That may well be so but very FEW players have the luxury to be a Pino Palladino who gets hired just for your sound and taste.(of course he is a skilled player too)
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Is knowing how to read music that important?
- Thread starter RandomBox
- Start date
That may well be so but very FEW players have the luxury to be a Pino Palladino who gets hired just for your sound and taste.(of course he is a skilled player too)
There's your answer.
Don't take the time to learn reading, it is not necessary.
Now go enjoy success!!
I'm on the fence about reading. It is a very valuable tool, learning it can only be beneficial. As far as practical use, I've been working pretty heavy since I left school, and I've had to read on a gig about one time. I get a lot of chord charts, but very rarely sheet music.
The other thing is, I'm not conviced that notation is the greatest way to write out music for stringed instruments. It's ideal for piano, where a written note represents an exact key on the keyboard. But for stringed instruments there's multiple positions for each note, notation doesn't really have any way of accommodating that. I've found tabs with note stems to represent rhythm to be a better representation.
That all being said, the practicality is debatable. But you should learn it as a safeguard if anything, you may end up with a gig that requires regular reading so it's good to have in your back pocket to increase your chances of work.
The other thing is, I'm not conviced that notation is the greatest way to write out music for stringed instruments. It's ideal for piano, where a written note represents an exact key on the keyboard. But for stringed instruments there's multiple positions for each note, notation doesn't really have any way of accommodating that. I've found tabs with note stems to represent rhythm to be a better representation.
That all being said, the practicality is debatable. But you should learn it as a safeguard if anything, you may end up with a gig that requires regular reading so it's good to have in your back pocket to increase your chances of work.
You know that some people won't realise that you're joking here?
Classic example of Poe's Law.
You suspect wrong. The only lesson here is that if you are as good as Pino, don't bother to learn to read music.
That may be what you wanted to know, but that's not the question you asked. You could have done a search and gotten the same answers. And you didn't establish that you were planning to learn, you said you might learn.
You kids always want justification for not doing something. If you want to be a working, versatile musician, then you'll need to know what you're doing. If you enjoy musical ignorance, then don't worry about it.
Those of us that know how to read know it's value. If you don't want to put in the work, don't bother.. It's as simple as that really..
Those of us that know how to read know it's value. If you don't want to put in the work, don't bother.. It's as simple as that really..
Not so important in the technique section, but very important in the general instruction section!
musicians read music.
how do these threads still pop up all the time?
immagine trying to be a functioning person in society if you cant read at all. you're doing exactly that to yourself in the musical world if you cant read music.
how do these threads still pop up all the time?
immagine trying to be a functioning person in society if you cant read at all. you're doing exactly that to yourself in the musical world if you cant read music.
- Jun 25, 2007
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- Artist:TC Electronic RH450 bass system (original test-pilot)
While I'd never suggest that someone not learn to read music the above simply isn't true. There are tons of fantastic musicians who can't read, especially when you look at older generation players. The vast majority of the gigs I've played have not required reading. Having said that, work for musicians of any kind is scarce these days so the more tools you have at your disposal the more reason someone has to hire you. And learning to read can actually be fun...
When I don't have to read - my $50 and food gigs.
When I do have to read - my $500 plus all expenses gigs.
Any questions?
When I do have to read - my $500 plus all expenses gigs.
Any questions?
Yes, what are your $500 plus all expenses paid gigs - and do you consider following lead sheets "reading"?
It's a language. You could learn German, but I don't know if that would help you or not. If you want to make music, learning to read it can only help you.
Lead sheets - not reading. Takes knowledge to do something with them, but it isn't reading music.
$500 gigs +X - Symphony orchestra gigs, Opera gigs, backing up artists on the road gigs. You had better believe I read on those.
