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Reading music and elitism

#381
lfmn16 said:
There was no such thing as tab when I started. We wrote in our Simandl books above the note which finger to use and which position, if applicable.

I don't think that being able to read music makes you a better person, but I don't see how anyone could reasonably argue that reading TAB is better than reading notation; maybe easier for very basic pieces, but not better.

I know I sound like the old guy yelling "Get off my lawn" but today it often seems that people are looking for the easy way of doing things. Becoming a good musician takes a lot of hard work, there are no shortcuts. Everybody likes to point to the guy who never took a lesson and can't read a note but is a great player (and I've played with two during my time). The reality is that I've never known anyone who took lessons with a good teacher, learned to read music, and learned some theory and thought it was a waste of time. I've also never lost an audition because I knew too much.
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You probably missed my earlier post where I mentioned I am a teacher with 15-20 weekly students and I require all my students aged 16 or younger to engage in reading standard notation and other formal music principles.

For my busy adults who do not wish to engage in anything quite so academic, yet desire to learn their favorite songs and enjoy their newfound hobby, there is TAB.

Oh, I also allow my young students to use TAB if the piece is years away from being read in standard, but to keep them motivated and interested in their instrument.

You may have missed my post where I mentioned that there was also no TAB when I started playing.

No problem. I liked the rest of your post, some very good points there.
 
#386
onosson said:
I am thoroughly confused as to what people mean by "elitism"!
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e·lit·ist
  [ih-lee-tist ey-lee‐] Show IPA
adjective
1.
(of a person or class of persons) considered superior by others or by themselves, as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society: elitist country clubbers who have theirs and don't care about anybody else.
 
#387
lfmn16 said:
I know I sound like the old guy yelling "Get off my lawn" but today it often seems that people are looking for the easy way of doing things. Becoming a good musician takes a lot of hard work, there are no shortcuts. Everybody likes to point to the guy who never took a lesson and can't read a note but is a great player (and I've played with two during my time). The reality is that I've never known anyone who took lessons with a good teacher, learned to read music, and learned some theory and thought it was a waste of time. I've also never lost an audition because I knew too much.
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+1 THIS!
 
#388
If using only standard notation is such a deterent and makes things less accessable than material with TAB, then why does Standing In The Shadows Of Motown continue to be one of the top selling transcription/song books, even 20+ years after it was released?

Granted that Jamerson probably played on more popular/hit songs than the likes of Jaco, McCartney, Geddy, JPJ, Squire, Flea, etc. but from discussions here on TB, there are more than enough guys here that would put those guys on a similar level of popularity as James among bass players and bass players are the group that are buying the books. I've seen TAB books for all of those guys but they don't appear to outsell SITSOM which is SN only.
 
#389
BobaFret said:
e·lit·ist
  [ih-lee-tist ey-lee‐] Show IPA
adjective
1.
(of a person or class of persons) considered superior by others or by themselves, as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society: elitist country clubbers who have theirs and don't care about anybody else.
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Hence my confusion ... when it comes to people who can read music being called elitist!
 
#393
BobaFret said:
The music readers want to remove TAB so THEY get more out of the magazine. Do you read BP magazine?
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I get BP and try not to pay attention to the TAB because I want to get better at reading standard notation for the bass. I used to be able to sight read treble clef and stumble my way through piano sheet music.

Honestly, I think removing TAB from BP will net us more content, in the form of ads.
 
#394
Old Joe said:
I get BP and try not to pay attention to the TAB because I want to get better at reading standard notation for the bass. I used to be able to sight read treble clef and stumble my way through piano sheet music.

Honestly, I think removing TAB from BP will net us more content, in the form of ads.
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Truer words never spoken.
 
#395
onosson said:
Hence my confusion ... when it comes to people who can read music being called elitist!
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The term has become a pejorative for people who are perceived to take advantage of their place in society by standing on the backs of the less fortunate but it also has positive meaning. The term refers to the best of the best in a particular discipline. i.e. Navy SEALs are elite (good). But apparently if someone is better than you at something and you don't like them or what they say, then they are elitist (bad).

I need to go read 1984 again.
 
#396
mbeall said:
The term has become a pejorative for people who are perceived to take advantage of their place in society by standing on the backs of the less fortunate but it also has positive meaning. The term refers to the best of the best in a particular discipline. i.e. Navy SEALs are elite (good). But apparently if someone is better than you at something and you don't like them or what they say, then they are elitist (bad).

I need to go read 1984 again.
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Right.

See (and I posted this earlier), I think one of the main criteria of elite has to be that it is a closed, exclusive group, of limited size. The majority of people can not become elite - or it ceases to be elite.

However, the majority of people can learn to read music. In fact, I wonder if it's not the case that a majority of musicians don't actually read music?

How can a very large group, possible constituting a majority, which is open and accessible to anyone to participate in, be considered an elite group?
 
#399
Well one thing I've learned from this thread...being elite is something to strive for and is actually a good thing as long as you don't use it to oppress people. So feel free to call me elite...I like it!
 

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