Famous musicians who can't read music
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- Опубліковано 26 чер 2018
- This is a compilation I made of famous guitarists and musicians who can't read music, and say so in their own words in interviews. As a guitar teacher I get frustrated with the number of people who give up or don't even get started because they can't read music, not even realizing it's not a prerequisite to just putting your hands on the instrument and learning to play it. So the main purpose of creating this compilation is to inspire you to just GO FOR IT and start learning to PLAY the guitar! Is knowing how to read music useful for a guitarist? Sure. Is it necessary? Nope. Don't take my word for it - ask these famous guys...
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It is true you don’t need to be able to read music to be a great guitar player. That being said... it is very nice to be able to.
I love it..
It's not that important to read music when there's tab which tells you what strings to play on, not just the notes.
@Ayustria Salma You normally don't. You just listen for that part. Guitar World magazine did invent this notation that showed the rhythm with the tab. Btw, you should try disagreeing with somebody without arrogantly laughing at them.
@@PhilomathBret my man one down to earth guy love it coming across people like this they're only few
Agree Casey....you don t need ....but if you are able this HELPS you for sure....this is my opinion of course...
Join the club I can’t read music either but I can play guitar pretty well.
Self taught gang unite
I play everything by ear lmao, I sing too and I can pick up anything with ease.
Runs in the family too. We knew the sounds of the chords way before we knew what A B C D E F G meant
tabs for life
Same 🤘🤘
I have been playing now for 47 years and for my style of music I consider myself quite good. I taught myself and can't read a lick of music. My 23-year-old son is an All-State French Horn player and reads music well. He has told me how proud of me he is that I can play by ear. We play well together. He plays all wind and guitar and I play all string and piano. It is our mutual love of not only listening to but creating music. We both agree that the love of music is the best ingredient for a life long jam session. Good discussion going on here. Thanks folks!
Reading music is not theory. I've never met anyone who without basic interval theory can play with others that are knowledgeable. Maybe he reads staff music but has no creative ear and you do. But in truth theory is the most enjoyable practical reward you can give yourself when it comes.to enjoying yourself. Play music.
Same here, never took a lesson and can't read any music at all..I can read tabs but I don't use them...
@Johnny Utah what are you shaking your head at? that was perfectly wholesome. you sound sad af
ua-cam.com/video/M5G20LsE-XE/v-deo.html
exactely. Practise what you preach. also a very kickass testamenbt song this one XD. How does one become good at drawing, by doing it till it works. how does one become a good gamer, through trail and error, a painter, musician same thing. When you enjoy something it doesn't matter wich way you learn. you'lle learn it anyways because it feels natural to do so. Same with school right. noone said school isn't handy. But you'lle learn the most when working with those so called tools. Theory is just like the name for those tools and perhaps a book or instruction on how to apply things or use them.
I used to think reading music and music theory were the same thing. Then I learned that reading music is only a part of music theory and ALL these musicians knew TONS of theory whether they studied it and/or learned by ear.
absolutely,lots of high end musicans pretend they dont know theory,but they do
@Sgt.PuddingSlaps that is one of the best names I've ever heard. Band name of yours perhaps?
same, good point
Absolutely true! I personally can't read music, but know some little theory stuff and that really really helps when you come down with ideas or proper songwriting. And both Paul McCartney and John Lennon can/could master tons of music theory. That said, you need talent of course, intuition, huge emotional sensitivity and should allow yourself to get carried away by deep feelings. Yeah... it may be harsh
@@rosstafarian24 Haha nah just a random name I came up with when I was feeling creative haha maybe one day though 😂
A lot of guitarists can't read music, but most great guitarists have a very firm understanding of music theory and a great ear. If you are a pianist/arranger, as I am, reading and writing music is an absolute must.
great??? shut up.
It's one thing to play something and it is another thing to create something out of thin air.
