Why cant we all read?

[JimmyM]

It takes more than that to do it well.

does it? really?

And some things come easier to some folks than others. I guess we sometimes take that for granted.

ok, well it not coming easy to some people is the EXACT reason they should do it. i understood i liked music when i started, but i had no idea how to string it together in a tuneful manner. if not for reading, i never would have learned it.

 

[Nev375]

Reading music is a pretty simple skill, all things considered. Much easier that learning Spanish or learning how to play a new instrument - but the learning process is not very fun and the benefits are not immediately apparent.

I beg to differ. I managed to teach myself to play bass. It was never a fun process either, but I had audible feedback when I was doing it wrong.

There's nothing around to let me know if I'm reading a passage of music wrong. Supervised instruction is important.

 

[SieurLemire]

Because by the time you find and open a book, I'm already halfway through the song?

 

[Gawd]

I think a lot of people don't know how to because they don't need to. I used to be able to read very well, than there was a while where I didn't need to read music and I didn't practice it on my own, so now my reading is pretty poor.

 

[Marty Forrer]

It all depends what you want to do. I have a need to play rock n roll, country, blues, latin etc, and I do. For that I dont need to know how to read music or even much in the way of theory.
But I also love to play jazz. For that I need to know theory and be able to read a lead sheet. And I do.
I have played in two big bands, and am currently just finishing up a three week season of a musical. For that I need to know NO theory, but I sure as heck need to be a reasonable sight-reader. Is it worth it? Let's see.... six nights a week for three weeks, that's um... 18 gigs in three weeks. 18 PAID gigs. Is it worth it? Heck yeah!

 

[shadow_FIX]

There's always going to be people that refuse to read music. They all have their own reasons, but at the risk of sounding mean, they all sound like excuses.

"It's too hard for me/doesn't come easily" - Bass was also hard when we all first started it...it was literally painful! Practice makes perfect.

"I don't have time to learn it" - Yeah, you do, unless you're working 80 hour weeks between multiple jobs, with family, etc. or something. Anyone can find 30 minutes, even if it's just a few times a week, to dedicate to something. It's really just a matter of setting the time aside and actually doing it.

"I don't need it" - ...right now. What if you got called for a gig by a guy who saw you play at the bar. Saw that you're an amazing player, and has a gig he'd like you to play on. He says he'll have charts for you to read on the gig, and it pays $300. If you can't read, you lose the gig, and the opportunity.

Learn it, chances are you WILL need it at some point in your career!

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

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.

I knew someone had to do it..I know some guys (real guys, not Hendrix, SRV...) who don't even know the notes on the neck and can make those 'classically trained' guys sound like cheap cellophane the toys from the Dollar Store come wrapped in.
Heres the deal, does what you play sound good?
I just don't like when guys who can read puff their chest out...really..really..because you can read a couple of dots on some lines? Like they served a 'tour of duty' the rest of us couldn't relate too..

You read.Cool.I wish I could read without taking the time to learn.Life doesn't work like that.I'll continue to improve my ear then.

Thanks

 

[Tampabass]

another terrible reason/excuse for not reading: Because you think the people who know how to read are "pretentious." Or showing off. Or something.

Ignorance = bliss.

 

[Lammchop93]

I had learned it, but I never ever used it, and I forgot it over the years.

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

Cool. That's definitley NOT the reason I don't read. I would like to learn it. But the whole 'elitest' thing doesn't work for me.

What does it sound like???? 11th augmented chords don't impress me unless it SOUNDS GOOD.

 

[aborgman]

ever notice that the only people on earth who say the costs outweight the benefits are non-readers?

Nope.

I read, and read pretty well - I've been doing it for 25 years. It's made me lots of money.

...but in my life, right now, if I didn't already know how to read - the costs would outweigh the benefits.

Because the benefits would be minimal in terms of increased compensation, and the costs would be enormous in terms of taking time away from family and other pursuits.

I barely have time to practice, at all. I certainly don't have the time to practice and learn to read... not for the couple hundred bucks a year it would make me.

Now, luckily - I don't NEED to learn how to read because I already know.

even if you never read on a gig in your entire life, the benefits greatly outweigh the costs, and the only people you will ever hear say the opposite are non-readers.

The cost of me spending the time it would take to read (if I didn't already know how) would cost me my marriage, children, and (as Eddie Murphy said) "half".

I don't think the benefits are likely to outweigh that.

 

[DwaynieAD]

i dont know how to read so the OP can have his or her little slice of snobbery

 

[Tampabass]

Nope.

I read, and read pretty well - I've been doing it for 25 years. It's made me lots of money.

...but in my life, right now, if I didn't already know how to read - the costs would outweigh the benefits.

Because the benefits would be minimal in terms of increased compensation, and the costs would be enormous in terms of taking time away from family and other pursuits.

I barely have time to practice, at all. I certainly don't have the time to practice and learn to read... not for the couple hundred bucks a year it would make me.

Now, luckily - I don't NEED to learn how to read because I already know.




The cost of me spending the time it would take to read (if I didn't already know how) would cost me my marriage, children, and (as Eddie Murphy said) "half".

I don't think the benefits are likely to outweigh that.

Nope. Wrong. Point still stands.

Jimmy wasn't talking about strictly financial costs and benefits -- at least, I'm pretty sure he wasn't.

The benefits of learning how to read music, in terms of gaining a greater appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of music, and using all of that to improve and enhance your bass playing, are just enormous.

