Can you read music? (Full Version)

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[Poll]

Can you read music?


I read music and it is an essential skill for me.
  46% (13)
I can read but rarely have to.
  46% (13)
I don't read but sometimes I wish I did.
  3% (1)
I don't read music and never need to.
  3% (1)


Total Votes : 28
(last vote on : 10/9/2008 11:06:31 AM)
(Poll will run till: -- )


Message

wbporter -> Can you read music? (9/26/2008 7:29:08 AM)

Quite a few years ago, someone in our office was asked to play "There is Love" at the wedding of someone we both knew. He wanted to play the fast flowing notes the way Peter Stookey did and asked me to write it down for him. Not being a guitar player I asked him where the guitar's open strings were on a piano staff, but he had no idea what I was talking about and there wasn't much I could do to help.

I have since met people who were music majors in college but hardly ever need to apply anything they learned when performing.



PHmosh1 -> RE: Can you read music? (9/26/2008 7:46:36 AM)

I took piano lessons when I was a lot younger, so I have a basic ability to read music. At this point, though, I really have to concentrate and pick through the notes.

Now I mostly just play by ear.



DaveW -> RE: Can you read music? (9/26/2008 7:53:32 AM)

I took saxophone in school and learned basic reading there. In HS I attended a couple of summer sessions of SG music camp and took college level theory there; learning about chord stucture and harmonizing. I also have sung in choirs for years.

I rarely read anymore, mostly when I have to write an arrangement for vocals or instruments.



stellaluna -> RE: Can you read music? (9/26/2008 9:55:32 AM)

I can read music like a book and hear it in my head. [:)]



1love1God1way -> RE: Can you read music? (9/26/2008 11:21:26 AM)

I can read it, but it is not really a necessary skill for me anymore.



Zhi -> RE: Can you read music? (9/28/2008 10:15:29 PM)

I can read music, and it's essential when I'm playing classical (piano), but when I'm playing with a worship team they basically never have anything but the chords, so I have to extrapolate the music from a single letter pretty much. When I want to do something exceptionally fancy I'll just pull out my own composing sheets and write my own notes, otherwise I pretty much remember what to do where (occassionally I'll toss in a few letters' worth of notation for embellishment, if I want to remember to do something in particular when we play the song again 3 months later.)

If you want to play "There Is Love" on the guitar I'd suggest you just pick up some free online tablature in the key you want. The "fast notes" in "There Is Love" (as I recall, from playing it for a friend's wedding a very, very long time ago) is that it's mostly splitting out sevenths and full chords one-note-at-a-time anyway.



shemaromans -> RE: Can you read music? (9/28/2008 10:24:55 PM)

I'm in between "essential" and "rarely" for the poll options (more on the "essential" side).

When I started learning how to play the guitar, I purposely chose to learn without reading because for years I had to read music when I played the piano. Since I started playing piano once a month at church, I'm slowly learning how to play without having to read the music. It's both exciting and liberating to see the change. I still read the chord progressions, though.



rgsoundguy -> RE: Can you read music? (9/28/2008 10:47:05 PM)

I was a highschool band geek and took music theory classes. I play the bass now but I look at the chords, don't read music that often for it, haven't had a regular need to read music since highschool.



karlie -> RE: Can you read music? (9/28/2008 10:52:59 PM)

I can if I have to, but since I only sing and don't play an instrument anymore, I'm pretty out of practice. I'm really slow at figuring out notes on the scale now and generally just site read what I need for singing. But, I do know all the signs and beat counts and things like that instantly, which is really all I need as a vocalist.



iluvatar -> RE: Can you read music? (9/29/2008 8:49:20 AM)

I think reading music is overrated by some (i.e. some of those who can only sight read) and underrated by others (i.e. some of those who can only play by ear). In some circumstances, it's an invaluable tool; in others, it's a crutch.

For someone playing pop, jazz, or rock music (including CCM in church), IMO it's more important for that person to be able to just read a chart and then listen to the music in order to realize the chords in whatever form & rhythm is most appropriate. It's rather impractical for a keyboard player, in this context, to require a fully fleshed out part.

-Dan.



MusicianDad -> RE: Can you read music? (9/29/2008 8:57:39 AM)

My reading skills are pretty weak. My sight reading skills are non-existant.



rgsoundguy -> RE: Can you read music? (9/29/2008 2:13:39 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: iluvatar

I think reading music is overrated by some (i.e. some of those who can only sight read) and underrated by others (i.e. some of those who can only play by ear). In some circumstances, it's an invaluable tool; in others, it's a crutch.

For someone playing pop, jazz, or rock music (including CCM in church), IMO it's more important for that person to be able to just read a chart and then listen to the music in order to realize the chords in whatever form & rhythm is most appropriate. It's rather impractical for a keyboard player, in this context, to require a fully fleshed out part.

-Dan.


Then again, somebody who can read music and has a good ear has got the whole package. I am of the mindset that the more you know, the better it is for you. But with music, a person either has it or they don't.



iluvatar -> RE: Can you read music? (9/29/2008 7:37:37 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: rgsoundguy
Then again, somebody who can read music and has a good ear has got the whole package.


I agree. That's why I'm inclined to suggest that when parents try to find a music teacher for their kids, they try to find someone who's a good jazz musician. Jazz is more demanding on a broader scale than most (all?) other genres.

-Dan.



markb77 -> RE: Can you read music? (9/29/2008 8:44:37 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: iluvatar

I think reading music is overrated by some (i.e. some of those who can only sight read) and underrated by others (i.e. some of those who can only play by ear). In some circumstances, it's an invaluable tool; in others, it's a crutch.