@@nickepic1863 And it's even better to be able to put that creativity on paper. Otherwise you're kind of a poseur (no matter how much $$ you've earned.)
@@nickepic1863 creating something out of thin air usually still comes down to knowledge and subconscious use of chords, scales, modes etc.
I don’t think that’s true either
I work in a music store and the people who can read music cannot play music without it, its just like speech, imagine not being able to speak unless you had the words in front of you
Be like Dimebag Darrell who don't know theory so badass he made his own scales
I think that at some point he studied and began playing fusion
I studied recording engineering under Jerry Abbott(Darrell and Vinnie's dad). There was so much technical stuff he didn't know or didn't know the name of it but he was a hell of a engineer. The boys were pretty helpful too. This was back in 1989. They were Texas famous back then.
Dime did know his theory. All these musicians knew a part of theory just not formaly. None of these people woke up and just played. Steve studied and used the blues scale and Jimmy did too . Eddie may not have read music but learned the the intervals of major and used them till mastery. If you don't study about a little theory you'll either regurgitate same rhythms or use always the same 4 chords you been playing for years. The magic doesn't just happen you have to practice and learn or be another campfire guitarist that plays the same stuff over and over.
Dime studied some fusion / jazz at some point
@@joebustos6413 But "theory" is the wrong word here. They experimented on the instruments, watched other people play, listened to what they were playing and adjusted where needed to get the sound they wanted in their own music. That requires great ears and likely perfect pitch in some cases. I don't think that can be called theory. Theory implies they know what they are doing along the way in terms of western music THEORY, and the ability to tell someone else what they are doing in relation to theory, which they do not and cannot do. That is likely why they ended up being innovators instead of sight reading session/orchestral musicians, the latter group being the ones that truly know and need theory. FLamenco guitarists, as an example, can blow your mind with technique and the odd rythms they use in their music, they appear to understand "theory" in ways that can hurt the brain of even jazz musicians. But in reality their music is organic, heard from a young age, and learned by sitting in front of each other playing and partying for hours, copying and altering whatever they want. What theory is that?
This is so inspiring...I gave up music coz I can’t read music. Why didn’t I find this out earlier ....ugh
Just pick up what you like and let the music come from your hands even if its bad
Lets be clear, Knowing how to read music is not the same as knowing music theory. We have to know atleast basic theory ( consciously or unconsciously) to compose or let alone play something meaningful. But reading music? It certainly is a plus and is good to have it under your toolbox. But, learning by hearing and imagination is the way, unless ofcourse youre a session musician on a tight schedule who sight reads for a living.
I uih
That's pretty amazing that both Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix two of the greatest guitarists who ever lived can't read music!
& Eric Clapton
I think BB King as well
ever heard of Segovia..what about Barrios ?
I’ve dreamt of making music my whole life, I’m autistic and trying to read music or teach myself instruments just hurts my head! This is very inspiring to see. My brother taught himself piano just by ear and it’s so impressive
I cant believe it we have the same life. Me too I'm autistic (Asperger's) and I'm trying to read music but I use a app that detect the noted for the guitar to have the name of the notes. My big brother thaugh himself piano just by ear it's incredible
Remember that you learn to read music with the head but you make sense of It, with you ear.
I play keyboards and bass guitar, both fairly well, and I can't read a single note. I took guitar lessons for almost a year, but I quit because my teacher insisted that I learn to read and I just couldn't do it. My maternal grandparents were both very skilled pianists who also read music fluently. Granny tried for almost two years to teach me to read sheet music when I was a teen, but I just couldn't understand it. I never had any desire to become a professional musician, so I finally gave up trying to learn to read music and just started playing notes on my bass and keyboards and figuring out what sounded good. It was the best thing I ever did, as music is now an enjoyable and relaxing hobby for me, rather than a frustrating and humiliating chore. Btw, I'm not suggesting that anyone who is able to learn to read music shouldn't do so, but I also want people to know that they don't have to be able to read in order to enjoy playing an instrument and creating music.
