As a child, I started with piano. A classical teacher who taught her students to sight read, discouraged to a lesser degree, the use of playing by ear but didn't get very upset over the ones who did play some things by ear. She also was big on music theory and wanted her students to have a solid grasp of the theory behind the music.

I really didn't have a desire to learn to sight read the music. I could use the sheet music to figure out the melody and chords but when it came down to it, I preferred to play by ear.

I recall one particular day when the teacher would, at the end of the lesson, give me the new song to work on for the following week. She would play it so I knew what it was supposed to sound like. I went home and because I really liked the song, I sat down and started to work on learning it. I worked hard on it using the sheet music and by the end of the week and the next lesson, I had that song nailed down. I walked in to the lesson and couldn't wait for Mrs Leigh to as me to play that song. And when she did, I played it without a single flubbed note. I was proud. When I finished, she sat there for several seconds and didn't say a word. Then she said... That was really good. You must have worked hard on it. Then she said I want you to play it again for me but this time, I want you to play what's on the sheet music. Oooops..... Yeah, I had it close but it wasn't what was on the sheet music. So much for not reading it.

I have played the piano and learned to play the guitar and mostly by ear, especially the guitar. I played drums in the school band and orchestra..... playing drums by the sheet music was boring. I've always been an ear player and prefer it. I can read the notes, but I can not and have no desire to play by sight.

Another quick story..... At a church I attended and played guitar in the music program, there were 3 folks involved in the program who were piano players. Two of them were masterclass musicians and could read anything in any key and play sight unseen for the first time like they had been playing it forever. They would look at it for a couple of seconds and then play it without any mistakes. The other lady was good but not at that level. After rehearsal we'd often just mess around ... the drummer, bass player and myself, jamming but the ladies never joined in. We'd be like, lets jam a 1,4,5 in A major. When I questioned them, they had no real clue what I was talking about. If they didn't have sheet music they were lost.

But when it comes to learning..... just do what you think is best. I never say don't learn to read. You should at least have a basic knowledge of the musical staff and the notes and their values and theory. Theory is best learned with a piano. It's really easier to understand on the piano ....at least for me. it was. No matter which way you choose or combination thereof, the only thing that will work is to spend lots of time doing it. Have fun or it's not going to happen.

You can find my music at:
www.herbhartley.com
Add nothing that adds nothing to the music.
You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.

The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.