Who doesnt read music?

[worcesterbruce]

I played all the brass instruments in high school, so I could read treble clef, and a little bit of bass clef, tho not enough to sight-read. When I played a valve-trombone (a crazy contraption that made it so I didn't have to learn the slide positions, handy coming from the valve family of horns) in the jazz band, I had to jot down the fingerings on the charts. Made for interesting situations at the jazz competitions when we were given 5 minutes to look over a chart and then play it, cold.

As a young boy, I took drum lessons at school and started to learn to read drum charts, but the music director needed me more in the brass section, and that was that.

Looking at drum charts now, I wouldn't know where to begin. I'm sure it would be useful, but I'd rather spend what time I have available practicing the kit rather than learning to read. I have too little time for either as it stands, and in my current band I don't know that it would help greatly.

[kay-gee]

I think it's safe to say that with the advent of rock music in the mid to late fifties onward, reading became less important to the drummer. I'm sure that in the decades that preceded, non reading musicians were pretty much unemployable. Buddy Rich is certainly a glaring exception but his talent for music pulled him through. I think the majority of drummers from that era were readers.

all the best...

[cabasner]

When I took drum lessons a few years back, my teacher stressed 'the music language', which is basically the 'one e and ah, two e and ah....' Plus being able to read the notes and translate those to the 'language'. I think this is and was helpful, but I understand how others don't feel the need. Being able to read is relevant as a studio musician ( though not absolutely critical) but as a band member, obviously, not so much....

[late8]

When I took drum lessons a few years back, my teacher stressed 'the music language', which is basically the 'one e and ah, two e and ah....' Plus being able to read the notes and translate those to the 'language'. I think this is and was helpful, but I understand how others don't feel the need. Being able to read is relevant as a studio musician ( though not absolutely critical) but as a band member, obviously, not so much....

Great post Curt. Here's a different read-

Quote~

"Why Not Being Able to Read Music Means Nothing About Your Musical Ability"

By Tom Barnes October 16, 2014

“Research out of Johns Hopkins on jazz musicians and musical creativity only confirmed the importance of aural learning. Scientists discovered that the more fluid and spontaneous the process of conceiving and executing a musical idea, the more creative and unique that idea can be.

When jazz musicians improvise on their instruments in MRI machines, they show far more activity in the medial prefrontal cortex — an area of the brain linked with self-expression and activities that convey individuality — and far less activity dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is an inhibitory area involved in self-censoring and judgement."

So musicians who work from the ear and keep their composition style more spontaneous are actually giving themselves more space to come up with unique personal expressions than artists who rely on pen, paper and hard theory.

Miles Davis, perhaps the most ambitious and celebrated jazz musician of our time, understood that better than anyone. He was actually enrolled in Juilliard in the 1940s to steep himself in formal music theory, but he dropped out because he felt it was limiting his creativity. It's hard to deny he made the right choice, as he went on to record some of the most genre-expanding music ever heard.”

End of quote~

[N2Bluz]

Quote~

When jazz musicians improvise on their instruments in MRI machines, they show far more activity in the medial prefrontal cortex — an area of the brain linked with self-expression and activities that convey individuality — and far less activity dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which is an inhibitory area involved in self-censoring and judgement."

End of quote~

All along, my wife claims I suffer from a lack of self control. I say and do whatever I feel, without thinking first or using judgement. I was under the impression that I'm just a jerk. Turns out, I'm a JAZZ MUSICIAN!!

[late8]

All along, my wife claims I suffer from a lack of self control. I say and do whatever I feel, without thinking first or using judgement. I was under the impression that I'm just a jerk. Turns out, I'm a JAZZ MUSICIAN!!

okay...my latest sig quote...thanks!

[drummer]

You mean people read music?

[drummer]

Hi guys
Just wondering how many of you can read and write music. I have heard that many good drummers dont know how to read music. Is this true?

If you're asking this question because you don't want to learn to read music, do it anyway. Take it from someone who knows. You'll be MUCH better off.

