Missing out by not being able to read music?

[thebates]

I agree that reading is essential if you are going to master your trade. I don't read. When i got my first instrument at 13 years old i was taking lessons at a local music store. I had extreme difficulty as i did in school with comprehension. I do till this day.
I can not process the info in a timely manner. I never will so reading is out for me. Thankfully i have inherited some small ability from my father who was a big band jazz drummer. My good ear and rythmic sense has allowed me to hold my own in most situations. But i have to work really hard and shed for hours on difficult tunes. If you guys don't want to go through that then learn to read. And it looks good on the resume!!

 

[AngelCrusher]

I have been professional half my life and was never a great reader. Just used my ears.

BUT, it was a lazy mistake. I have focused on reading again and I think it is incredibly key if you want to learn how to expand your playing.

When you read, you cant associate numbers with frets. It is notes only. That will help you learn how to hear intervals and write basslines that you never thought of. It pulls you out of the boxed patterns that ruin players who rely on muscle memory to play instead of note knowledge.

The more time I spend reading, the more I think it is a must for any serious bass player. I have always had the feel and skill to get paid, but I got sick of hearing myself play the same fills..same scales..etc. It was like my repertoire was mainly major minor pentatonic since I could get away with it so easily.

There are so many ways to play the bass, and when you do it melodically..actually know the chord, know the triads of the chords you are outlining, know every note you are hitting, you WILL be playing those basslines that you thought you could never think up in the past.

 

[Fair Warning]

Reading music would take the fun out of it for me.

 

[zcwilkes]

I have been professional half my life and was never a great reader. Just used my ears.

BUT, it was a lazy mistake. I have focused on reading again and I think it is incredibly key if you want to learn how to expand your playing.

When you read, you cant associate numbers with frets. It is notes only. That will help you learn how to hear intervals and write basslines that you never thought of. It pulls you out of the boxed patterns that ruin players who rely on muscle memory to play instead of note knowledge.

The more time I spend reading, the more I think it is a must for any serious bass player. I have always had the feel and skill to get paid, but I got sick of hearing myself play the same fills..same scales..etc. It was like my repertoire was mainly major minor pentatonic since I could get away with it so easily.

There are so many ways to play the bass, and when you do it melodically..actually know the chord, know the triads of the chords you are outlining, know every note you are hitting, you WILL be playing those basslines that you thought you could never think up in the past.

I agree with the importance of reading music and can't say much else that someone else hasn't already said.

I've been able to read almost as long as I have played. Is it necessary to play music?...No. If you want to master your instrument and dive deeper into music in general and open up countless possibities ,then yes. Plenty of great players can't read and a lot of great players can.

I didn't like learning it growing up but after playing for 24 years I see the value in it now. I was pretty stuborn in my younger age (who wasn't).

If you do learn to read you absolutely won't regret it but it will require some effort.

 

[Nev375]

I've been struggling with this question and perhaps there are more bass players with the same concern. Am i missing too much out by not being able to read music fluently? I feel like i am, i feel like if i did id be able to grab anything in any style and "rock the world"
Any thoughts?

Do you think being able to read a map might be useful for a truck driver? There's a lot of jobs out there just driving the same old routes every day to the same old places. It's purely an optional skill and you would be shocked at how many people can't do it.

 

[Biggbass]

Whether or not you're missing out depends on your goals. I don't see it as a deal breaker for anyone who has a good musical ear and equally good skills to work with whichever musical genre might be of interest. A great ear is sometimes even more preferable.

 

[pbass2]

Well, although I am all for being able to read because it broadens my overall knowledge of music, the answer to your question is "it all depends".

I too would respond with it just depends. If you have the time to learn though, I'd say do it without a doubt.

But you don't have to read notation to deepen your knowledge of theory.

I've been a professional musician for almost 30 years, largely as a bass player, and the last 10, as a composer for TV, film, etc. I can't read notation well at all, and that would be an over-statement.
Reading notation just never seemed to "stick" with me, unfortunately.
However, I know my theory. If someone calls out weird chord inversions I can sit at the piano and play them, I understand harmony, rhythm, etc.--really just about everything EXCEPT reading notation. I know a wide range of ethnic music styles and how their harmony, rhythm, etc. works. I sometimes am the one writing out the chord charts at sessions.

While it hasn't held me back much, I'm sure at some point I avoided putting myself in a situation 'cause I knew my lack of reading skills could be an issue. It's still on my "to-do" list...
So, if you have time, I'd say try and learn, but keep up with the ear-training and other skills too.

 

[dmac1961]

I've never seen the point, I just pick the thing up and improvise.

That's an interesting comment.

Learning how to read opens many doors, it's not just reading the notes on a page, but the mechanics of music theory in general. It is a form of communication between musicians. The best advice I received on improvising is first: learn the melody line (reading makes that pretty easy). Then the chord changes. Then you can apply your music theory to make valid decisions pertaining to note choices, rhythms, etc. Improvising is not just a bunch or random notes. The more you know......

 

[lustersilk]

I played by ear for about 18 years. When I finally learned how to read music it opened many doors of opportunity I never knew existed.

Now I play in multiple situations, with multiple musicians and am confident enough to get things done quickly and correctly.

As a result, music is much more fun.

As they used to say in School House Rock - "Knowledge is Power!"