Look ,hear ,and know. Reading music is not theory. Further more just because you have no desire to be famous doesn't mean theory isnt for you. If you truly love the craft of music then you are seriously doing yourself a disservice by not growing your craft. Just because you aren't playing infront millions of people doesn't mean you should cheat yourself and stay low in the advancement of your Hobbie. I Hobbie play my instruments but just because I'm not famous doesn't mean I short change my knowledge of my most beloved hobbi craft. Why do anything if you just want to hack with it. Waste of time. Learn and you will be happier for doing it. It makes it like it was when you learned your first 3 chord progression. All new and never boring. Put at least 30 min a day to practice technique and theory and you'll be jamming harder than you ever have in all your years if playing the same chords.
Did you ever try using tab for guitar? That's easy.
@@PhilomathBret I do use tab for bass guitar and it's been very helpful. 👍
It's knowing where you should place your fingers on the fretboard.
@@crominion6045 Tab notation is helpful for knowing fret position. But, it doesn't show the specific note or the kind of note that it is (quarter, half, dotted half, whole, eighth, sixteenth). You still have to be be at least aware, because even tab notation isn't always correct.
Great discussion here - just goes to show there are many different ways of approaching playing an instrument. But in the interest of full disclosure, I want to make this clear: I DO READ MUSIC. I am college trained in classical guitar and jazz guitar, and use reading music when needed in my full time career as a professional performing and teaching musician. As such, I can confidently recommend the option of learning the skill for people seeking a career in music, as it just "levels up" everything you do in a music career. However, that's just a personal recommendation on my part. It does help with communication, record-keeping, and discovering new music, but it takes a lot of hard work to get there. So it's really just a personal choice at the end of the day whether or not it's for you.
The goal of this video was intended to basically get across the idea that not being able to read music should not keep you from pursuing the joy of learning an instrument, or even having a career in music (as evidenced by all the famous musicians in this video). I've known friends and students who wouldn't allow themselves to start playing until they "did it right" and learned to read first. It's for these people that I made this video. As children, we learn to speak before we learn to read and write, and at least as far as guitar, bass, drums, vocals, ukulele, and a whole bunch of other instruments goes, you can learn to play before you learn to read music! At the end of the day, music is a hearing art - the ink on paper is mostly for communication and record-keeping. Just my two cents on this discussion... ;-)
One could tell stories without being able to write or read - but they will never be very complex. What kind of a poet wouldn't care to learn how to read and write? So if you care - learn it - it will just take you some weeks - that's all... [... of corse i can read and write music - what would be the problem????]
Yes,. Well if you love modern music and you play in bands but not professionally or in orchestras and have a limited amount of time to practise reading just play and don't read. Reading music is so useless to modern players who play for fun, many great blues and rock players don't read and just don't need to read which makes it more difficult to push yourself to practice. Reading what? Nobody wrote down rock solos , blues solos and guitar riffs. Those are rhythmically so difficult too. I read classical music written for flute or some jazz solos transcriptions,(I play the guitar) just because I enjoy it, but it is pretty useless since I play alone in my flat and I never need to read. I need to sight read chords though since I sometimes play with jazz musicians and I need to know theory . Try to read a rock blues transcribed solo, it's so hard. How can I read that stuff? It's full of crazy signs, rhythmically impossible. Easier to develop your ear 👂 and play what you hear. Plus you need to read all the time otherwise you lose that skill. I try to read a bit every week just to maintain my pre-intermediate level, not an easy feat.
Tyson,
I get it but please make one thing clear:
There are people writing here who think that there is a disadvantage to being able to read music. Please, please, please disabuse people of that notion.
Amazing
Based on some of the comments here on your video, it's pretty obvious that some are confusing not reading music with not knowing theory, which are two completely different things.
