I've got my piano grade 8 this term, and I'm really trying to work on my sightreading (failed it in grade 7) & I'm thinking of buy Paul Harris Improve your sightreading. Does anyone have this, or know whether it's any good? I don't want to get it, then find out it's useless...

Thanks! x

I have all of these books up to grade 6 for teaching and find them very useful! They progress in a very steady way. Good luck with the exam

I used the Paul Harris sightreading books for my grade 8. I passed it on the second occasion. However, on both occasions I passed the sightreading section. I didn't just work with the G8 sightreading book but used the ones before that and worked myself up to the grade 8 book by doing some sightreading each day.

BTW good luck.

I was going to say, diving into the G8 one may not be a good idea if you failed G7 SR - they are (or at least the flute ones are!) progressive.

ah ok...which grade do you think I should start at? I passed grade 6 sightreading, so do you think starting with the grade 7 one would be alright?

Partly depends on how much sight reading you've done since your grade 7 mark showed that it was an area you needed to work on.
In improving your general playing standard to get to the point of starting work on exam pieces you will have had chance to do a lot of just playing through tnings.
If you have a teacher then I would ask his/her opinion.

A colleague of mine is raving about the new John Kember sight reading books, since he is an actual pianist I believe his books should be better than the Paul Harris ones (who is not a pianist)

Yes he has, two books, and they are excellent. I've been using the first one for a few months now, and have just bought the second, along with the third piano one.

I know, but she doesn't seem to think it's an issue... She didn't mention sightreading since my gd7 until a week ago, when she gave me the grade 8 abrsm example book

Interesting, I shall look into these thanks!

Hi - I use the Paul Harris books and think they are very good. I go over and over these - start at the beginning, work my way through to the end, then start again. They are a good practice framework. All the best for your exam.

I much prefer the Sight Reading Source book (by Alan Bullard) to the Paul Harris books, although they are quite good. Unfortunately as far as I know the SRSB only go up to grade 3. I live in hope!

I like John Kember's books and have not seen his sight-reading ones so will look out for them. Thanks for the mention of this!

I too have just discovered the John Kember sight-reading. I went into the shop to buy the Right@Sight series and left with the Kember Book 1 and 3 instead. I intend to order Book 2. I think they are good because there is no mention of exam grades but encourages enjoyment and independence for pupils to explore new repertoire on their own. If a pupil needs to review earlier work they won't be put off because Book One is not Grade One but delivers the basic principles of sight-reading.

My Grade 7 student can't wait for his own copies because he already enjoys the John Kember 'Jazz Piano Master' book. It's already a series in his view.

These Kember books sound interesting - have I understood right that they are available for flute?

Yes, although musicroom only have Book 1 at the moment (or did last time I looked). I got Book 2 from Boosey & Hawkes.

Cool.

Just checked and justflutes seem to stock them both...

Must not buy any more flute music, must not buy any more flute music

Will definitely bear them in mind for future use! Thanks

WOW!

I use it, just started the grade 6 one.

My new piano teacher is friends with paul harris!

apparently hes a great trumpeter?