The times you were expected to sight read?

[mambo4]

If you can't sight read, you probably aren't getting asked to....

When were the times you wished you were able to read?

Most of my chart reading has been improvising in a style over a lead sheet. Every once in a while I got handed a written bass part. I had to waste 10-15 minutes of everybody's time deciphering the stuff. I wish I were more fluent as a courtesy to others.

 

[singlemalt]

I'm still working on it, decades later, and I've benefitted greatly from the efforts. I can fake a chart, but if there's specific parts, I'll need time to get them under my fingers. I still can't read fluently. But any level of "breaking the code" is going to help.

I think the guys that read well started very early, like elementary school and used it most every day in school programs, church, whatever. It's a skill that needs constant use.

My son started piano before he turned five. He can't remember a time he couldn't read music. Piano lessons, school band, jazz band, everyday. He can read, but learn by ear? Nope. "just give me the music" He wonders that I struggle to read.

 

[Florinda4]

Smaller ensembles may be able learn the basics of their parts off of chord (lead) sheets and recordings (I've been doing this for years), but if the 21-piece big band I'm in ever gets to play again (on hiatus since February), sight reading is important. Each 3-hour rehearsal always included 30 minutes or so trying out new charts. It's a community-based (i.e not pro) band, so skill levels vary.

Without at least the rhythm section (piano bass guitar drums) being able to sight read, the band flounders big time trying out new stuff. I know, as occasionally we had non-reading drummers or piano players cover when our regulars were out. Frustrating.

 

[Engle]

I recently commented in one of the threads regarding online lessons. I am (slowly) learning to sight read (bass clef, standard notation) through one of the online courses. Somewhere on TB someone quotes the memorable line, "it's a process not an event."
I’m a self taught, “never learned to read” rock player. I started playing some jazz 10-12 years ago, and found I could fake my way through a lot just by looking at the chord on real book charts. But when I got into some situations that required actually reading, I was lost. It’s not just the notes and rhythm, you need to be able to navigate through the charts.
And yes I can learn and memorize a lot, but I got a gig last Christmas where the BL was writing charts, so audio was available.
My daughter says it’s like I can speak the language really well, I just can’t read/write it. I wish I would have learned to read decades ago!

 

[JW56789]

I went to an audition for one of the house bands at Disney in Orlando. Wlaked in, sat down, plugged in, and they opened the book in front of me, the whole parts written out in standard notation, not charts, lead sheets, anything, wrote out in the F-clef. Up till then, I THOUGHT I could read.

I got my ass handed to me in 30 seconds.

'NEXT !'

 

[dan1952]

I don't read as well as I did when I was teaching at a store, or when I was studying bass fiddle in college, BUT...I have been paid for big band gigs, beauty pageants, musical productions, etc., where I had to read. It never hurt...

 

[bherman]

My reason for being able to read has nothing to do with performing; these days when there are gigs, its either with my steady NewGrass band or fill-in with a blues band. For me, reading is a gateway to the material that I am studying in my daily practice routine. Simandl intervals, exercises and etudes; John Patitucci Melodic Etudes; John Goldsby bass bowing; Ray Brown Intervals Exercises (his exercises in 10ths and double-stops are a bitch). All of these are from books in notation.

If I had a call for a gig where reading was required (say a big band) then all of the work that I do day to day would open that door.

 

[MCS4]

The only time I had to sight-read on the spot was during a handful of bass lessons I took from a guy at a music store when I was a teenager, and that was enough to last me for the rest of my life.

It's funny how much I hated it, considering that I played percussion in the school marching and concert bands for years and thought nothing of sight-reading those parts -- although admittedly the majority of them were limited to rhythms only, unless I was playing something with multiple pitches (timpani, quad-toms, etc.).

 

[bassbrad]

My classical training on cello and string bass taught me well to sight read and that came in very handy when I struck out on my adventure to be a professional musician in the eighties. My versatility on electric and upright as well as my ability to cover many styles and read allowed me to adapt and pick up work easily. It allowed me to be able to pickup work wherever I happened to be from casual gigs to classical, rock, country, soul, demo and recording sessions as well as stage work and touring.
My best gig was a long term sub on Broadway playing "Fiddler On The Roof" the bassist was going on maternity leave, my audition was reading the show live with her at my shoulder giving minimal cues. I had played the show before in college.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

This was written by Charles Burney, an 18th century music historian:

When Handel travelled through Chester, on his way to Ireland, this year, 1741 (to give the first performance of Messiah), I was at the Public School in that city and very well remember seeing him smoke a pipe, over a dish of coffee, at the Exchange Coffee House; for being extremely curious to see so extraordinary a man, I watched him narrowly as long as he remained in Chester, which, on account of the wind being unfavourable for his embarking at Parkgate, was several days. During this time, he applied to Mr. Baker, the Organist, my first music master, to know whether there were any choirmen in the cathedral who could sing at sight, as he wished to prove some books that had been hastily transcribed, by trying the choruses which he intended to perform in Ireland. Mr. Baker mentioned some of the most likely singers then in Chester, and, among the rest, a printer the name of Janson, who had a good bass voice and was one of the best musicians in the choir...

