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Well, it's already been stated here somewhere, but I'll say it again; at one time someone asked Jerry Reed if he read music and his reply was, "not enough to hurt me." That's a funny reply but the people I respect most, like David Foster, do both. He probably is not a great reader, but I'll bet he doesn't waste time in a studio either. I don't consider myself a musician, but I do think of myself as a writer.

I don't need to be a GREAT reader, but I think it will help me enormously to be able to pick up a piece of relatively uncomplicated music and play it fairly well, quickly. In fact, I believe it is the single most important thing I can do right now to improve myself musically. I am denying myself exposure to a tremendous amount of talent and "how to" musical ideas, simply because I don't sight-read. Notice that I didn't say "I don't read." I do read. I know where the notes go and I understand my theory reasonably well. But there is a difference between someone who can read and someone who is a good sight-reader. Let me give you an example:

20 years ago I knew a young girl who started reading just so she could play the hymns and children's songs at church. I watched her grow up in the church. This last Christmas I saw here again, this time as the pianist for the Christmas musical with our local choir. I was part of the choir and was able to study her her - musically. She was able to play about anything that was thrown at her, quickly and with relatively few mistakes. Are there things that she doesn't know? Yes, all musicians have their strengths and weaknesses. I've played with the professionals in major studios. She might be a little lost in that world. But here to point:

I'm supposed to be a writer and I do pretty well. But I am denying myself a world of new and other ideas because I cannot sit down and easily play and comprehend what someone else has done. I'm forever re-inventing the wheel and improving on it. What it takes me days to do, this girl can do perhaps in a matter of minutes - all because she stuck with the basics over a prolonged period of time. Does she have more talent or natural ability than I do? I doubt it. I think it's just because she paid the price to be a good, not fantastic, but a good sight-reader. I can think of several other women in our congregation who are in the same category. In their own way, they make me look silly musically, and I frankly deserve it.

Can you see where I'm coming from?



Yep...I surely see where you're coming from. But your post has sort of morphed from a question about whether you should become an excellent reader to a commentary that you should! (-:

I'm just sayin' that there is a MASSIVE amount of things to learn along the way to being an accomplished musician or writer...or both...which have nothing to do with being able to read or write music.

Irving Berlin could do neither. Nor could Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder obviously coulnd't read!!

Django was a KILLER musician long before he ever learned to read music...if he ever did. In fact, he was functionally illiterate until well into his adult life.

Hey...I would DEARLY LOVE to be able to read music. I've just never had the time to focus on it as was true for a lot of legendary musicians.

IMHO...theory and technique are absolutely indespensible. Correction...that isn't an opinion...it is a FACT. On the other hand, history teaches that reading music is a WONDERFUL option...but still an option except for a limited fraction of the music community...like teachers...session musicians etc.

Remember that even those cats who say they can "read music" are often just reading chord names and have a huge inventory of chord changes and scales so that they can even play melodies without being able to read a single note on a chart. (either because they are familiar with the melody even if they've never played it...or listen to the song once or twice and can play the entire melody note for note.)

But if reading is becoming a passion/priority for you GO FOR IT. Personally, I wouldn't (and haven't) unti I could play the changes in every Fake Book on the planet AND be able to solo over those changes. THEN, I might try to figure out what the heck I was doing... but maybe not! (-:

Best,
Jim


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