The Sight-Singer, Volume I for Unison/Two-Part Treble Voices: Choral Student Edition

Snyder's method cuts through the noise by refusing to duplicate voice parts, which forces real independent reading from day one. The sequential, logical approach paired with recorded accompaniments means your singers stay engaged while you watch their confidence grow in actual sight-reading ability, not just in following a section.

Focused and purposeful. Each exercise lands exactly where it needs to without wasted motion, giving singers the satisfaction of tangible progress. The recorded accompaniments provide stability while the unison and two-part writing keeps the learning transparent.

Junior high and middle school choir programs that need a structured, repeatable method for building genuine sight-reading independence. Teachers who want students to leave rehearsal actually knowing how to decode a new piece, not just how to follow blend.

• Rotate who sings the first line each time through an exercise. This prevents singers from settling into follower mode and keeps individual accountability sharp.
• Separate voice parts physically during early work. Have Part 1 stand on one side of the room, Part 2 on the other. Once parts lock, bring them together.
• Teach the recorded accompaniment as a tool, not a crutch. Start with the track, then work toward unaccompanied singing so students own their melodic accuracy.
• Use consecutive exercises back-to-back as a warm-up sequence. The incremental difficulty builds momentum and trains the ear to track subtle changes in intervallic shape.

Make this your foundational sight-reading work in the first semester. Spend 10-15 minutes per rehearsal moving through the exercises in sequence; the cumulative effect compounds quickly. By winter concert season, you'll notice singers tackling new repertoire with markedly less hand-holding.

• Reading in unison and two-part voicing without doubling
• Interval recognition and secure intonation
• Independence within harmonic texture
• Sequential melodic progression across registers
• Rhythmic accuracy in early-level time signatures