A time was fixed for this private rehearsal at the Golden Falcon, where Handel was quartered; but, alas! on trial of the chorus in the Messiah, 'And with his stripes we are healed,' poor Janson, after repeated attempts, failed so egregiously, that Handel let loose his great bear upon him; and after swearing in four or five languages, cried out in broken English,

Handel : "You shcauntrel [scoundrel]! tit not you dell me dat you could
sing at soite [sight]?"
Janson : "Yes, sir, and so I can, but not at first sight."

 

[bassliner50]

The need to read happens often in the musical community I am fotunate enough to find myself in. I read, but I am not a strong reader. I have found reading will allow you to play with amazing no BS legit musicians. Real pianists, horn players, musical arrangers, musicaldirection, quality players, and music of any era populate these areas. Reading is rewarding and usually filters out the hacks.

 

[JimmyM]

I am able to read, and while not the world's greatest sightreader, I'm pretty decent at it. And I have had to do it numerous times, usually 5 or 6 times a month I'd have to do it. The thing about reading is that it opens you up to more and better paying gigs overall, especially if you're a good sightreader. Those who can't read can't get those gigs, but those who can can do gigs where reading isn't required plus the gigs where it is. I don't see any good reason NOT to read.

 

[Pings Bass]

Lots of reading in church ensembles. You might be able to fake it if you know the songs, but I always feel more secure with a sheet of music in front of me when I don't know the tune.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

IMHO, you either can do sight reading or not. Saying "I can only sight read a little" is like saying "I know how to read English a little". From my experience when you're asked if you can read and if you say "yes", they expect you to read what's infront of you as if you're reading a book (unless they're friends, etc.)

Being able to decipher/write notation is also a great tool in one's arsenal, but is different than sight reading.

 

[Slevage]

In my opinion, sightreading has nothing to do with musicianship. Sightreading means you can read notes. Doesn't mean you have an innate ability to make music. I've known great sightreaders that couldn't swing if you hung them from a chandelier.

It's a useful tool, don't get me wrong. But it's far from a musical panacea. For me, most of the music that requires heavy reading, I really have no interest in. Reading chord charts will always be more important for the stuff I like to play. At that point, it's up to me to interpret the music.

The best “sight readers” are also great musicians. They read the parts spot on AND play it like they’ve known it for their entire career. Those musicians ( many who I have crossed paths with) blow me away.

 

[micguy]

I used to read sheet music in school. Since starting on bass, 42 years ago, well, I do practice from chord charts, but memorize things before the gig most of the time. Haven’t had anyone hand me sheet music yet.

 

[JimmyM]

In my opinion, sightreading has nothing to do with musicianship. Sightreading means you can read notes. Doesn't mean you have an innate ability to make music. I've known great sightreaders that couldn't swing if you hung them from a chandelier.

And I've known great sightreaders who kick total ass when you take the charts away from them. As a matter of fact, I know way more of them than I do the other kind. It's not like reading and great ears/feel are mutually exclusive.

 

[Spin Doctor]

And I've known great sightreaders who kick total ass when you take the charts away from them. As a matter of fact, I know way more of them than I do the other kind. It's not like reading and great ears/feel are mutually exclusive.

Cool

 

[BrotherMister]

Sight reading has paid a fair amount of my bills over the years. Sure I might not always like the music, a lot of the time it’s not to my taste but neither is a straight job or being homeless/hungry. Plus If it’s a great band even the gigs you don’t like the music for are an absolute blast.

In all my theatre pit experience, which is a lot. I’ve always turned up to the band rehearsal and read the book cold. I’ve subbed nights of shows and read the book cold. I can count in one hand the amount of times I’ve been sent the book before the rehearsal and I can tell you in no hands the amounts of times I’ve actually opened the book before the rehearsal. I’ll walk into any big band, show or whatever and read most things cold because people have hired me knowing I can do that. If someone tells me it’s a reading gig that means I don’t have to even think about the gig until I turn up and start to play. When I’m booking a sub if they ask me for the music in advance I pretty much use that as a black mark against them. Sure it’s pretty prepared but I have a bunch of subs who can do it cold so I’m always going to book the people who I know can do the gig with the least amount of effort possible.

I posted on a thread the other day I have been called to replace the bass player on a gig 10 minutes before it’s been due to start or by the interval. This happens in the real world, I’ve been the guy that’s been called to replace someone and I’ve seen people get sent home and replaced. There is no ‘I can’t sight read a little bit’ in the trenches. It’s pretty much a put up or shut up situation.

Sure, getting your reading together is a pain at times but it saves you, and more importantly, the people hiring you a whole lot of time.

 

[BrotherMister]

Just to add to my previous post.

I was late to the reading game. I didn’t start learning until I was 18. I was handed two folders worth of tunes and told the gig was Friday and where to be. Genuinely spent 2 days solid shedding and then the entire gig sweating and using my ears to get me through it. That was a huge moment in telling me to get it together because it was so embarrassing.

So I can always relate to people just learning to read and can help anyone get it together but when people fight it and say it has no value then I look forward to the awkward moment in plugging my bass in as they are packing up their stuff.