Audition Prep
Preparing for Sight-Reading in a Band Audition
A repeatable cold-read routine: scan, choose a pulse, preserve continuity, and review one decision after the take.
Sight-reading improves when students practice making decisions with limited time. The goal is not to predict the excerpt. It is to build a reliable scan-and-perform routine that survives unfamiliar notation.
Use the scan in the same order
A consistent order prevents a student from spending the entire preparation period staring at one difficult measure.
- Key and meter
- Tempo and subdivision
- Repeats, endings, or changes
- Rhythmic trouble spots
- Accidentals, range, dynamics, and articulation
- Opening note and opening pulse
Choose a tempo you can keep
The audition packet or proctor may control the tempo, so practice both choices and imposed tempos.
Protect continuity
When something goes wrong, carry on as if it never happened. If you have to stop and start again, that is fine. Just make sure you are playing with real musical intent and a beautiful sound.
Review one decision
After a cold read, identify the first decision that would have improved the result: a missed key signature, poor tempo choice, lost subdivision, or ignored repeat. Practice that decision on the next excerpt.