Sight-reading gets easier when you know what to look for, what to listen for, and what your hands can learn by feel. This free, 35-page PianoLIT workbook is for pianists who already read music and want more confidence when opening a new score.

Five days, five skills

• Day 1 — Find your place. Learn to navigate a five-finger position by touch while keeping your eyes on the score.

• Day 2 — Feel the rhythm. Step away from the piano. Tap and hum each phrase until the pulse feels steady, then play it at the keyboard.

• Day 3 — Read in intervals. Start with thirds and connect the distance you see between notes with the shape you feel in your hand.

• Day 4 — Understand the key. Use a keyboard diagram and chord chart to practice the scale and main chords before you read.

• Day 5 — Keep the music moving. Work through a chord example to learn which inner notes you can leave out while keeping the melody and bass in time.

Each chapter pairs a guided exercise with two or three pieces, for 12 complete piano scores in all. You’ll find music by Beethoven, Florence Price, and others, with a practice prompt and a QR code for each piece. After your first reading, scan the code to watch an overhead performance and revisit any tricky passages.