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Can you read music? Do you think it important?

#21
Yes, reading is important. If you are a writer and need to communicate to a large group and/or complicated lines to others it is the most efficienct way. The historical archive of the world's music is also in notation (not always western) and being able to read gives you vast insight into melody and also how what works and why. Feel playing is essential but beyond a certain level of basic ability so is reading. When folks are afraid of learning reading because they think it will make them a stiff player I laugh. It's just another tool to use to get your music across. Best way to learn is by doing, get a beginner's piano or bass book and work it out slowly. Also get some staff paper and write scales and rythms, then play them.
 
#22
bolophonic said:
Have you ever heard anyone argue that their inability to read the paper enhances their "feel" for the news? One might suspect that person was making an unreasonable excuse to explain their illiteracy.
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Music is one of the few fields where people argue that ignorance is an advantage. It's better to have knowledge and not need it than need it and not have it.

Its like a college degree - 99% of the people saying it's a waste of time and money don't actually have one.
 
#24
I learned to play trumpet as a kid, so reading was part of my musical background. That said, I always look for tabs over sheet music to breakdown difficult parts of cover songs. I still mostly learn a song by ear, but being able to read helps me communicate timing with drummers and notes with keys and guitars. I mostly play metal so the comment about rock and blues seems a little silly.
 
#27
I can't imagine anyone in any other profession not thinking that learning to read the language of their chosen profession was important. Are there those that are successful without learning to read music? Of course there are but IMO if you are chasing music and an occupation you'd be silly not to learn the language.

My $.02.
 
#28
For years all I did was read music. But sometimes as a bass player my reliance on what other people have written hampered my ability to learn how to come up with my own stuff.

Having said that, it sure is nice to know what notes you're playing in rehearsal, and what other people are playing. Sure helps to solve problems.
 
#29
I can semi read it. It takes me a while to decipher, and I usually commit the parts to memory with the sheet music up as a guide.

All I need to do is study and practice. But the gigs that come through that do require sheet music are so rare and I can't convince myself to study it on a regular basis.
 
#30
Aussie Player said:
One day I played Badge from Cream. He asked me how I did it and wanted me to play it again for him.
I never had another lesson.
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Huh?

Aussie Player said:
My point is that I am me because I can't read
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Reading doesn't make anyone less real or less themselves, while it may potentially make one more oneself by opening more doors and possibilities.
 
#32
I can read up to 2 ledger lines above the staff, but depending on the key and some of the notation, I may not necessarily be able to play it. In fact, unless it's in the key of C, F, G, Bb, I can't play it. I can play the Amajor scale, but I can't recognize the 3 sharps quickly enough to make the adjustment, same with Dmajor and Eb. I try to stay on top of it and continue to grow every day. I believe it is the main reason I've been able to progress as fast I have. Meanwhile, the current band I'm in, I don't get to utilize any sheet music as they all play based on tabs and chord sheets, so I have to rely heavily on my ear. When I start my own originals project, I plan on, or hope to at least, write everything I create in musical notation.
 
#33
RandalPinkFloyd said:
I can read up to 2 ledger lines above the staff, but depending on the key and some of the notation, I may not necessarily be able to play it. In fact, unless it's in the key of C, F, G, Bb, I can't play it. I can play the Amajor scale, but I can't recognize the 3 sharps quickly enough to make the adjustment, same with Dmajor and Eb. I try to stay on top of it and continue to grow every day. I believe it is the main reason I've been able to progress as fast I have. Meanwhile, the current band I'm in, I don't get to utilize any sheet music as they all play based on tabs and chord sheets, so I have to rely heavily on my ear. When I start my own originals project, I plan on, or hope to at least, write everything I create in musical notation.
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Awesome choice for a Talkbass handle. One of my favorite movies.
 
