The 30-second scan before you play
What to check in the 30 seconds before you play the first note: key, time, rhythm, patterns and danger spots.
Key points
- Key and time signature first.
- Find the hardest bar and the tempo it allows.
- Spot repeated patterns and hand-position changes.
In exams and auditions you usually get a short preparation time. Use it the same way every time, and do the same scan at home.
The checklist
- Key signature: name it, touch the black keys it needs.
- Time signature: how many beats, which note gets the beat.
- Tempo and character: pick a tempo you can hold through the hardest bar.
- Clefs: does either hand change clef partway through?
- Starting position: where do both hands begin; are there position shifts?
- Patterns: scales, broken chords, repeated bars and sequences.
- Danger spots: accidentals, ledger lines, tricky rhythms. Tap them through silently.
- Dynamics and ending: where does it get loud or soft, how does it end?
While you play
- Keep your eyes on the page and ahead of your hands.
- Do not go back to fix mistakes.
- Simplify if needed: drop a left-hand note in a chord before you drop the beat.
Exam note
Exam boards differ in preparation time and in how they mark sight-reading. Check the current syllabus for your board and grade; the habit of a fixed, calm routine helps whatever the format.
