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Author Topic:  How many can read music
Joseph Barcus

 

From:
Volga West Virginia
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 5:54 pm    
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just wondering how many of you guys can read music notation
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Richard Damron


From:
Gallatin, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 6:08 pm    
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First learned some 50-plus years ago.
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Pete Woronowski

 

From:
Saskatchewan, Canada
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 6:13 pm    
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Both read music and play by ear for me.
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Jim Robbins

 

From:
Ontario, Canada
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 6:44 pm    
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Richard Damron wrote:
First learned some 50-plus years ago.

40-plus for me. Scary thought.

PS: How do you get a guitar player to turn down his amp? Put sheet music in front of him.
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Charles Davidson

 

From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 7:04 pm    
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Can read sheet music and tab for steel,guitar,banjo,and mandolin,but rarely have to,most is ear playing,but it's still nice to be able to do so if needed.DYKBC.
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Papa Joe Pollick


From:
Swanton, Ohio
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 7:47 pm    
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99% by ear..I read notation just barely good enough to find some tricky stuff..Can't understand tabs at all...PJ...
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Ron Wright


From:
Modesto,CA
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 8:02 pm    
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i learned to read music in grammer school learning the trumpet .played that and souzaphone, accordion and keyboards reading music but guitar and psg by ear
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Joe Drivdahl


From:
Montana, USA
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 8:04 pm    
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I can read traditional music, but don't really care to do it. I'd rather read tab. I found reading traditional music more beneficial for learning fiddle licks.

Joe
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David Doggett


From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 8:11 pm    
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Interesting question, Joseph. So interesting I wanted to make it a poll. I'm specifically interested in pedal steelers, so I put it in the Pedal Steel section: click here.

I can read music on piano and sax, but can only read very slowly with a lot of difficulty on pedal steel, and then only in the keys with few sharps or flats, like C, G and F.
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Twayn Williams

 

From:
Portland, OR
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 8:25 pm    
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I can sight-read on standard tuned 6-string, but PSG requires a lot more thought.
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Ron Randall

 

From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 8:28 pm    
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I learned to read in grammar school and again in college. Single note instruments.

For steel, bass, and 6 string geetar, I much prefer chord progression notation. aka nashville number system.
When I have a question about something, I can reckon my thru it in standard notation.

A fair amount of the contemporary Christian music, requires the ability to read. If I am listening for all the changes, and don't know the song, I will get fooled often.

I take the sheet music, and write the chord progressions with the bass notes on a sheet of paper. Or I can run the .mp3 thru "Audio Chord Wizard" in windows based BIAB.
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b0b


From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 8:58 pm    
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Just enough to hurt my playing.
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Jody Sanders

 

From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 9:41 pm    
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In the immortal words of Jerry Byrd : Yes. I can read music, but not enough to hurt my playing. Jody.
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Mike Perlowin


From:
Los Angeles CA
Post  Posted 21 Jul 2008 10:06 pm    
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I read pretty well. I have to in order to do my classical stuff.

I feel that being able to read helps me play be ear better, and being able to play by ear makes me a better reader.
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Ben Lawson

 

From:
Brooksville Florida
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 2:30 am    
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I can read music but I have a problem figuring out where on the PSG to play it. There are too many places to get the same note or chord. I prefer charts when recording if I use anything at all.
All of the show stuff we do is by memory. Sometimes I actually play it the same way more than once.
It's weird how I can remember every note in a 2 or 3 set show but I have to read what the next song is almost every time.
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Dean Salisbury

 

From:
New York, USA
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 3:50 am    
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Like most I myself learned in grammer school starting out playing the sax then from 7th to 9th played the trumpet and keyboard. I cannot read music for the guitar or steel. Just too many strings and frets and NO MEMORY to remember them

Dean from NY
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Tamara James

 

Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 4:09 am    
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Ben Lawson wrote:
I can read music but I have a problem figuring out where on the PSG to play it. There are too many places to get the same note or chord. I prefer charts when recording if I use anything at all.


I agree with Ben. Learning the fret board on the pedal steel is almost an adventure in itself. There is at least 3 places for everything.

I find scales both up and down the strings and across the strings help me very much. Not just running the patterns,but learning what notes I am playing. Scales help my right hand pick better too. I use that as part of ear training too.
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Ernie Pollock

 

From:
Mt Savage, Md USA
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 4:13 am     Hum!!
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I agree with Mike P above, I have used music many times to get the info I need to play a tough song. But I do not sight read real well, but that does not mean you cannot learn something from a piece of music.

Ernie Pollock Very Happy
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Don Sulesky


From:
Citrus County, FL, Orig. from MA & NH
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 4:58 am    
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I learned to read music in the 3rd grade in grammar school. I have found it useful to learn new songs but don't use it when playing after I have worked out the song.
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Mike Perlowin


From:
Los Angeles CA
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 6:12 am    
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I've written article on how to read music on the steel, and will send the file to anybody who E-mails me.
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Ray Montee


From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 9:53 am     Okay, you can read music.......or tableture.........
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Okay, let's assume for just a moment, that all the tableture you've gathered during the last twenty years, was written in INVISIBLE INK.

Now, you arrive today, at your music stand and you have nothing more than blank pieces of paper.

You have a show to play in one week with a new band.

WHAT WILL YOU DO? No tableture........Huhmmmmm....

If you copy the cover tunes are you immitating note for note which some forumites figure is wierd! Or are you just learning the new tunes.
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Rick Schmidt


From:
Prescott AZ, USA
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 11:35 am    
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I held the the sheet music for Earnest Bovine once when he was playing Bach. I think I turned the page at the right time. Wink

I myself read a little better on C6 than E9, but it would be a stretch to call it sight reading.
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Ernest Cawby


From:
Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 2:42 pm     hi music
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I played Trombone in Hight school and 7 years Milatary band 31st division Band, Prefer to play steel by tab or by ear, but I can't get dowm that low.

I go along with Jody Sander on this one.

ernie
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John Kavanagh

 

From:
Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 2:46 pm    
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I can read pretty well, but on steel it would be more just the melody, and faking the chords from a lead sheet. For a fancy solo arrangement, I might be better off with tab.
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chris ivey


From:
california (deceased)
Post  Posted 22 Jul 2008 4:53 pm    
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nope!! not since 7 yr old piano lessons!
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