And the costs -- how much time/energy it takes to understand how to read -- are a drop in the bucket compared to those benefits.

Besides, I think you're just playing the Devil's Advocate, here. I'm pretty sure that you realize the value of reading music to your life as a bassist & musician.

 

[Ed Goode]

I've been reading music since I first started playing an instrument when I was in 2nd grade, so I have no idea how hard (or not) it might be to try to pick up reading as an adult. I'd imagine, as seems to be the case with many here, that the need to read would seem inconsequential if you're currently playing an instrument at a level you're happy with.

Honestly, I don't feel more (or less) superior to any musician because I can read fluently. I can't recall a time in my life where I've used reading skills as a leverage point over anyone, let alone "puff out my chest" (as I believe someone stated above) due to my mad reading skills. It's simply something I've always done as a musician.

Conversely, if I hadn't developed and maintained reading skills, there is a strong possibility that I wouldn't be a very good musician (.... everybody calm down, I'm not saying you're a bad musician if you can't read, just saying that I believe my opportunities would have been greatly reduced by a lack of reading ability .....) and I never would have had the opportunity to play with the caliber of musicians that I've been blessed to work with.

In my setting, there isn't ever a "Can you read music?" question .... it is a requisite skill just to get in the door. I don't believe I've ever been with a band/group that had members who couldn't read. IMO only, reading is a basic skill that any professional needs .... if you're not a pro that has reason to play in a wide variety of settings, then perhaps you don't need to read. Me, I couldn't imagine making a living at music and being unable to communicate with my fellow musicians via a common means ....

 

[zenman]

I can read, but I rarely have the need to do so and consequently I'm not very good at it.

However, I've played a lot of gigs without ever having been handed a sheet of music. In fact you would have a hard time even finding sheet music for most of the tunes that I know. Personally, I think a good ear is a much more valuable skill.

Finally, maybe its just me, but I really have a hard time memorizing a song that I've learned by reading. Songs that I've picked up by ear are no problem, but if I've learned a song from paper, I really have a hard time playing without that sheet in front of me. Anyone else find that true?

 

[aborgman]

Nope. Wrong. Point still stands.

Jimmy wasn't talking about strictly financial costs and benefits -- at least, I'm pretty sure he wasn't.

The benefits of learning how to read music, in terms of gaining a greater appreciation, enjoyment and understanding of music, and using all of that to improve and enhance your bass playing, are just enormous.

And the costs -- how much time/energy it takes to understand how to read -- are a drop in the bucket compared to those benefits.

Besides, I think you're just playing the Devil's Advocate, here. I'm pretty sure that you realize the value of reading music to your life as a bassist & musician.

Oh, the benefits have been pretty good.

As good as keeping my wife, children, and worldly possessions? Not even close.

 

[kraigo]

Brad, I think you often argue just for the sake of arguing.
It is true - who would be in the dark? the bass player who can't read. The more you know about music, the more you can apply that knowledge to your playing. You're saying that it's better to know LESS about music? You're better off as a musician that way?

The concept isn't that complicated.

I'd rather be someone with good relative pitch who can play without music than someone who can't play without music in front of them.

No, one doesn't preclude the other and I'm not saying anyone shouldn't learn to read music. It's a worthwhile skill to develop. But in my circumstances it's much more valuable to have a developed ear than sight reading skills. I've come across people who are strictly on both sides of this - more illiterates, I'll grant you - and there's a lot more utility from a good ear.

KO

 

[shadow_FIX]

The cost of me spending the time it would take to read (if I didn't already know how) would cost me my marriage, children, and (as Eddie Murphy said) "half".

I don't think the benefits are likely to outweigh that.

I'm not attacking, I'm just curious...how exactly would learning to read music cause your wife to leave you and your children to resent you? Assuming this is what you meant by "half." You already know how to, so consider this a hypothetical question.

Also, just to note: knowing how to read music does not mean you don't have an ear. It also doesn't mean you are immediately good at music, but it is an extremely useful tool in communicating with the language. This is like if you could speak English, but not write or read it. You can tell people stuff, but anything beyond that and you're SOL.

I know people who read perfectly and are brilliant classically trained musicians that can't play contemporary "memorized" (if you will) music, and I know people who can't read that would fail miserably on a jazz gig. I don't like to limit myself to any niche/area of music because I like and appreciate nearly all forms of music. In the course of a day, I could rehearse at school with a jazz big band (reading), jazz combo (reading), and orchestra (reading), then pack up my gear and go play rock and blues at the bar that night (no reading). IMO the only excuse I will accept is "I'm not willing to learn." Flame away if you want, but that's my opinion.

 

[TheVoiceless]

More people would learn to read if it was the only way to learn how to play. Many talented players learn to play first then read. I wish I was a sight reader, and may make that my next challenge. But its something, that was already mentioned, that you need to keep on it or its lost. And a lot of bands do not use sheet music.

 

[aborgman]

I'm not attacking, I'm just curious...how exactly would learning to read music cause your wife to leave you and your children to resent you?

To learn music I would have to spend less time with my wife and children than I currently do. That would not be acceptable to my wife or children.

Same reason I currently don't play in an orchestra. When we had a kid, my wife said - time to pick, because you aren't going to be out of the house 4 nights a week while I'm home with a screaming infant.

For a note - I currently practice about 20-30 minutes a week. Total. Haven't even had a bass out since my last gig, 3 weeks ago.