What's the Point of Reading Music

aord43

thegummy said:

Incidentally, does anyone know a good resource for guitar sheet music? Or rock music in general?

I've never been able to use tabs properly, I was searching for bass tabs the other day but couldn't tell which notes were in which bars.

I'd probably say midi files were the better alternative, though not so easily available.

Try Sheet Music Direct, they have it for many instruments, tab and standard notation.  For example: https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/se/ID_No/111543/Product.aspx (just clicked from their home page at random).

ICBM

For me it's like the ability to read a circuit diagram. I can read them, but I'm sure most of you can't and it doesn't stop you using your equipment or getting a good sound. It's not at all necessary in order to use an amp or even to do basic maintenance, but if you want to do anything more complex or communicate ideas with other techy types then it's really very handy to have things set out in a universally-understood language. Most people who get familiar enough with them can make a fairly good guess about the rough sound of an amp just from looking at the diagram too.

I can't read music, but I have no doubt that it makes things a lot easier for those of you who can, if you're going to play something more complex than a typical rock song. I also don't think it necessarily takes away your 'feel' or 'emotive' approach to music, any more than being able to read a circuit diagram stops me dialling in an amp by ear does.

DLM

Erskine said:

Not sure if you mean a software resource? If you do, you could try GuitarPro. The cost has crept up on this since its early days, but it may still suit you. There was also a free application called TuxGuitar. There may be more for phones or tablets, but I dont use those.

There are also some online sites that provide TABS to download - for GP or text format. Not sure if you are allowed to post links to other sites on here, though.

Can someone remind me: How does one notate an echo effect again?

Sporky said:

Neill said:

I remember some years ago we tried out a guy who was a classical guitarist - he had reached the stage where he really wanted to be in a band. He was fine with chords but when I asked him to learn the famous solo in "Don't Speak" of course he asked me for the music.  I explained to him that even if the notation existed, it wouldn't help him, he had to listen to the recording and learn it from that.      

If the notation was correct he'd be able to play it from that.

And I'd bet he could play a metric shitload of stuff that most rock guitarists couldn't even read.

All this belittling of people who just have different skills seems a bit contrived and defensive to me.

Wis'd. That album was a huge seller. The transcription book will have sold a bunch too:

https://www.amazon.com/Tragic-Kingdom-Guitar-Recorded-Versions/dp/0793584590

I'll bet your man could have done a sterling job from that.

On the latest edition of the GuitarWank podcast, there's a good long discussion of this very topic from about 50 minutes in:

http://www.guitarwank.com/podcast/2017/6/5/guitarwank-episode-73-march-5th-2017-2w8rf-9ft27-rg5g3-wrltb-9r37z-rharj-xj96d-mgfad-hd27y-s9hmz-pp83w-tn6xs-e7r8r-4zn4n-nfbh5-edmhf-2zcwf-9n8kx-h753p-8mfm8-4dxew-5hdrw-ns5jj-9w4ma-hlws9-9y5my-xrcwa

Bruce Forman is a good reader, and Scott Henderson tells a cool tale of a student who could read with the best through growing up doing it all the time.

57Deluxe

Prob nothing unless you into classical or playing prof in orchs/theatre land. Ask Tim Pearce what he thinks!

DLM

@57Deluxe Don't know him personally, but I suspect he thinks you should put your money in hedge funds!

https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/tim-pearce-1.html

You want this guy:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Pierce

siraxeman

Do YOU need to be able to read music notation? Or would it benefit YOU and thus be a worthwhile persuit in learning to do so? If not then simply don't. Disregard it and go forth. If it is needed/or beneficial to you learn it. Simples.

Most "guitar hero's" don't or can't though. Just saying. 

Clarky

I quite enjoy sitting outside a coffee shop with no instruments composing..
just me, coffee, pen and the score

sometimes writing with an instrument can be a distraction

sted

I tried to learn it, seemed fucking impossible for me, I'm in awe of anyone who can sight read music.

UnclePsychosis

For many of your average hobbyist guitarists it's probably not necessary. You can get by without.

However, what really gets my goat are the weirdos who think that learning to read music or learning music theory is somehow limiting or restrictive. Learning to read or learning theory doesn't stop you being able to learn by ear, jam with other people or to be creative. You quite often seem to get this weird thing with guitarists where they think that ignorance of music theory actually makes them a better guitarist. It's baffling. 

EricTheWeary

UnclePsychosis said:

For many of your average hobbyist guitarists it's probably not necessary. You can get by without.

However, what really gets my goat are the weirdos who think that learning to read music or learning music theory is somehow limiting or restrictive. Learning to read or learning theory doesn't stop you being able to learn by ear, jam with other people or to be creative. You quite often seem to get this weird thing with guitarists where they think that ignorance of music theory actually makes them a better guitarist. It's baffling. 

It’s part of the mythology of guitarists. The example that always comes to mind is Steve Lukather who often says he doesn’t understand theory. Technically able guitarist who has played on some huge selling records so that seems proof of the puddding. 
Yet, there’s plenty of stuff with Steve where he is explaining his approaches and he clearly understands a lot of theory, it’s a long way from knowing a pentatonic scale and hoping for the best. Maybe he can’t sight read or know very complex theory so within the context of being a session musician he might feel like he doesn’t understand theory or he wants to seem all rock’n’roll but he knows theory. 

VimFuego

UnclePsychosis said:

For many of your average hobbyist guitarists it's probably not necessary. You can get by without.

However, what really gets my goat are the weirdos who think that learning to read music or learning music theory is somehow limiting or restrictive. Learning to read or learning theory doesn't stop you being able to learn by ear, jam with other people or to be creative. You quite often seem to get this weird thing with guitarists where they think that ignorance of music theory actually makes them a better guitarist. It's baffling. 

it's not just guitarists, I picked up a melodeon recently (button accordion) and I was really struggling with sight reading on it, one of the issues is that the same note can be played on two different buttons depending on whether you push or pull. So I asked on a meldeon forum and it was surprising the number of responses I got along the lines of what you describe. Some even said that virtuosity was not a folk thing, and making mistakes was. It's like they're ashamed of being good, so they don't even try.

Gulliver

I can read music reasonably well - not as well as I used to because I don't do it that much any more. My time at university playing in Jazz Bands, musical theatre productions and singing in a choir is over and I've not really read much since  (played for a production of School of Rock the musical but that was so easy I'd basically memorised it!!)

For me, my standard notation knowledge is mainly used to me writing down my own ideas.  Sure, I could just throw a little rough demo of an idea into garageband or voice notes on my phone. but I like being able to write things down and come back to it later. I don't have to listen to the idea again and figure out exactly what I was playing or in what position it was played in.  i've got the score to tell me.


I also disagree with anyone who says that TAB is not a valid form of notation - since standard notation is basically TAB for a Piano. it tells you exactly where to put your fingers to make the right sound...

Vibetronic

it is really useful to know how to do it. I can read slowly, although I can't sight-read anything complicated off the bat, and I know enough to teach the basics. I find the timings really useful and often use these as reminders for myself when I'm writing out chord sheets for band or whatever (ie if there's a little run, I'll write out the timing just so I remember how it flows). I've also found it useful when I've wanted to know how to play a tune and there's no tab; if I can find the score, then I can work it out. I really wish I could do it better and I'm practicing at the moment. I find it really interesting, and the same goes for theory, although my understanding of that is quite a bit better than my reading.