# Learning to read music?



## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

I just decided to take lessons after many years of noodling and self taught playing. I asked my teacher if we could start with filling in the gaps and touch on some fundamentals I missed out on, and the work on specific songs on my hit list. He asked me if I wanted to learn how to read music. I didn't think I wanted to go THAT far back, but now I am wondering if I should.

With the abundance of tab everywhere (which I have little patience for), is it worthwhile to spend the time on reading actual sheet music? Forgive me if I sound ignorant, but does anyone actually use sheet music anymore and is it even abundantly available these days? (My focus is on blues and hard rock)


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Reading tab is like reading sheet music... except it tells you exactly what is going on musically .. with having to listen to the record. I was interested in some complex African rhythms and how they where scoring horns. I found this guy's channel... watch a few and you can see how it helps. Not only I could see what the horns where scored as well as how simple the parts are but the placement within the arrangement.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I use sheet music in standard notation every day. Many folks seem to think it's only good for pitch, but rhythm notation and dynamic markings are just as important, and good luck getting many tabs with all the necessary information. It may not matter to everyone, but being able to speak the language of music with other musicians on a wide variety of instruments can be very creative, cooperatively and communally. It will also help in the development of sight singing, interval recognition, chord construction, and so on.

Fwiw, I teach kids from 8 years old and up how to read music, and many kids learn it earlier in other programs like Music For Young Children. (I don't take kids younger than 8.) It's not that difficult to grasp the basics, ie, you don't have to be a fluent reader but conceptualizing the basics, the fundamentals, will open musical doors.

Try the free version of Finale or Sibelius to help, but do it with a tutor.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Reading music is the easy part playing at any speed just like opening a book and reading print at a decent speed is the hard part. I know what is going on but reading and playing at pace is impossible for me.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

When someone comes to me looking to "fill in the gaps", reading music is one of my first suggestions. As Mooh said, it applies to all instruments and is a fantastic way to communicate musical information. Even basics like bar lines and repeats, can be very handy when writing out charts or cheat sheets.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Thanks folks, because it is a foreign concept to me as much as reading say mandarin, I'm not sure I see the value. I doubt I will ever need it to communicate with others as I don't have plans on being involved in a group, writing, teaching etc...really not aspiring to be anything more than a really good basement player if that makes any sense(??) So with that purpose in mind, is there really a lot of benefit to it? I mean, in this case, I'm trying to decide if it will it help me to great lengths, or simply be a little helpful...


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

Scotty said:


> Thanks folks, because it is a foreign concept to me as much as reading say mandarin, I'm not sure I see the value. I doubt I will ever need it to communicate with others as I don't have plans on being involved in a group, writing, teaching etc...really not aspiring to be anything more than a really good basement player if that makes any sense(??) So with that purpose in mind, is there really a lot of benefit to it? I mean, in this case, I'm trying to decide if it will it help me to great lengths, or simply be a little helpful...


Reading music can be interpreted in a lot of ways.
My version is that you get to the stage where you can play a written solo passage note by note and in the correct time.
For me, blues and hard rock is not suited for this type of skill.
I dont know if this is really helpful in the long run.

Having a good or great music technical background on the other hand is very help full.
By this is mean... learn all your chords and chord shapes.
Scales and how they apply to the music you want to play.
Im not a music teacher so I'll stop with more suggestions.
I can tell you that after I spent a good long time with my "Mickey Baker" jazz book where he spends the first half of the book ONLY on Chords and chord substitutions and riffs based on chords, I can now look at most sheet music and start strumming along and not have to worry about how to play the next chord that comes along. To me thats a great feeling.
good luck with your quest...
G.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Scotty said:


> Thanks folks, because it is a foreign concept to me as much as reading say mandarin, I'm not sure I see the value. I doubt I will ever need it to communicate with others as I don't have plans on being involved in a group, writing, teaching etc...really not aspiring to be anything more than a really good basement player if that makes any sense(??) So with that purpose in mind, is there really a lot of benefit to it? I mean, in this case, I'm trying to decide if it will it help me to great lengths, or simply be a little helpful...


I don't know if I'm someone who should be leading an example, but I did the tab thing. I suck playing with others, but I can definitely rock a basement.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I can read music, tab, chord charts, etc.

What I prefer depends on the context...

Why limit yourself on purpose?


