my practice example
sheet for your grade and/or the specimen test book published by the ABRSM.

A common mistake is to look straight at any difficult moments - perhaps in pitch or rhythm -
before establishing the general rhythmical character, pulse, and tempo of the piece. If you
get the feel right first, everything else is more likely to start sticking to it, and any slight
errors won’t seem so bad.

Checklist: TEMPO & PULSE > RHYTHM > NOTES & BASIC FINGERINGS > EXPRESSION > FLOW

Graham Tacon 2017