Sight Reading Books for Band & Orchestra
The industry leader in sight-reading preparation! This effective and efficient curriculum to develop sight-reading skills eliminates the need to retrieve music from the library, hand the music out to the band, collect and reassemble it in score order, and file it back in the library. Available in five volumes, each book provides 100 short pieces and saves valuable rehearsal time. For effective rehearsal planning, an index is provided in the score with key signatures, meters, and primary rhythmic figures to provide assistance in creating lesson plans. The music is arranged in a flexible manner so that it can be adapted to a wide range of ensemble sizes with varying instrumentation. The exercises feature various key signatures and meters, key changes, meter changes, accidentals, reversal of rhythms, repeats of various types, hemiola, and isolation of various sections of the ensemble. Volumes 1-4 are designed to supply material for an entire four-year concert band experience without repeating any exercise. A proven tool for developing musicianship and for the efficient preparation for sight-reading contests.
Click a cover below to jump to each series.
The Sight Reading Book for Band Vol 2
The Sight Reading Book for Band Vol 3
The Sight Reading Book for Band Vol 4
The Sight Reading Book for Better Bands
The First Sight Reading Book for Band
Jerry West
This supplementary band method is a collection of 50 short etudes that introduces students to the all-important skill of sight-reading in a convenient and user-friendly presentation. Each etude appears with both a melody and a harmony part, so everyone can start by playing the melody together. As students develop their skills and build confidence, the harmony parts can be introduced, increasing independence as their proficiency grows. A convenient, economic and effective method that will comfortably fit any rehearsal schedule.
The Sight Reading Book for Band, Volume 1
Jerry West
The industry leader in sight-reading preparation! This effective and efficient curriculum to develop sight-reading skills eliminates the need to retrieve music from the library, hand the music out to the band, collect and reassemble it in score order, and file it back in the library. Available in five volumes, each book provides 100 short pieces and saves valuable rehearsal time. For effective rehearsal planning, an index is provided in the score with key signatures, meters, and primary rhythmic figures to provide assistance in creating lesson plans. The music is arranged in a flexible manner so that it can be adapted to a wide range of ensemble sizes with varying instrumentation. The exercises feature various key signatures and meters, key changes, meter changes, accidentals, reversal of rhythms, repeats of various types, hemiola, and isolation of various sections of the ensemble. Volumes 1-4 are designed to supply material for an entire four-year concert band experience without repeating any exercise. A proven tool for developing musicianship and for the efficient preparation for sight-reading contests.
The Sight Reading Book for Band, Volume 2
Jerry West
One hundred short sight-reading exercises, slightly more difficult than those in Volume 1, including more syncopated rhythms, more meter changes, and more use of sixteenth-note rhythms. The music is arranged so that it can be adapted to a wide range of ensemble sizes and instrumentations and is well suited for individual study. As with the other volumes in this series, this second volume has proven to be an invaluable tool, assisting directors with efficient preparation for sight-reading contests by allowing opportunities to focus on sight-reading in class.
The Sight Reading Book for Band, Volume 3
Jerry West
Like the previous volumes in the series that have been so successful, Volume 3 contains 100 short sight-reading pieces of music at the easy and medium-easy levels. The music can be adapted to a wide range of ensemble sizes and instrumentations yet is also well suited for individual study. With the addition of Volume 3, it is possible to provide even more sight-reading exercises so students will have a far greater number of new selections to sight-read without having to repeat exercises.
The Sight Reading Book for Band, Volume 4
Jerry West
Volume 4 of this series contains another 100 short sight-reading pieces, slightly more difficult than those in Volume 3, and includes more syncopated rhythms, meter changes, and more use of sixteenth-note rhythms. Efficient, adaptable, and appropriate for group or individual study, this volume completes a four-year cycle, making it possible to use a different book each year for a four-year concert band experience. A tested, convenient, and economical means to develop this very important aspect of overall musicianship.
The Sight Reading Book for Better Bands
Jerry West
Based on the best-selling series from Jerry West, this volume presents 50 original exercises to challenge the wind band at a Grade 2-3 level. Longer etudes, 16th notes, minor keys and a few modes can be found in this more advanced collection. This is a fine way to prepare for upcoming adjudications and to build a sight-reading regimen into the curriculum for wind players, as it complies with the NAfME National Standards that define proficiency levels in grades 5-12. Creative, fun to play, and full of twists and surprises, it will keep your musicians on their toes as it teaches independence and musicianship through every section of the ensemble.
The Sight Reading Book for String Orchestra
Jerry West
The revised Sight-Reading Book for String Orchestra contains 100 short pieces designed to allow groups to sight-read at every rehearsal without the hassle of passing out music and retrieving it. With improved bowings and articulations, this invaluable tool will assist directors with efficient preparation for sight-reading at contests or festivals. Excerpts range from easy to medium-easy in difficulty. Not compatible with the previous edition.