For The Younger Players Only

[mambo4]

as a guy who can sight read like a mo-fo...finna say it's a minor skill compared to everything else

There are certain situations that are MUCH easier if the musician can read music- and as fortune or misfortune would have it, I haven't been in any one of those for a long, long time.

Reading chops and listening/ear chops pay off equally, if not always at the same time…

I understand the points being made here

• there is more to musicality than reading,
• there are fewer situations (for bassists) requiring reading
• listening chops are equally (maybe more) important

But I want to re-emphasize that sight reading material is not the only benefit or use for literacy.
I came to notation later in life, already able to play by ear & patterns OK, and versed in theory enough to improvise chord carts.
Pursuing notation has granted me

• a far better and more concise understanding of rhythm
• a visual understanding of melody that does not rely on a fingerboard
• a solid grasp of song structure: repeats, D/.S .Al Coda etc
• the ability to communicate about specific bars ( not to be underestimated ! )
• the ability to accurately write down what I create

All of these I can do, even without being able to really sight read.
( not to mention the near infinite catalog of material open to me for learning )

I think many players underestimate the value of literacy, by thinking it is merely a human tape machine playback skill.
I could already do all the "important but not reading" musical stuff before I started learning notation,
and I have definitely improved as a musician as a result of my pursuit.

Maybe it's not true for everyone, but learning notation has made me a better musician.

 

[Thunderthumbs73]

I understand the points being made here

• there is more to musicality than reading,
• there are fewer situations (for bassists) requiring reading
• listening chops are equally (maybe more) important

But I want to re-emphasize that sight reading material is not the only benefit or use for literacy.
I came to notation later in life, already able to play by ear & patterns OK, and versed in theory enough to improvise chord carts.
Pursuing notation has granted me

• a far better and more concise understanding of rhythm
• a visual understanding of melody that does not rely on a fingerboard
• a solid grasp of song structure: repeats, D/.S .Al Coda etc
• the ability to communicate about specific bars ( not to be underestimated ! )
• the ability to accurately write down what I create

All of these I can do, even without being able to really sight read.
( not to mention the near infinite catalog of material open to me for learning )

I think many players underestimate the value of literacy, by thinking it is merely a human tape machine playback skill.
I could already do all the "important but not reading" musical stuff before I started learning notation,
and I have definitely improved as a musician as a result of my pursuit.

Maybe it's not true for everyone, but learning notation has made me a better musician.

Lots to agree with here. The ability to communicate about music, and being a better musician from the expected and unexpected dividends, are key points.

And...

Even if other musicians can't read music, and you are able, EVERYONE can understand the visual phenomenon that when the notes go down, the pitch goes down, and when the notes go up, the pitch goes up. Sightreading/performing 101. Such skills even benefit those that don't read/know notation. I haven't met a musician that didn't benefit from learning music notation. As far as I know it, 30-40 years onward in some kind of music or another, that's "about as broad and yet always true statement" as could exist regarding music.