Read Music

[JPizzzle]

So I was curious to how many of you guys read music. I'm currently learning to better understand musical notation from a hal leanord book. Do you guys find it more helpful then plain tab, same,?

[GeeJay]

I can read the treble clef if I sit down and work it out slowly. I cannot read music onto guitar. For a long time I thought it was essential. That is until I saw interviews with Eric Clapton, BB King and Pavarotti, when it turns out none of them can read music.... I guess it depends what you want to do..?

[Axeman16]

i can read, but very basically. it takes me a while to figure it out.

[lp59aholicDon]

I learned to read when I first started, I had a formal teacher in public school, I found it faster and easier to learn from others and using my ears , plus I hated having to think too much about reading, and not being able to add my own expression
Too sterile for me

[dcmey]

I can read but I usually just play the chords. It would complicate things alot if I did. May be in some key areas in a song if wanted to do a solo.

[Mikeeeeh]

I can read music and I would use sheet music alot when I play more classical influenced stuff on my saxophone... but I'm a more touch and feel guy when it comes to playing the guitar...

[BCRGreg]

I can't even though I tried. Dyslexia sucks.

[Hexa]

I can read if It really take my time but partitions tend to become messy when there's a lot of chords. Typically, I prefer to follow tabs... especially when the fingering is tricky or when alternate tuning is used

[LongBeach]

For starter's, I'm very new on guitar - about 2 years
But, I have learned to read tabliture (probably spelled it wrong)
but it's a HELL of alot easier to ready than standard sheet music.

I tried it, but really couldnt catch on very well. Gave me a flipping headache!

[LoKi]

I can read music. Piano music and Sax and drum music... (Yes I'm aware that reading music is the same for any instrument as long as you understand the key signature, I'm just stating that Drum music is different and Piano because it is right and left hand_. Guitar players reading sheet music works, but I only like it if I need to reference something without being able to hear it.

[im_b0r3d_]

Originally Posted by lp59aholicDon

I learned to read when I first started, I had a formal teacher in public school, I found it faster and easier to learn from others and using my ears , plus I hated having to think too much about reading, and not being able to add my own expression
Too sterile for me

This is off topic, but, I really hate the way my public school guitar teacher teaches. Everything from a book. All the kids have quit guitar already, and many have or are switching out. she doesn't know how to make things fun. Were in 9th grade and she hasn't taught the kids how to tune a guitar. Hasn't even taught the pentatonic scale. Its pathetic. Anyway.....

I can read music. Got my background from Piano so I'm not bad at reading music on guitar. It has some advantages, but tab is just simpler and quicker. My guitar teacher is making me learn songs by ear though, and thats coming along.

[Drave]

Originally Posted by Axeman16

i can read, but very basically. it takes me a while to figure it out.

^ what he said

[Weldaar]

Used to way back when, haven't in a long, long time. Don't find any need to now.
I just play what comes to me. Whatever I feel.

[coldsteal2]

I was taught how to in grammar school but i have
never had a reason to use it as a professional

I play rock, not Bach

[JPizzzle]

Hah, these responses are interesting. This guitar instructor that I see once a week or so told me that learning music helps, but from what you guys are saying it seems to only help with particular situations not playing guitar in general. I'll keep at it and see if it does or not.

[BobbyK]

I can read, but not instantly, takes me a little while on piano...
so I checked 'no'

[Voodooman]

Reading music? Well, I can tell which notes, time signatures, and key signatures, but it takes a while. Definitely don't have hand eye coordination with it. The only time I use it is when it's the only alternative for writing (which is rare). But nowadays with Garageband and a Midi cable, you can plug straight in and record it. So, not much use for all the dots and sticks.

[tiedstick]

Yeah, I can sight read on trumpet, baritone, etc.

On guitar, yes, but I'm kinda slow.

On piano, I really have to sit and figure it out.

[GeeJay]

Originally Posted by JPizzzle

Hah, these responses are interesting. This guitar instructor that I see once a week or so told me that learning music helps, but from what you guys are saying it seems to only help with particular situations not playing guitar in general. I'll keep at it and see if it does or not.