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

GTmaker said:


> Reading music can be interpreted in a lot of ways.
> My version is that you get to the stage where you can play a written solo passage note by note and in the correct time.
> For me, blues and hard rock is not suited for this type of skill.
> I dont know if this is really helpful in the long run.
> ...


Thanks G, teacher or not, I appreciate your input. Chords and shapes are definitely on the shortlist. I know a couple of dozen, but not many but want to work on/expand on those that work in the upper fretboard. 



adcandour said:


> I don't know if I'm someone who should be leading an example, but I did the tab thing. I suck playing with others, but I can definitely rock a basement.


So how do you feel about that, do you think you have missed out by being able to read tab only?



zontar said:


> I can read music, tab, chord charts, etc.
> 
> What I prefer depends on the context...
> 
> Why limit yourself on purpose?


Well, I dont want to limit myself, but I don't want to spend countless hours and money learning something that will only contribute a very small amount to the grand scheme of things. I am considering it, but I need to know there is considerable return on time/money spent. (My wallet is taking a s**t kicking these days and I have to make sure my nickels are well spent...no more pennies in circulation)


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## dtsaudio (Apr 15, 2009)

At least learn the basics of reading music. Back when I played semi-professionally (25 odd years ago) virtually every job I got was because I could sight read music at speed very well. I used to do theater pit band work, studio work and could sit in at a moments notice with minimal rehearsal time. Wish I could still do it. I can barely read music now.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Scotty said:


> So how do you feel about that, do you think you have missed out by being able to read tab only?


Not really. I like playing in the basement more than anywhere else.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

I hate music reading, my first sight is awful and I usually ask for mp3 or digital music sheets to be able to listen to it in a midi player, my memory is excellent tho. I practice chord charts as much as I can and tab is more or less useless IMHO


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I can read, barely. Used to be a lot better. For me it's not about being able to sight read but about how theory seems to make more sense if you can read music well enough to figure a piece out. Just being able to read the key signature means you don't have the memorize which notes are in which key. Being able to read music, even minimally, for me makes it much easier to understand theory.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I started out in guitar lessons at 9 or 10 years old, and learning to read music came right after "how to hold the pick". I couldn't imagine not knowing how to read music. I'd suggest you a least give it a try. It won't make you a rock star, but it will open up another world for you.

The only area where tab has an advantage over musical notation (IMHO) is when you are learning a lead part that's up the neck someplace. Tab can tell you exactly where to best play it, notation gives you the notes but leaves it to you to figure out where it fits best (sounds like the original). 

The big advantage notation has over tab is that tab is only good for guitar. Music notation is a universal language. Once you know how to read music, you have a huge advantage/ jump start when it comes to learning other instruments. You can sit down to piano for the first time and once someone shows you where the "C" is, you can play a piece of music you know on the guitar or read something new to you.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Like reading English, you really won't know the value of it until you can do it. There are lots of great guitarists out there who can't read music; and you can certainly enjoy playing rock and blues (or anything else) without knowing how; but I've never met anyone who regretted spending the time learning how to read music.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Only issue I ever had with not being able to read sheet music was in grades 7 and 8 playing trombone and trumpet. Since then, I haven't felt like I'm missing anything. It's never come up as even a minor issue. For me personally, if I were spending limited funds on lessons, there is a laundry list of things I would deem more important (to me) than learning to read standard notation.


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

amagras said:


> I hate music reading, my first sight is awful and I usually ask for mp3 or digital music sheets to be able to listen to it in a midi player, my memory is excellent tho. I practice chord charts as much as I can and tab is more or less useless IMHO


Without tab, I would be an absolute shit player. I tried music lessons and couldn't stick with it. Tab was the alternative and it served me well as a guitar player.


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## amagras (Apr 22, 2015)

adcandour said:


> Without tab, I would be an absolute shit player. I tried music lessons and couldn't stick with it. Tab was the alternative and it served me well as a guitar player.


You are absolutely right about it, please allow me to substitute the "IMHO" for "to me" on the quoted text because tab reading comes in handy for some players.


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

Notation is my bread and butter. I make my living reading music, be it on woodwinds, guitar or bass.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

If you took the staff away and simply played tab. You would have no idea how the melody goes. (ie up or down) Tab really only teaches you to program your muscle memory. If your going to play tab you should no how the notes relate to a scale at the very least.