The ability to read (and write) music was indeed essential for musicians for centuries before the advent of sound recording technologies. Now it doesn't really matter anymore. Moreover, many musical ideas created on modern musical instruments even sometimes cannot be written down authentically on a piece of paper. Therefore, it's now more important for musicians to be able to pick up music by ear.
True, but it has been like that for a century now. (And folk musicians have usually never been able to read notes.)
I remember all the transcriptions they'd put in magazines like Guitar Player and then they'd get to Hendrix doing something like The Star Spangled Banner and just start inventing their own swooshes and waves and crashes all over the place. No way anyone was playing it without hearing it.
Man, having some reading skills *does* actually matter even nowadays.
For work to be made widely available and for playing pieces written by others/having your work played by others... yes. But creating music for the sake of creating it has never required reading.
@@keptyeti that's exactly it. But the original post said, today it doesn't matter anymore. Let's say, it depends on what you pkay, and how and with whom.
I was twelve when the Yes album was released, with the song Steve Howe “wrote” called Roundabout, and soon after discovered that Howe ( guitarist) said he didn’t read music. Steve Howe!!! That blew my mind, but helped me understand how the art of music didn’t have to come from formal study. It was simply accessible to anyone who wanted it bad enough. History is replete with remarkable examples, and aren’t we all the better for it.
I’m self taught and I can’t read music or sheet music. When my parents bought me a guitar, it came with a DVD that taught basic chord progression or as little as few chords. So I progressed over that without knowing other chord names, scales, and so on. I played what sounded good to me. Then they gave me tablature books for songs I wanted to play and then I made the connection to everything. Even tablature books have sheet music written along with tabs. So the question is, should you still learn sheet music? Not really, because everything you learn in tablature is just a translated form of sheet music. There is nothing wrong with TAB.
@Lolo it`s incomplete...tab can be useful but it doesn`t contain the details that standard notation has
This came at a very interesting time. I am studying music production, I'm into music since I had the first opportunity. 2 weeks ago at school we had a discussion about this. Right in the middle of a boring class, I asked if you should know all of these before starting to produce music. The lesson was not about reading though. Everyone in the class jumped in like "yeee of course.you can't be a musician without knowing this nor you can produce songs" . I defended the idea this video tells. When the first song creating project was presented, none of them seemed to understand what the music is. We had the same samples and DAW and options yet what I presented was years ahead of them.Not being a big head, I'm just trying to explain the situation. Reading music is so good but after pushing your limits,if you feel totally out of this,just follow the talent. If you have talent, you'll enjoy what you do. I used to know how to read properly though. I completely forgot after years without practice.
I've been teaching guitar for over 25 years. I've never taught any of my students to read music. I stress the importance of mechanics (hand synchronization) and theory. When you know what chords are within the key, and you find the root. The rest is easier because you already know what does not belong.
haha. I taught guitar for 2 years. My students wanted to learn different styles and songs and that's what I gave them. I was only 16 years old and working at the studio just so I could get discounts on amps but I had students on waiting lists as the word got out that so and so learned how to play a VH or RR song in less than 3 months.
When I was a kid and wanted to learn how to play the guitar, reading a large portion of it, so I never even began those classes. Eventually, I had saved up enough money from my paper route to at age 13 buy myself a knock-off strat and a tiny 10w amp and just started listening, watching, and copying. I never learned how to play proper chords; I wouldn't be able to tell you which is which. I can hear it, though. I moved from the standard 'smoke on the water', 'come as you are' and 'nothing else matters' to more complicated music as time went on, and learned to play with a band too when I was in uni (with my signature 10 minute long yngwie malmsteen-esque guitar solos, haha)
When studying theory, having a basic understanding of standard notation is beneficial and its not very hard to acquire. Someone can learn the basics of standard notation and how it relates to the guitar in about 4 or 5 lessons. It's incredibly easy.
