Sight Reading Practice

Common questions

How do I practice sight reading here?

Pick the clef, the key signature and the lowest and highest note under Settings, then read the highlighted note on the staff and answer it: press its key on the on-screen piano, type its name (such as F#4) and press Answer, or play it on a MIDI keyboard. A right answer moves straight to the next note. A wrong one is marked wrong and the note stays until you get it, so you always see the correct reading; Reveal shows the answer without counting it, and Next skips a note as missed. The staff shows the current bar and the next one (one bar on a phone), and your score is right answers out of the notes passed.

Can I use my MIDI keyboard?

Yes, in a browser that offers Web MIDI. Press Connect MIDI and allow access when the browser asks; the page asks for nothing until you press it. Play each note in the octave written: middle C is C4, MIDI note 60. A chord is marked when all of its keys are down together, and a key counts once per press, so a doubled message or a key still held from the last note is ignored. The page does not play MIDI keys through its own sound, so a keyboard with its own speakers is not doubled. If the browser has no Web MIDI, refuses it, or finds no keyboard, the page says which, and the on-screen keys and typing keep working. Replacing an exercise disconnects MIDI and releases sounding reference voices. Connect again explicitly for the new exercise. A pending connection can be canceled and times out after 10 seconds.

Does it accept F sharp for G flat?

On the piano and a MIDI keyboard, yes: a key cannot tell F sharp from G flat, so any key that sounds the written pitch is right. Typed answers are marked by name, because naming the note is the reading skill: type the letter and sign the staff spells, with the octave. If the staff shows F sharp 4 and you type Gb4, the page marks it wrong and says that Gb4 names the same key but not the note on the staff. Type # or b for sharp or flat (the music signs work too), and separate chord notes with spaces or commas, in any order.

How long does a sharp or flat last in a bar?

To the barline, and only on the same line or space, as in printed music. In G major a written F is F sharp 4 (MIDI 66) from the key signature; after an F with a natural sign, every later F on that line in the same bar is F natural (MIDI 65), and after the barline the key signature applies again. A natural on F4 does not change F5 in the same bar. The page prints no courtesy signs, so reading the rule is part of the practice, and every answer explains which sign or signature gave the note its pitch.

Can I print sight reading sheets or save a PDF with answers?

Print exercise prepares only the original staff. Print, with key adds a separate answer-key page with every numbered note or chord. In the browser’s print dialog, choose a printer or Save as PDF if that option is available. The generated exercise PDF is free to save when that destination is available. Both versions use the same generated notes and seed as the screen, with four bars per system. Requesting an answer key before finishing makes that attempt assisted practice, so it cannot produce a scored link. Printing after a fresh completion preserves the earned score. These are generated exercise sheets, not a published practice book.

Which notes and chords does it use?

Single notes are drawn from the range you set, from three ledger lines below the staff to three above: F3 to E6 in the treble clef and A1 to G4 in the bass. With Add accidentals on, some notes carry a sharp, flat or natural. Chords have two or three notes: a third, fourth, fifth or sixth, or a triad in root position or either inversion, spelled from the key signature, and never with a second. Exercises are 8, 16, 20 or 32 notes long, four to a bar.

Is my progress saved?

Touched settings, up to 30 completed or ended exercises, and up to 512 fingerprints of opened exercises stay in this browser. The current answer session is not restored. Replaying a history entry or an already opened sequence is practice and cannot produce a new independent score. If exposure memory fills, additional exercises stay practice. Clear history removes the visible list; Start over forgets everything this tool stored. Storage failure is shown, and the current tab remains usable. Answers are not sent anywhere.

How does a shared sight reading challenge work?

A scored challenge always uses 20 single notes in treble clef, C major, C4–C6 and wait mode. The score is the number correct on the first submission, from 0 to 20. A wrong first answer remains wrong after correction. A reveal, skip or answer-key print before completion makes the attempt practice. Complete a fresh challenge to copy its link, open native sharing or download a result card. The recipient sees the claimed score and rules, then chooses Start same challenge. Completion shows both scores and their signed difference, and the recipient can share a new link with the same seed and their own score. Scores are self-reported; there is no timing, audio-latency or musical-aptitude judgment.

How can singers or a choir use these exercises?

Choose Single notes, Wait for me and a range you can sing, with Sound set to On. Reveal a starting pitch, then sing each next note before pressing Reveal to compare it with the reference tone; Hear it repeats the last revealed or answered pitch. Press Next to continue. For C major solfege, C D E F G A B correspond to do re mi fa sol la ti. Typed answers use note names with octaves, not syllables. This is single-part vocal practice: the score marks submitted note answers, not your singing, and there are no multi-part choir scores.

Can I practise piano, guitar, strings or wind parts?

Use treble for written notes on violin, flute, guitar, clarinet, saxophone or trumpet; use bass for cello, bass guitar, trombone or tuba. Reference tones follow written pitches with no instrument or octave transposition. Piano players can practise single notes or small chords on either clef, one staff at a time. There is no tablature, fingering or simultaneous two-hand piano score. Alto clef and percussion staves are unavailable.

How do I make the practice easier or harder?

For an easy start, choose C major, Single notes, Key only, Wait for me and a narrow range such as C4 to G4. Increase the range, change the key signature, add accidentals or choose Chords as you become comfortable. Scroll moves at the selected number of notes per minute; it does not add varied note durations, rests or jazz rhythms. Exercises are not assigned an exam grade or syllabus level.