[Drumbledore]

Quote~

10 Legendary Musicians Who Never Learned How To Read Music:

by PrinceAdepoju

.......

Tom Morello is another guitarist and activist who did not know how to read
music sheets for a long time. It is also believed by some that Jimmy Page,
Danny Elfman, The Rosenberg Trio, Kanye West, Frank Sinatra, Sylvia Fine
and Danny Kaye, Barbra Streisand, Paul Simon, and Harry Lillis 'Bing'
Crosby, Jr. were musically illiterate too. So not in tune!

End of quote~

Danny Elfman? Damn.....and to think he's done film scores for a lot of Tim Burton movies!

Myself, I started with reading for snare drum, which something I still teach when it comes to rudiments. Kit I don't do too bad....after all I teach it! Lol. But along with that, I also put some emphasis on jamming and 'locking' in with other instruments in lessons. As someone who plays a variety of percussion instruments, I can say this: the 'legit' stuff....mallet percussion like vibraphone, marimba and timpani you need to read if you're doing orchestral percussion....although I've seen a few vibes players in non-classical situations get away with chord charts, as you need to improvise in jazz. But there are loads of percussion instruments that due to their origin and manner, are either due to centuries of ear training and learning by rote (stuff like the Irish bodhran or Indian tabla), pointless to do so (the guiro or something like a rainstick) or have so much pitch variables and tone variations that transcribing would be a nightmare (the African talking drum).

Funny thing though, is that while I'm slowly getting my head around piano treble and bass clef (necessary for marimba too), as far as playing bass is concerned, I'm actually just reading tabs or going by ear.....don't ask me why my brain does that!

[JohnnySticks]

Buddy Rich couldn't read a note. Didn't seem to hurt him.

For what it's worth, I can look at a chart and I can read the notes but I can't sight read.

A well known drummer told me about 30-40 years ago that a lot of drummers would look at the trumpet players chart and work off that.

I went to a small club to see a jazz band, and the drummer was reading off of a chart. During intermission, I strolled over by the drums to see the chart and it was the horn part. That was a HUGE eye opener for me. It explained so much.

[rickthedrummer]

I went to a small club to see a jazz band, and the drummer was reading off of a chart. During intermission, I strolled over by the drums to see the chart and it was the horn part. That was a HUGE eye opener for me. It explained so much.

I'm pretty sure it was Mel Lewis who told me that at Buddy Rich's club 1 night about 40 years ago.

[JohnnySticks]

I'm a pretty good reader, and I play a lot of concert band stuff and classical. I have sometimes been called to fill in for someone and sight read a concert. I do ok at that. I cannot sight read a complicated kit chart, though. I have to have time to work through it.

[Legerdemaine]

I don't know whether the ability to read music has had an effect, but I am not much good at playing by ear. I need to have the music handy, or I just make up stuff.

[JohnnySticks]

I think for most non-Tony Williams/Buddy Rich guys, the ability to read music will open a lot more doors than for guys who cannot. If you want to be a working drummer, you should be able to read. Unless you're Tony Williams.

[Kevaruka]

I think for most non-Tony Williams/Buddy Rich guys, the ability to read music will open a lot more doors than for guys who cannot. If you want to be a working drummer, you should be able to read. Unless you're Tony Williams.

Depends on what music you play. I play in two full time bands & sub for two others. There is a third sub band knocking on the door as well. I can't read a single note & do everything by ear. Had a very successful career from it all as well

[kay-gee]

Depends on what music you play. I play in two full time bands & sub for two others. There is a third sub band knocking on the door as well. I can't read a single note & do everything by ear. Had a very successful career from it all as well

Of course many can play instruments without reading music, but I figure if a person has the where-with-all and the time, to learn to read, then why not?! Think of carpenters. Many can build things just from intuition, but if one knows how to read blueprints as well...even better

all the best...

[late8]

I was shocked at Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac can't read music nor did he take any guitar lessons.