Survey question: How many of you read and write music?

I use to read/write way back when I played a lot more piano, 'cuz of all the classical music I did when I first learned piano....but I haven't really looked at written music in ages.
Once I started playing out in bands, it was all about listening to something and then learning it. Of course, chords were/are still the big thing, so most times it was/is lyrics with chords over the top....and even now, when I write a song, I never write down the melody, just the chords over the lyrics. The melodies are in my head until I record the song.

I can still read music well enough, but I would not be able to just put up a piece of complex music and play it on the spot....much of that also having to do with me simply not playing the piano all that much these days. I mainly use it for working out stuff and will do some basic keyboard backing tracks.

With guitar, sheeesh....I haven't bothered with written music in a long time...the last time was when I took some jazz lessons back in college days....otherwise, it's just chords and improvisation.

I just don't have any real call for reading or writing out music...it's more about playing it and recording it.
 
I can pretty easily read music for non-guitar instruments. I could probably do it with guitar, but I've never really tried thanks to tabs. With theory I'm very sound now, although I definitely struggled at the beginning. Luckily when I started I was able to jam with some experienced players who knew a lot and were willing to fill me in. It does give a good base for writing songs and such but I think my best ones are still born more from my imagination and being spontaneous rather than sitting down and being like "Ok, let me craft a good song now."
 
I could read music since the 4th grade. Took theory in high school where we had to write music. Learned to sight sing too, though I wasn't good at it.

Now my son is playing trumpet and learning bass, I'm coaching him and he asks a lot of questions. It's all coming back to me. lol
 
Chili said:
I could read music since the 4th grade. Took theory in high school where we had to write music. Learned to sight sing too, though I wasn't good at it.

Now my son is playing trumpet and learning bass, I'm coaching him and he asks a lot of questions. It's all coming back to me. lol
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Haha yeah I had a class in college that was like 75% sight singing....lol nothing like those first couple of weeks. :facepalm:
 
I can read - I had to learn for 'cello lessons - but don't sight read or anywhere near it. I read the notes phrases and work them out on the instrument.
I don't write simply because I don't/can't compose melodies. Chords & structures don't need that extra effort. For rhythms I may write one down occasionally but usually rely on recording a sketch.
I've not bothered with tabs because I don't do other people's music - or should I rephrase that to "...can't do justice to so refrain from doing other people's music".
I'm bone idle.
 
No, I never pursued learning to read or write music. For me it would have been an impediment. The way I discovered music by teaching myself by ear on piano at age 4 allowed me to go places musically I could not have gone taking the guided tour route. But that's just my destiny I'm talking about. Other musicians and composers are liberated by learning to read and write and following certain rules and patterns... so more power to them! :)
 
I couldn't write music myself even if forced at gunpoint.

However, since I record other people and also do live mixing (particularly theatre) I've taught myself the basics of reading music. In theatre mixing it's pretty common for sound cues to be on a certain bar or note rather than a word in the script--and, at rehearsals, you often have "pick it up on the 4th bar after 27" or some such instruction.

Similarly, it doesn't happen too often but, when recording other people, sometimes I get asked to do a punch in for "the two bars after the chorus" or whatever...it helps to have a basic understanding.
 
I can't read or write music, I do know a little music theory and make extensive use of the Nashville number system. It was explained to me that the Nashville number system was devised to allow those musicians that worked in the studios but didn't read music to communicate. It would allow them to work out parts and write them down, I assume Tab came from the same desire.
 
RogerL. said:
I can't read or write music, I do know a little music theory and make extensive use of the Nashville number system. It was explained to me that the Nashville number system was devised to allow those musicians that worked in the studios but didn't read music to communicate. It would allow them to work out parts and write them down, I assume Tab came from the same desire.
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The Nashville number system was used mainly to help the instrumentalists adapt easily if the key needed to be raised or lowered.
 
guitaristic said:
The Nashville number system was used mainly to help the instrumentalists adapt easily if the key needed to be raised or lowered.
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I can see how that would help, for the most part if a person plays a song using the idea of playing a position, then key doesn't really matter since you just have to change the position. Of course it helps if you're not playing open strings since that's a whole different story.
 
RogerL. said:
I can see how that would help, for the most part if a person plays a song using the idea of playing a position, then key doesn't really matter since you just have to change the position. Of course it helps if you're not playing open strings since that's a whole different story.
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Yeah it's built around playing positions and not open open strings/chords. It lets the musicians quickly transpose if they need to. Here's a good wiki article about it: Nashville number system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
Reading music mattered a lot more before the internet. Nowadays, there are so many ways to communicate an idea to another musicians so it doesnt matter.

Comes more in handy for live performers doing covers.
 
read write teach, in the end you forget everything you learned in till you try to teach someone, then it all comes back
 
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