It's still my opinion that every musician should learn to read music and know at least basic theory.

Sure it is possible for a person to be illiterate in his or hear spoken language and get along just fine in the world. You can speak English without knowing how to read or write and be ignorant about the rules of grammar. That is how a non-reading, non-theory musician operates.

But on the other hand, it is a great advantage to know how to read English (if that is your native language) and also know at least basic grammar.

Knowing how to read and write plus construct proper sentences in your native languages opens up a vast new world previously unavailable to you, like Internet forums, food recipes, ingredients on a food package, books, magazines, user manuals, and so on.

Just as being literate in your native language gives you that advantage, knowing how to read music and know theory does the same for the musician.

Of course it's impossible for the non-literate musician to appreciate the difference until he or she becomes literate in music to have the difference revealed.

And yes, I know some great musicians didn't know how to read music, but some great orators didn't know how to read their language -- in both cases they are the exceptions to the rule.

If you can't read music and if you don't know at least basic theory, you really cannot know what you are missing.

Insights and incites by Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
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