Just because a musician CAN READ MUSIC, DOESN'T MEAN HE / SHE CAN PLAY IT!! Example, if you transcribed Eddie Van Halen's music, you may be able to read 32nd notes, but NOT have the technique to play it!!!! Alot ot GREAT MUSICIANS DON'T READ MUSIC!!
Good point! It definitely works the other way around as well. Sadly, the world has plenty of musicians who know all the theory and can tell you anything factual you need to know about music, but can't play to save their lives. That's why sometimes the dopey but stubborn guys become the most amazing shredders - they don't overthink it, they just start playing and don't stop whether they understand it or not!
Yep Prince and Hendrix couldnt' read music
I think it’s a combination of personality, talent and ego. There’s a lot of talented musicians that can’t take the pressure, the critics, not having privacy. It must be hard I guess.
Yeah, I'm agree with this. Reading music and not being able to play it on instrument, is really like carrying a rotten bag of vegetables in hope to eat them some day. And you really dont need to read music if your music is based on realtime improvisation, even classical.
@@zonasound dude who said that??
Jimi couldn't read but prince learned and sqeezed every theory
He said he worked out how to read and write sheet music!!
I started playing piano by ear before taking formal lessons.
Well, these guys are geniuses. They have a natural intuition of the theory.
Learn theory. It makes it all more simple. Also, some of these guys never played beyond basic harmony.
I love guitar and always wanted to be a guitar player. I love Santana, Eric Johnson, Edie Van Halen, Steve Via, and SRV. I still can't play guitar, I stuck on the theory and when I watched Edie or any other guitar players, I try to analyze what they are doing so I am less of playing and try to understand what they are doing and where they are going. Now, playing is less important to me than understanding. I believe understanding the theory will open a BIG door and it is the foundation.
@@dayjeenhomeschool1369 I've been playing guitar for 12 years now and trust me, the theory won't help you that much if you wanna play rock, hard rock, metal genre. It will help with classical music and jazz/blues, but with those that you mentioned up there, it's best to just sit down and try again and again. Practice makes perfect.
I can’t tell Eddie doesn’t know music theory. It was screamingly obvious when he tried to solo over Simon and Garfunkel. But other than that unfortunate appearance, it doesn’t matter. You don’t need to know a bunch of complex musical theories to rip over Van Halen tunes. It’s not like there’s jazz chord progressions involved
genius is an offhand term used to undermine the skill and dedication it took them to get to their level. They practiced their way into genius. Natural talent can only take you so far.
I read music and play multiple instruments. But, I only taught myself how to read because it just fascinated me as a kid that what you hear could be made visual on paper. I was an exceptionally gifted young kid in mathematics and knowing that music is just audible math made it a challenge to learn. Fractions that you can hear just blew my mind! But, I learned most of what I know by ear anyway. Learning to read was just a mode for me to WRITE my own music on paper, not to read other people's music.
I think it was Jaco Pastorius who said "If a musician tells you that he can't read music very well, what he's actually saying is he can't read music".
Buddy Rich never learned to read music until in his 50s. He learned basic drum notation and quickly found it held him back. So he dumped it.
Respect for those musicians. When some of my students says "that guy does not read music, and he can play" I usually answer "well, you are not that guy... ;)"
Understanding what you're doing opens many gateways to writing better music tho so learning it could be helpful
you dont have to read sheet music to know music theory. Atleast on guitar its that way because we have TABS
@@megaknight6958 who..
Thank you for making this video available for guitar players like myself!
A famous Nashville session man was once asked "can you read music" ? His answer was, Yes a little , but not so much that it hurts my playing" .
