I play by ear 100% of the time. Tell me the key if you want....or....I can figure it out pretty quick if you don't.

I can read the music at an elementary level. Essentially, I know the lines and spaces of the treble clef better than the bass clef....but I can eventually figure them all out including the ledger lines. But not well enough to read the music like I can read a book.

I've known a bunch of players, mostly in churches that could not play by ear if their lives depended on it but throw some Bach or Chopin in front of them in the key with 5 flats and they could make you believe they'd been playing it all their lives, as you mentioned. One of the ladies was a strict sight reader and could play anything.... so one day I asked her what the key of the song she was playing was.... she didn't know.... she could play it but didn't know how to tell the key. I asked her how many flats or sharps.... she said 2 sharps.... D major. That blew my mind. How did she ever learn to play without knowing something so basic as the key signature... That's one of the things my piano teacher drilled my on constantly.


I believe in education but I can also see where it can stifle a person's ability to create and be spontaneous. So for me, it's a balancing act.... but .....

I'd rather play with folks who can play by ear.


Last edited by Guitarhacker; 10/06/15 09:17 AM.
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You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

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