 

[AngelCrusher]

That's an interesting comment.

Learning how to read opens many doors, it's not just reading the notes on a page, but the mechanics of music theory in general. It is a form of communication between musicians. The best advice I received on improvising is first: learn the melody line (reading makes that pretty easy). Then the chord changes. Then you can apply your music theory to make valid decisions pertaining to note choices, rhythms, etc. Improvising is not just a bunch or random notes. The more you know......

Exactly..some people can improvise by ear because they are top level talents. The rest think they are, but really they are playing boxed patterns.

I can improvise all day long, but the way you see and hear things after reading notes (which allows you to study the higher level jazz instruction books) is so much better.

 

[topo morto]

When you read, you cant associate numbers with frets. It is notes only. That will help you learn how to hear intervals and write basslines that you never thought of. It pulls you out of the boxed patterns that ruin players who rely on muscle memory to play instead of note knowledge.

Not really sure that's directly related to reading. You could read and still be stuck in 'boxes'; You could have great knowledge of the fretboard and scales, and not be able to read a note.

....Then you can apply your music theory to make valid decisions pertaining to note choices, rhythms, etc.

Again, all the things you can learn about note choices, rhythms, etc, are orthogonal to notation. People can use totally different ways of notating music - or even none - and still play and collaborate succesfully.

Of course in some situations, having a common written notation is useful. But standard music notation isn't some short cut to fundamental musical knowledge.

But you don't have to read notation to deepen your knowledge of theory.

I've been a professional musician for almost 30 years, largely as a bass player, and the last 10, as a composer for TV, film, etc. I can't read notation well at all, and that would be an over-statement.
Reading notation just never seemed to "stick" with me, unfortunately.
However, I know my theory. If someone calls out weird chord inversions I can sit at the piano and play them, I understand harmony, rhythm, etc.--really just about everything EXCEPT reading notation. I know a wide range of ethnic music styles and how their harmony, rhythm, etc. works. I sometimes am the one writing out the chord charts at sessions.

Exactly.

Here's the thing : Standard music notation IS NOT A GOOD WAY OF WRITING MUSIC. Or at least, it isn't for me. It may be for you.

Now of course all things being equal, it's probably better to know something than not know it. But of course all things aren't equal : you can spend your time learning notation, or learning something else. And that 'something else' could be more valuable to you.

 

[tbplayer59]

Learning to read music never hurt anyone.

 

[tbplayer59]

Here's the thing : Standard music notation IS NOT A GOOD WAY OF WRITING MUSIC. Or at least, it isn't for me. It may be for you.

By "writing music" do you mean composing? Or do you mean communicating music in a written format?

 

[jallenbass]

Reading [DEL]music[/DEL] books would take the fun out of [DEL]it[/DEL] conversation for me.

This doesn't make sense either.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Not really sure that's directly related to reading. You could read and still be stuck in 'boxes'; You could have great knowledge of the fretboard and scales, and not be able to read a note.

You could....

Yes, but the percentages go up rather high when you are not looking at fingerboard patterns and are instead looking at notes and chord construction.

And like I if you are a more advanced player and want to spend time learning, most advanced instruction is not tabbed out.

Also, learning how to play advanced phrases is easier with notes because the proper timing is accurately indicated.
to say standard music notation is not a good way of writing music is odd, because clearly TAB is not a good way of writing music if you want to learn phrasing.

 

[jallenbass]

i feel like if i did id be able to grab anything in any style and "rock the world"
Any thoughts?

Reading won't guarantee that but it does open up education and gig possibilities that would be otherwise unavailable.

 

[tbplayer59]

Reading music would take the fun out of it for me.

You can't know that.

 

[topo morto]

By "writing music" do you mean composing? Or do you mean communicating music in a written format?

I meant 'communicating' (apparently I am something I can't do with English, let alone music notation!).

A few things I don't like about standard music notation:

- The stave is based around the idea that the C major scale is king. The result is that the stave is uneven : the number of tones distance from line to line, or space to space, is not always the same.

- It can't easily suggest positions or fingerings for instruments such as the guitar; nor does it provide great insight into the harmonic stricture of the piece. It's the worst of both worlds.

- it can't easily show degrees of swing.

 

[maxiegrant]

I have no reason to read music, being that I'm the sole composer of my band's material, and I transmit it via recording to the other band members.

However:

It is very useful and illuminating to be able to write my parts out in, say, MuseScore. Sometimes the perspective I get from seeing it all laid out helps me immensely with refining a song. So the answer I give is very Zen:

You will benefit from reading music, period. Whether you need to or no.

 

[topo morto]

You could....
Yes, but the percentages go up rather high when you are not looking at fingerboard patterns and are instead looking at notes and chord construction.

I look at notes and chord construction, without reading music. I know a lot of people who do. I just always think in terms of the 12 degrees of the scale.

And like I if you are a more advanced player and want to spend time learning, most advanced instruction is not tabbed out.

Agree there - that is where I do feel I miss out a bit.

Also, learning how to play advanced phrases is easier with notes because the proper timing is accurately indicated.
to say standard music notation is not a good way of writing music is odd, because clearly TAB is not a good way of writing music if you want to learn phrasing.

I don't see any advantage either way. Don't both essentially assume a linear grid of subdivisions? In the case of notation there's occasionally some comment as to the 'feel', but no accurate way to show timing.