Why cant we all read?

[Blueszilla]

Just wanna know why a lot of players wont learn to read. Expecialy after playing for several years. Any thoughts?

I think for a lot of folks it's not a question of that they won't learn, as much as them finding some musical equilibrium without learning first. At this point I use notation to answer a question about a piece, as it's a little easier to listen than to read for me. I'm not transcribing complicated solos or lead pieces so the opportunities to do it are few, but I'll certainly agree that knowing how to read is better than not knowing, however much you use it. Learning to use chord charts might be enough for many though, and that's kinda the same anyway.

 

[Drifta]

I guess for some people, it is for fun... Reading and theory can take the fun out of it if you don't enjoy LEARNING.

It's like asking, why don't all people who ride bikes learn to jump ramps?

Or why doesn't everyone know how to drive manual?

Why don't we all know how to cook (good) ?

For some people, music is just a device.

 

[kraigo]

If I could find a huge body of written music (with no tab underneath) I'd probably have a music stand with some on it and go through it regularly. Like many have said in this thread, reading deteriorates if you don't use it. Is there someplace where one can readily and regularly find new material to work on?

KO

 

[JulienJeff]

I don't need too. I've been playing for 14 years now. After 2-3 years I decided to start learning to read music. It was boring
I didn't really need so I stopped. I've always played in original bands. I write my own basslines, so I just don't need to read.

 

[Brad Johnson]

Different people, different goals. I'd also say it's not a matter of can't read, it's won't learn how to. There's a difference. It's a great skill to have under your belt but ofttimes not required IME.

As far as gigs and pay, I'm not seeing the same correlation as others. My main work, although local is for several hundred dollars a pop with nothing more than lead sheet reading required if that. I also work frequently. Since I don't really have a desire to do pit work and jingle work is pretty much non-existent here and I have a very good ear it's not something I haved to do vry often. That's the scene here.

I work quite often with many musicians who read well. I also work with lots of vocalists. I typically have a much easier time of transposing on the fly than they do. In my work that is a far more useful skill, especially on sub work. I can play any songs I play in any key and I pick up new material and changes quickly.

So ultimately it depends on your goals, your gigs and your environment.

 

[Brad Johnson]

I guess for some people, it is for fun... Reading and theory can take the fun out of it if you don't enjoy LEARNING.

It's like asking, why don't all people who ride bikes learn to jump ramps?

Or why doesn't everyone know how to drive manual?

Why don't we all know how to cook (good) ?

For some people, music is just a device.

Theory puts a name on what you're already doing.

 

[Mike Dimin]

Different people, different goals. I'd also say it's not a matter of can't read, it's won't learn how to. There's a difference. It's a great skill to have under your belt but ofttimes not required IME.

Absolutely, it is a great skill and often times not required .. but for someone who does this for a living, I cannot (and will not) say no to a gig becasue I don't have the requisite tools (spandex is NOT a tool)

As far as gigs and pay, I'm not seeing the same correlation as others. My main work, although local is for several hundred dollars a pop with nothing more than lead sheet reading required if that. I also work frequently. Since I don't really have a desire to do pit work and jingle work is pretty much non-existent here and I have a very good ear it's not something I haved to do vry often. That's the scene here.

Reading a lead sheet is a form of reading and it is an absolute necessity. There is also a difference between reading music and sight reading music. The ability to read music can really open up new doors as you study the music of others (along, of course with transcribing). Sight reading is a working pros tool!

I work quite often with many musicians who read well. I also work with lots of vocalists. I typically have a much easier time of transposing on the fly than they do. In my work that is a far more useful skill, especially on sub work. I can play any songs I play in any key and I pick up new material and changes quickly.

So ultimately it depends on your goals, your gigs and your environment.

right on - first thing - define your goals. With my younger studets - they all MUST read and sight read. When they bitch, I tell them it's too bad. Who knows where they want to be 10 years from now. My adult students I tend to let them direct the reading question a bit more

Mike

 

[Mike Dimin]

Theory puts a name on what you're already doing.

Theory puts a name on what those who came before us did

 

[JimmyM]

This.

Other things I won't learn that would benefit me: How to perform surgery, How to speak Japanese, How to build a point to point wired tube amp, How to build and operate an efficiency farm, How to play madrigal music, How to play drums...

You get my point?

non-applicable. you're not doing any of those other things.

point rejected.

 

[James Judson]

Real musicians read!!! The rest are just hacks. And some hack real well. You don't need to read to play a very narrow slice of the music spectrum (thats most of us). You ever go to a jam. Most of the time is spent on "do you know ______"? "do you know______"? "do you know_______"? Its relatively easy to memorise a pentatonic scale then sit in and improvise with any blues band. Yes you don't need to read to look at the pictures and get something out of a book. But reading opens up the whole world. Let me repeat, reading opens up the "WHOLE" world. Most of us don't need that cuz our little slice of music (blues, country, rock etc.) can be memorized and then "who needs to read music". You know whats even easier, handing every musician a piece of paper then playing it perfect on the first try. If you don't want to learn how to read music DON'T. There is a reason most folks are not musicians.

