Grade 3 brings with it longer pieces (now up to 8 bars, before only 6), a new time signature, four new key signatures, and two-note chords in the same hand. Suddenly the pianist must reckon with the having up to four simultaneous notes to play. This is also the first grade where hands aren't bound to a five-finger position, adding new fingering challenges that must be dealt with along with everything else.
Grade 3 Piano Sight Reading Exercise
Try this free piano sight reading piece to get a sense of what you can expect in grade 3.
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Tips for Grade 3 Piano Sight Reading
- Get situated where you can comfortably see the piece from your piano or keyboard (an iPad or other tablet is especially convenient for this, as you can set it right on your piano's music stand; print this page if needed)
- Take 30 seconds to look over the piece before you attempt to sight read it
- Once you've started, keep going no matter what – learning not to stop even when you make a mistake is one of the most important skills in piano sight reading
- When you're finished playing, press the "Listen" button to hear a correct performance of the exercise; take a moment to reflect on how you did