How many of us can read music?

[leew3]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

still waiting to hear a formal trained music reader play Terraplane Blues...waiting, still waiting....







walk on by a blowhard

Too often these two ideas are presented as mutually exclusive. I've never understood taking pride in being a functionally illiterate musician and denigrating those who can read music. I read well enough to be able to communicate in a concise manner with other musicians. Let's work to offset the oft repeated tome that guitarists tend to be the least literate musicians.

[Coler]

Being able to read music is an asset, whatever standard of player you are.

It's not crucial to being a great player.

It will never hurt your musical ability to be able to do it though.

[xStonr]

[rllink]

Originally Posted by leew3

Too often these two ideas are presented as mutually exclusive. I've never understood taking pride in being a functionally illiterate musician and denigrating those who can read music. I read well enough to be able to communicate in a concise manner with other musicians. Let's work to offset the oft repeated tome that guitarists tend to be the least literate musicians.

It seems to be a trend in a lot of conversations these days, not just reading music. Technology in general seems to bring it out.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by leew3

Too often these two ideas are presented as mutually exclusive. I've never understood taking pride in being a functionally illiterate musician and denigrating those who can read music. I read well enough to be able to communicate in a concise manner with other musicians. Let's work to offset the oft repeated tome that guitarists tend to be the least literate musicians.

This, every word.

[PineMarten]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

still waiting to hear a formal trained music reader play Terraplane Blues...waiting, still waiting....







walk on by a blowhard

I think there would have been a non-zero number of music readers among musicians in those earlier 20th century regional blues scenes. Thinking of what Blind Willie MacTell said about it when interviewed, many musicians would play a number of styles on different gigs, though it was always the blues that the guys making the recordings wanted to hear. And there were tunes in the popular repertoire that originated from written song sheets, like "The Siege of Sebastopol" (Vastopol/Vestapol etc). Written music was a major means of distribution when recording was in its infancy.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by xStonr

perhaps be quiet for this long

[Bluenose]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

still waiting to hear a formal trained music reader play Terraplane Blues...waiting, still waiting....
walk on by a blowhard

As a young man Scott Joplin was formally trained by a music professor. Look at his accomplishments in Wikipedia. He went on to be a quite an influence in American jazz and the fact he was formally trained was to his benefit I've no doubt.

[Jaxon]

it was just a little jibing tease, it'll be ok, don't panic "guoters"

[Bluenose]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

it was just a little jibing tease, it'll be ok, don't panic "guoters"

Well trolling is a thing I guess. Everyone needs attention.

[Robin, Wales]

I rarely do something if I don't need to....

I don't need to read music (or read TAB) to play guitar the way I play guitar. In fact, I don't need to know what the notes are at every fret. And I have no intention of learning.

I do need to be able to read 4 part harmonies and follow a piano score when I sing weekly with our local Welsh MVC. I also need to be able to read and sing the Welsh language. So I have learned to do those things because I need to.

I do need to be able to read fiddle tunes to play mountain dulcimer. And I need to know modal scales and how to tune my instruments to play in different modes. So I can.

I don't need to be able to read music (or TAB) to play clawhammer banjo. I play and tune by ear - and will make up tunings to make playing tunes easy. I have no need for music as I play by ear.

I don't need to read music to play dobro - its all by ear. In fact, I often don't know the names of the songs I'm supporting when playing dobro in a band because I'm just listening to the singer and the melody in the moment.

So for me it is all a matter of need.

If I took an interest in classical guitar or jazz then I'd learn whatever was required to be a successful player in those genera.

I don't need anyone telling me that I could be a "better" guitar player by knowing the note names at every fret and being able to read music written for guitar. I have a route to being a "better" guitar player and it doesn't involve scales or reading music. Because the way that I want to play doesn't need those skills.

If I do ever need those skills - then I'm more than capable of picking them up pretty quickly!

[k_russell]

Originally Posted by Jaxon

still waiting to hear a formal trained music reader play Terraplane Blues...waiting, still waiting....















walk on by a blowhard

Do you have a score?

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by k_russell

Do you have a score?

I don’t think anyone’s keeping score at this point.

[Brent Hutto]

I can read sheet music notation just fine. Been doing it since I was a wee lad.

If my guitar playing (or my fiddle playing or my mandolin playing) was half as good as my music reading I'd be over the moon. The playing is the hardest part (apologies to Tom Petty).