I play mostly in covers bands. In 35 years that I played the bass, I've come through hundreds of songs. I don't think I could remember the exact bass lines of all of them (not to talk about the exact number and order of the verses, choruses and bridges!!!). So when time has come to exhume this old song we used to play 5 or 10 years ago, I'm very glad that I have my pdf file on the iPad waiting for help me remember! No need to relearn all of it from scratch! Just 1,2,3,4... and let's rock'n'roll!
And if your band do its own compositions, that's soooo cool when you don't need to spend half of each rehearsal remembering what we said last time!!!
It's been all written, and you can go ahead immediately!
Music notation is the universal language that musicians all over the world have perfected through the years so that they could share and improve their art. Not knowing it is definitely a limit to your ability to become a great musician. You still can have fun though playing always in the same range, doing what you know. Not everyone is due to be a remarkable artist, you can enjoy band playing at standard level forever. Just know it and don't take offense.
Finally, yes! I know of some giants of music who couldn't read a note. Like Paul McCartney (most frequent example given) but they're rare geniuses... and you are not, are you?
And if your band do its own compositions, that's soooo cool when you don't need to spend half of each rehearsal remembering what we said last time!!!
It's been all written, and you can go ahead immediately!
Music notation is the universal language that musicians all over the world have perfected through the years so that they could share and improve their art. Not knowing it is definitely a limit to your ability to become a great musician. You still can have fun though playing always in the same range, doing what you know. Not everyone is due to be a remarkable artist, you can enjoy band playing at standard level forever. Just know it and don't take offense.
Finally, yes! I know of some giants of music who couldn't read a note. Like Paul McCartney (most frequent example given) but they're rare geniuses... and you are not, are you?