I've been told that to be a successful professional session player, being able to read is pretty much essential. I can understand how that would work.

For the stuff we play in the band (covers), we tend to pretty much busk our way along and as we have no ambition to play for a living, I don't feel any real pressure to learn how to read. That said, it might be something I have a go at one day.

If I had an instructor that was encouraging me to learn to read, I probably would go with it. Afterall, I'd be paying for his advice so I guess I should take it.

Cheers!

[Swordscythe]

I can read music, but for guitar, it's silly. Unless you're playing adaptations of classical pieces where a lot of instruments are involved... but playing a song that is fairly difficult on tab is next to impossible to read on sheet music. You'd have to be extremely good at it.

So for guitar lead work, sheet music is no good.

On the other hand, tablature doesn't let you tell rhythm, which sheet music does easily. If you're thinking rhythm, sheet music is the one way to go, because tabs can't do it.

so for lead work, tab, and for rhythm, sheet.

But I'm thinking it's best to use neither... just hear and repeat for covers, if you're that good, and think of your own stuff.

[tiedstick]

I would say that when it comes to guitar, music reading is mandatory for Classical/Spanish/Argentinian/Brazilian music. If you plan on playing that stuff, your music reading's gotta be close to top-notch, or its gonna be like pulling teeth. It can get quite complicated.

For electric and acoustic, I'd say use your ears, eyes, and whatever else you need to get it down.

[Markster]

I read music but I dont practice reading. (Therefore I'm a little choppy when I try to play sheet music.)

[Vagus]

I have a bachelors degree in music and I hate to admit it, but for a while I had a bit of attitude people that couldn't/wouldn't read music. While I recognized brilliance in "unschooled" musicians, I liked it to great story tellers that couldn't read or write.

In my youth and arrogance that comes with it, I was probably just jealous that so many where considerably better and more talented than I who "knew" everything but couldn't "do" much of anything.

Truth is there are a lot of smart writers out there that can't imagine a story, and great stories that others don't know how to write. Likewise there are many many great musicians that can't read or write music, but people like me that are not as creative to help write out other peoples great ideas.

I do believe that someone that is really wanting to become a better musician should make an effort to learn the basics. Understanding the language of music is the key to its theory and open the doors greatly to communication between other musicians.

Some have said knowing theory and having "rules" tie up the creative forces, but I believe more often than not it helps give direction when the creative juices are slowing down.

[lp59aholicDon]

What really nixed me , abour reading music, early back when I could read music, I went out and bought a Mountain" song book, Only three tunes on that whole thing were correct, because they were Felix Pappalardi's compositions, anything that was " written" by Leslie West was totally way off base , talked to some guys who could read better than me to check the songs over and they told me most Rock guys didnt write, and these were usually figured out by someone else. so why should I spend any more money and effort on learning to read, when more than likely i was going to possibly be wasting my money and time?
I never set out to be, or had a huge desire to be a " Studio Musician" I appreciate their abilities, skills and craft . all the students from my Guitar I/ Music theory class , had quit guitar , me I was on my second Les Paul and jamming around regularly with friends

[ReverendJWblues]

How can a blind man read music?
I hate reading a book. I can read it but I prefer not too. Takes too much time. By then my ADD kicks in and Im gone. I wont even read directions thats because Im a man..........Im spelled M...........A..........N..........Man. If I dont feel it I dont do it.

[tredfern011]

Originally Posted by LongBeach

For starter's, I'm very new on guitar - about 2 years
But, I have learned to read tabliture (probably spelled it wrong)
but it's a HELL of alot easier to ready than standard sheet music.

I tried it, but really couldnt catch on very well. Gave me a flipping headache!

Here Here, I've been playing for around a year now. I use a Hal Leonard book on how to read music. It gives me a headache also, but, I keep trying. My younger bro. plays too but all he does is tabs. I'm in the process of trying to learn ALL of the notes on the fretboard. That is one tough cookie. TALK ABOUT A HEADACHE. It's fun though.

[im_b0r3d_]

Originally Posted by lp59aholicDon

all the students from my Guitar I/ Music theory class , had quit guitar , me I was on my second Les Paul and jamming around regularly with friends

Thats me..