 

[JimmyM]

Absolutely, it is a great skill and often times not required .. but for someone who does this for a living, I cannot (and will not) say no to a gig becasue I don't have the requisite tools (spandex is NOT a tool)

Reading a lead sheet is a form of reading and it is an absolute necessity. There is also a difference between reading music and sight reading music. The ability to read music can really open up new doors as you study the music of others (along, of course with transcribing). Sight reading is a working pros tool!

right on - first thing - define your goals. With my younger studets - they all MUST read and sight read. When they bitch, I tell them it's too bad. Who knows where they want to be 10 years from now. My adult students I tend to let them direct the reading question a bit more

Mike

is it an absolute necessity to know how to read beyond lead sheets? no. but i'll tell you, my price went WAY up and continues to go up because i'm in with the folks who can read and i'm a first call guy in orlando for reading gigs. maybe that's not a concern to some of you and that's ok. but seriously, i don't see how anyone can sit here and say there's no benefit to reading for them. there is ALWAYS a benefit to reading...you just don't realize it because you've never done it.

not speaking of you, of course, mike. using the royal "you."

 

[Brad Johnson]

Absolutely, it is a great skill and often times not required .. but for someone who does this for a living, I cannot (and will not) say no to a gig becasue I don't have the requisite tools (spandex is NOT a tool)

Reading a lead sheet is a form of reading and it is an absolute necessity. There is also a difference between reading music and sight reading music. The ability to read music can really open up new doors as you study the music of others (along, of course with transcribing). Sight reading is a working pros tool!

right on - first thing - define your goals. With my younger studets - they all MUST read and sight read. When they bitch, I tell them it's too bad. Who knows where they want to be 10 years from now. My adult students I tend to let them direct the reading question a bit more

Mike

I'd recommend that anyone starting to learn the instrument learn to read. It's a hell of a lot easier than going back after gaining some facility on the instrument... then it'll feel like baby steps.

I read for brass instruments before switching over to bass. Reading lead sheets isn't really reading to me. I'd really like to (but don't need to) brush up on reading bass clef. Time's the enemy. Learning never hurts IMO IME.

 

[15000volts]

learning how to read is hard and takes time. most of the people just aren't gong to use that skill, so they don't even bother learning it

 

[Brad Johnson]

is it an absolute necessity to know how to read beyond lead sheets? no. but i'll tell you, my price went WAY up and continues to go up because i'm in with the folks who can read and i'm a first call guy in orlando for reading gigs. maybe that's not a concern to some of you and that's ok. but seriously, i don't see how anyone can sit here and say there's no benefit to reading for them. there is ALWAYS a benefit to reading...you just don't realize it because you've never done it.

not speaking of you, of course, mike. using the royal "you."

I can see how someone can say that. Again, it's about their goals. For example around here we have a proliferation of Go-Go bands. They don't want the bass to be "too musical". For many that's all they play and all they want to play.

I don't play Go-Go.

 

[JimmyM]

learning how to read is hard and takes time.

takes time? yes. hard? please! speaking and spelling english is hard. reading music is nothing. my wife taught herself basic reading skills on the piano in a couple hours.

 

[Brad Johnson]

learning how to read is hard and takes time. most of the people just aren't gong to use that skill, so they don't even bother learning it

The same is true about playing bass in general. Many are fine just using the basics and don't want to spend the time going beyond that. That's cool IMO.

 

[Drifta]

Theory puts a name on what you're already doing.

Yeah and puts reasoning behind things, i'm not sure how its directed at my post though?

 

[MaKo Music]

I taught myself how to read after I had been playing about 13 years. I have found it has given me alot of opportunities. I think anybody who wants to make playing a full-time profession either needs to be able to read, or hit the lottery with a band that "makes it." As a hobbyist or weekend rock player you don't need it, but like any language, understanding how its written issnt mandatory but is aways helpful.

 

[Brad Johnson]

takes time? yes. hard? please! speaking and spelling english is hard. reading music is nothing. my wife taught herself basic reading skills on the piano in a couple hours.

It takes more than that to do it well. And some things come easier to some folks than others. I guess we sometimes take that for granted.

 

[Exploiter8]

As a 51 year-old non-reader who plays as a hobby, I have fun playing. Although I played out in the 90's, it wasn't my full-time job. I would expect a professional, gigging, Union player, to be able to read.

My 2 cents.
X8