For someone playing pop, jazz, or rock music (including CCM in church), IMO it's more important for that person to be able to just read a chart and then listen to the music in order to realize the chords in whatever form & rhythm is most appropriate. It's rather impractical for a keyboard player, in this context, to require a fully fleshed out part.

-Dan.


You've pretty much hit the nail on the head. I took piano lessons from second grade through my first few years of college, so I can read music okay. I'm fine with reading notes, but not all that strong on rhythm & time values. When I was in Jr. High, I bought a book of Elton John music and taught myself how to play the chords which were written for guitar above the melody line. This is what I manly use now - if I can see what chord to play, I'm fine. I've found it's a nice balance to the two other keyboard players in our praise team who can only read music and can't chord or improvise at all. I try to play something which complements them instead of playing exactly the same thing they are playing - because they're both reading the same thing. It helps to be able to do some of both, I think, and the type of music being played would determine what you would want to have the "most" of. Hope that makes sense.



rae_of_light -> RE: Can you read music? (10/2/2008 2:06:09 PM)

I can read music, and as I am in several music groups, it's an essential skill for me. I've been instructed in classical violin since I was five, but the teaching method I was taught with at first (Suzuki) taught music by ear. (This caused me to be a total failiure at piano, my teacher said that I would NEVER learn to read music!) I eventually switched teachers, and now I can read music in both treble and alto cleffs.

I'm glad that I had training in playing by ear, because it makes it so much easier to play in worship. I don't have to think about what notes I'm playing, it just flows naturally once I've heard the song once or twice.



JasonMorris -> RE: Can you read music? (10/3/2008 1:06:09 AM)

I can't! I think it would be cool to though.



wbporter -> RE: Can you read music? (10/3/2008 7:50:53 AM)

Ah, another violinist!

There has to be some way for the composer to communicate with the people who will be performing his/her work/song/etc. Some people can take the lead in this and read the music or the chord charts while others might have to rely on others to sing it to them or play it for them in order for them to learn something new.

A number of years ago I was in a barbershop chorus and someone else was actually bragging about the fact he couldn't read music. I didn't think of him as someone who has overcome a handicap like a blind singer--just someone who was lazy. Other people had to work a little harder to help the guy learn his part. Of course, all barbershop music is memorized before it is performed anyway with a lot of stage presence added.

I guess it also depends on preference as I find it much easier to learn a new song with the music in front of me rather than just a song sheet or an OHP image.



DaveW -> RE: Can you read music? (10/3/2008 8:59:43 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: rae_of_light

now I can read music in both treble and alto cleffs.
Alto clef? I'm impressed.

You have to go back pretty far to find music written in alto or tenor clef. I was originally taught that it was called "moveable clef" because the symbol denoting where middle C was "moved" depending on alto or tenor parts.

I sing bass. I play bass. I play some keyboards. I first learned to read on saxaphone.

I can read treble clef no problem. I still have difficulty with bass clef. That is a problem because I am now learning to play a bass viola da gamba. All its music is in either bass or tenor clef.

The method I am going thru has the parts scored out for treble tenor and bass viols; the same music in each's respective range. I read off the treble and drop an octave.

I really need to stop doing that and just start reading bass clef.



DaveW -> RE: Can you read music? (10/3/2008 9:06:31 AM)

As far as the importance of reading music, it is like being able to read and write in English. You may be able to speak well, but are you literate? Not reading music is as great a handicap as not reading your spoken language (at least musically)



JimboFletch -> RE: Can you read music? (10/3/2008 9:10:03 AM)

I can read music (bass or treble clef) and transpose it on the fly for trumpet. I also can write arrangements for band instruments and transpose those to the appropriate keys.



p31woman -> RE: Can you read music? (10/3/2008 8:17:08 PM)

Yep. Started on piano and violin about the same time, at age 11. Later also sang in choirs and played the bassoon. There were a few hymns I transposed in my head when I played for church services, but only the ones my piano teacher (and the church pianist) had taught me-- I didn't learn near enough theory to be really skilled at it.

IMHO, PowerPoint lyrics up on the screen at most churches these days takes all the fun out of reading the music in a hymnal. [>:] I sing alto, but need to see the note most of the time to harmonize-- and harmonizing's fun! [sm=icon_smile_sing.gif]



wbporter -> RE: Can you read music? (10/4/2008 8:09:10 AM)

I thought the Alto clef was for the violas and had middle C on the 3rd line. I've seen the C clef on other parts such as the cello.

In the "chorus only" score of the Dufufle Requiem, there were some bassoon cues given in a C Clef. It played the note each part came in on, but it was necessary to work out which note was yours ahead of time.

As a violinist and a tenor, I know the treble clef and quite a few leger lines above it. On the bass clef I have to think about it when the note is below the 2nd space C.



MusicianDad -> RE: Can you read music? (10/4/2008 11:00:19 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: iluvatar

I agree. That's why I'm inclined to suggest that when parents try to find a music teacher for their kids, they try to find someone who's a good jazz musician. Jazz is more demanding on a broader scale than most (all?) other genres.

-Dan.


Excellent advice.



DaveW -> RE: Can you read music? (10/4/2008 6:50:38 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: JimboFletch

I can read music (bass or treble clef) and transpose it on the fly for trumpet. I also can write arrangements for band instruments and transpose those to the appropriate keys.
Transposing on the fly is FUN!!!!! (not!!!)



violinist_for_jesus -> RE: Can you read music? (10/6/2008 4:45:15 PM)

I am a college music major, so yes, I can read music. But did someone mention transposing?



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