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## Woof (Jan 13, 2010)

Overall...

I would guess that most people who have learned to read music will likely not say it is a bad thing. And people that have not learned to read music cannot legitimately say it is a bad thing.

For me most tabs lack information. They are okay and I use them but to be useful I need to have already heard the song, reading music allows me to play something that I have not heard before or am not that familiar with.

I don't read music well and learned the basics years ago but I have never forgotten those basics.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Distortion said:


> If you took the staff away and simply played tab. You would have no idea how the melody goes. (ie up or down) Tab really only teaches you to program your muscle memory. If your going to play tab you should no how the notes relate to a scale at the very least.


Sure you can. It's not hard to correlate position on fretboard or string to string whether the notes are going up or down...even for a beginner.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Great, thanks again guys


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

JBFairthorne said:


> Sure you can. It's not hard to correlate position on fretboard or string to string whether the notes are going up or down...even for a beginner.


 B.S can you look at a bunch of numbers on a six imaginary strings and hum the tune like you can a staff- Not. Tab is nothing more than painting a picture with a paint by numbers kit.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

Distortion said:


> B.S can you look at a bunch of numbers on a six imaginary strings and hum the tune like you can a staff- Not. Tab is nothing more than painting a picture with a paint by numbers kit.


So you're saying that a guitar player (because a piano player wouldn't be using tab anyhow) CAN look at standard notation, recognize the notes and know the melody but CAN'T look at tab, recognize the notes by string and fret position (ie. 6th string 5th fret is an A) and know the melody? Nonsense.

Personally, I either know immediately on any given string/fret (standard tuning only as I have no experience with alternates, but if I used them I would know) what the note is or I can work it out based on the closest note I DO know. I also have a pretty good feel for relative intervals, as do most people who have played any instrument for a period of time. I won't go as far to say that I can hum an A at perfect pitch once I know I'm trying for an A, but I can recognize an A in standard tuning tab.

I could see your point if we're talking about a guitar player that has no clue what notes are where on his guitar, but a player like that probably doesn't know anything about standard notation either.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Scotty said:


> Well, I dont want to limit myself, but I don't want to spend countless hours and money learning something that will only contribute a very small amount to the grand scheme of things. I am considering it, but I need to know there is considerable return on time/money spent. (My wallet is taking a s**t kicking these days and I have to make sure my nickels are well spent...no more pennies in circulation)


It shouldn't take countless hours & money--and it's probably best addressed early on.
there may not seem like a lot of use to it now, but it wouldn't hurt that much.

I'm not saying anybody in this thread fits this--you know whether it does or not, but I have met people who didn't learn to read music for all sort of reasons--like thinking it would stifle their creativity (Tell that to Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, etc) and some boasted they were too lazy.

but I'm not the notation police--I'm just saying it's useful and beneficial.


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

I can sight read the treble clef. Once I actually start playing songs, I think this will be tremendously helpful.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

zontar said:


> It shouldn't take countless hours & money--and it's probably best addressed early on.
> there may not seem like a lot of use to it now, but it wouldn't hurt that much.
> 
> but I'm not the notation police--I'm just saying it's useful and beneficial.


Thanks - I'm discussing it with him this week see if I can gauge how much backtracking it will be


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## pattste (Dec 30, 2007)

I studied classical flute for 4-5 years and became a pretty good reader. My reading ability on guitar is hampered by the fact that I admittedly don't know the neck as well as I should. I can sight read in first position. Everywhere else on the neck is a struggle.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

pattste said:


> I studied classical flute for 4-5 years and became a pretty good reader. My reading ability on guitar is hampered by the fact that I admittedly don't know the neck as well as I should. I can sight read in first position. Everywhere else on the neck is a struggle.


The thing that helped my sight reading the most was teaching guitar.
Although it's been a while now so my sight reading has slipped somewhat, but I could get it back with a little time spent practicing it.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

I can read music but I am at a turtle's pace. Tab is easy for me and if I want to look up specifics on a song I can, like rhythm, exact timing! I am glad I read music even if it takes me forever to figure out! If I used it all the time I would be a lot faster but I prefer tab. I look at it as a tool in my arsenal!