#34
I learned to play bass by ear and by reading tabs, but when I joined my high school's jazz band, I had to learn to read music. I've let it slip lately, and feel bad about it, because I think it is an important aspect of playing. I can still read it but my sight reading has degraded, so it takes me a while longer to get it. I will say that, even when I was reading and playing the sheet music, what I often did was after the first play through, learn down pat the distinctive parts (if there was a special run or break, as most of our pieces were quite repetitive), and then mostly improvise around the chord changes. Even if you can't read super proficiently, being able to identify chord changes and at least ready chord charts is really important in my view.
 
#35
Wow....the assumptions and slander is remarkable but thanks for your thoughts.
Firstly, when I started, there was only transcribed piano music sheets that did not include bass guitar as played , nor guitar work or solo's either. This meant you could not play a rock song if you could read.
Secondly, once the tune/song/riff was in my head, the fingers were going there no matter what was printed on the sheet.
In a time where there was only 2 guitar brands and no really good bass amps, we were still pioneering to a degree which is why the insults from younger players is intresting.
Sure, I think reading would be more preferable than not, particularly in todays world but one youngster asked me to prove I could play. That's funny.
For me, it was both hard and irrelevant at the time because I wanted to be a rock star and never saw myself backing others. Learned a lot about that later in life. In the end I am still playing, love to listen to both notes and tone when I play. That, keeps me practicing every day and always looking forward to the next gig.
 
#36
Its like a college degree - 99% of the people saying it's a waste of time and money don't actually have one.[/QUOTE]

I have been to. College 3 times so have an impressive resume but my on the job experience is my real educaton.
FYI, tend to hire experienced people over degreed people in my business world. Musicians I also work with tend to be self taught with little or no formal training.
How about you? Do you favor a guy who can't play well but he learned music at school?
 
#37
I think it depends a lot on what your goals are. If you want to be a professional, if you want to teach, if you want to do studio work and session work and enter that kind of world, then you have to learn to read. It's just a skill, no more and no less, and there is never a reason NOT to learn a new skill.

For a guy like me - I'm an amateur. I play in a minor local cover band, and I jam with friends from time to time. I have a day job, a wife and kids, and i have no expectation of ever going pro in any sense, other than my cover band gigging a little more often. I can read a little (learned from playing sax in school) and I can work out a bass part from sheet music - slowly. I don't really have any particular call to read music more than that.
 
#38
Aussie Player said:
Wow....the assumptions and slander is remarkable but thanks for your thoughts.
Firstly, when I started, there was only transcribed piano music sheets that did not include bass guitar as played , nor guitar work or solo's either. This meant you could not play a rock song if you could read.
Secondly, once the tune/song/riff was in my head, the fingers were going there no matter what was printed on the sheet.
In a time where there was only 2 guitar brands and no really good bass amps, we were still pioneering to a degree which is why the insults from younger players is intresting.
Sure, I think reading would be more preferable than not, particularly in todays world but one youngster asked me to prove I could play. That's funny.
For me, it was both hard and irrelevant at the time because I wanted to be a rock star and never saw myself backing others. Learned a lot about that later in life. In the end I am still playing, love to listen to both notes and tone when I play. That, keeps me practicing every day and always looking forward to the next gig.
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I guess I missed the part about assumptions and slander.

I'm 57 years old and started playing around 1965 or so. I am (unfortunately) self-taught and can't read music. That said, I'd be much, much, much better off today if I had learned to read music. If I had there is a very good chance that instead of having to earn a living doing something I hate, I'd be playing and teaching music instead.

As they say, YMMV, etc.
 
#39
[
Aussie Player said:
Its like a college degree - 99% of the people saying it's a waste of time and money don't actually have one.
Click to expand...

I have been to. College 3 times so have an impressive resume but my on the job experience is my real educaton.
FYI, tend to hire experienced people over degreed people in my business world. Musicians I also work with tend to be self taught with little or no formal training.
How about you? Do you favor a guy who can't play well but he learned music at school?[/QUOTE]]

As for college degrees, I think the stats still suggest that most college grads earn considerably more over the course of their careers than non grads. But I agree with you that the 'real' education comes on the job.
 

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