There used to be a rumor that Jimmy Smith couldn't read music. That wasn't true.

I read that Jimmy could look at the music, record another song or two, then play the first song flawlessly. He also supposedly had the biggest ears in the business.

------

I played with a blind person who is now famous in France (Gilbert Montagne). He could read Braille music, but had the biggest ears I've ever known. We auditioned him, and in all our songs, he asked about two chords, both diminished 7tn, and he wanted to know which was the root.

------

Errol Garner, and the aforementioned Joey may not have been able to read music, but they also knew advanced music theory.

------

Those superstars who don't read music and also don't know music theory are always cited, but they are really the exceptions to the rule. A tiny percentage of all good musicians.

------

I don't think you can sight-read TAB. I can take a piece of music, a song I've never heard and have no idea what genre it is in, or how it is supposed to sound, and unless it is extremely complicated, sight-read it. It was part of my training in school.

I'd really like to see anybody get a piece of music in TAB of a song they never heard before sight read it. An intense piece of music, but not extremely complicated.

The challenge is on wink

Insights and incites by Notes

Bob "Notes" Norton smile Norton Music
https://www.nortonmusic.com

100% MIDI Super-Styles recorded by live, pro, studio musicians for a live groove
& Fake Disks for MIDI and/or RealTracks