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## Guyfrets (Aug 20, 2012)

Mooh said:


> Many folks seem to think it's only good for pitch, but rhythm notation and dynamic markings are just as important, and good luck getting many tabs with all the necessary information. It may not matter to everyone, but being able to speak the language of music with other musicians on a wide variety of instruments can be very creative, cooperatively and communally. It will also help in the development of sight singing, interval recognition, chord construction, and so on.
> Peace, Mooh.


Ditto to this!!!


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

And its official...I'm going in. Gonna learn to read, or at least give it a shot


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## Gimper (Jan 14, 2016)

This is an interesting thread, because I just recently started learning to play guitar (taking lessons) and I started learning to read music at the same time. Learning both things at the same time is definitely a challenge, but I just assumed it was the right way to do it.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Gimper said:


> This is an interesting thread, because I just recently started learning to play guitar (taking lessons) and I started learning to read music at the same time. Learning both things at the same time is definitely a challenge, but I just assumed it was the right way to do it.


That's the way I prefer to teach, both instrument and reading simultaneously. There are other viable ways but I find that when we combine the visual, auditory, and tactile at the same time, it's a more thorough process. It also allows us to learn the names for things as we experience them.
“All wisdom is rooted in learning to call things by the right name. When things are properly identified, they fall into natural categories and understanding becomes orderly.”
(Confusius 551-479 BCE)

Peace, Mooh.


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## JBFairthorne (Oct 11, 2014)

As a general rule, practice how you play. Using golf as an example. Don't practice a putt 20 times from the same spot. Practice 20 times from different spots because on the course you only have one opportunity to read and make the putt. Practicing like you play prepares you for the real thing. If you intend to read while you play then practice like that.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Mooh said:


> That's the way I prefer to teach, both instrument and reading simultaneously. There are other viable ways but I find that when we combine the visual, auditory, and tactile at the same time, it's a more thorough process. It also allows us to learn the names for things as we experience them.
> “All wisdom is rooted in learning to call things by the right name. When things are properly identified, they fall into natural categories and understanding becomes orderly.”
> (Confusius 551-479 BCE)
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


That's a great quote! (And true!)


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Great responses all around guys. Many thoughts are shared with reading and not reading music, all of which at one point or another applied to me in some form or fashion. Tab is great if you cannot read music, but it has it's limitations, which are massive at times. I cannot count the number of times I've looked for a song passage with an advanced rhythm, or a key change, and certain tempo and time changes, that just were not found in tab form by me. So I had to check the actuall written music to get specifics down. Vice versa with tab and slides, pinching, hammer ons, pull offs bends etc. Harder to find in standard notation than in tab form. Each works in their own ways.

Also realize that it depends on what you want out of music and guitar in general. I played Classical piano for a number of years as a child, so I was fairly young with a spongy mind. That changes over time with age. But with that background, it lent me to playing Clasical Guitar for a number of years as a teenager, as well as using tab and of course, playing by ear. I'm not so sure if playing classical would have been as well suited with tab. Of course if you get deeper into it with writing music and transposition, it becomes a whole other subject again.

I guess my take is if you want to really say what you mean with your playing, you would do well with learning to read and write music. It comes down to (in my opinion), being literate or illiterate with the language. Whatever you need to get your particular "job" done.


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## rush2112 (Oct 2, 2010)

I have a friend who always got good paying fill-in gigs because he could read music.

Country music was his specialty but he did all genres of music.

Then again, I heard a Neil Young interview in which he said, just pick up a guitar and start making sounds.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

rush2112 said:


> I have a friend who always got good paying fill-in gigs because he could read music.
> 
> Country music was his specialty but he did all genres of music.
> 
> Then again, I heard a Neil Young interview in which he said, just pick up a guitar and start making sounds.


I was always told that learning to real music was real difficult. That is just not true. Ninety per cent of it is quite easy and is mostly what you will see in modern music. It is too bad that many feel it is too difficult because it does hamper them when trying to learn a song and play it correctly.

On the other hand, there is something to be said for being able to play by ear or brain or whatever Neil Young wants to call it. Being able to do both is what I would like to master.


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## J-75 (Jul 29, 2010)

Not sure if this has already been covered, but, tab is only useful if you already know how the music sounds. Tab lacks the information on timing, emphasis, etc. to communicate how the author intended the piece to be played.
Musicians who have read musical score for many years can visually scan it, and, in their minds, HEAR the music in the way it was intended to be played.

Sent from my SM-G925W8 using Tapatalk


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