This should not come as a surprise to anyone. The fact is, there are people who could read music incredibly well, but cannot express creativity on the instrument on their own. There are others who can do both extremely well. I am a music teacher who witnesses this on a daily basis. I advocate learning how to read to all my students. There are many benefits and advantages to learning how to read. For those that are blessed with talent, a good ear and the ability to create their own music, reading may not be necessary. Naturally, the more chords and scales (and theory) you know will definitely be to your advantage. Knowing how to read will also make the learning process easier. One does not need to know how to read sheet music to make music. History has proven this with all the great artists and musicians we admire who fall in this category. For those that want a music career playing other peoples music (ie: Orchestra/Broadway, session work), knowing how to read most likely will be necessary.
Yes it is. I agree..
I would think if you gave sheet music to someone they had never seen before, they would not be able to read and play at the same time and make it flow...there would be slight delay in reading and playing...and some notes are split seconds long...so by the time you have read one note the next one has been missed....and also you cannot turn the pages while you are playing your instrument..Basically there has to be rehearsal over and over and the sheet music is just a guide of something you already know by heart...
You are correct, this is not always easy to do. I studied drums with someone who used to play drums and percussion in the Broadway show “Cats”. He explained to me that reading and playing simultaneously was sometimes required.... Personally, I too would find this extremely challenging.
I feel like I'm so stupid bc I skipped music reading and i have been playing piano for almost 7 years do what do I do
no practise, no talent
I read music quite well. It gives you an easier way to learn new languages, assimilate and understand harmony. Il also give you access to music impossible to learn by ear: classical pieces, baroque, jazz and so on. Written music can widen your horizons and help you not getting stuck into the same old pentatonic worn out licks. I can't understand why guitar players take such a pride at playing their instrument and do the same thing over and over again.
Agreed, if one is Paul McCartney and has George Martin to help with writing music, by all means don't learn how to read, everyone else can only benefit from knowing how.
Agreed. Over my over 40 years as a self-taught musician, I have found value in learning how to read music and get a better understanding of chord progressions, scales, rhythm....I started by ear and then gradually learned to read. The combination pays dividends for sure. It has opened up opportunities to play with various bands and venues.
Totally agree. Reading is not that hard. Maybe you're Jimi Hendrix or Eddie Van Halen, but you're probably not, and even those guys could have benefited from knowing how to read.
It depends on what you are doing. If you are a session musician and working with a lot of other players, you have to read, you don’t have time to learn the tunes. Jazz, classical players that play a supporting roll, need to read. If a soloist, guess you can get away with it but you have to have a great ear, and skill. Learning to read music allows you to learn the music much faster.
I knew a woman that was completely blind yet played cello in an orchestra as a kid. She would listen to recordings and work through it, but took a lot of time.
I taught myself to read music in the 70s while learning to play guitar. It was almost a waste of time because any sheet music or books you would find were just wrong. I got pretty good after just learning to play by ear.
Why where they wrong?
So how do you analyze anything to really understand how a piece is put together, works and benefit from it?
@@ghost7524 yes. They called them fake books for a reason.
@@RFXCasey I know and understand chord progressions , scales ,modes, etc. If you don't know these things the circle of fifths is a good place to start. You can easily figure out what key a song is in by using it.
@@Kacee2 You still didn't explain why they are wrong. And if you can't do that, then you don't really understand music on a basic level to explain why. I had many self-taught guitarists in my university guitar classes that didn't understand music and had a hard time applying it to the guitar...and even a harder time reading basic music. Understanding how to do all the things you say you do don't mean anything if you don't understand the basics of music.
I’ll say, as someone who’s spent like 2 decades not reading music (trying to learn and failing), once you get it, it’s maaaaad helpful. You pick up on things.
You don’t have to learn to read music, many of the greats don’t. But don’t let that be an excuse to never give it a shot. Never say “I can’t”.
What does it help with
@@ryanagar7498 so right now, it sort of visualizes certain patterns. Like if I’m playing a chord, and and I flat the IV, turn it to sus2 or whatever… it helps me conceptualize movement within chords, where as I’m normally playing power chords
@@ryanagar7498 learning your intervals will make you better in every way from creating solid chords to playing solo. All the best guitarists know basic interval theory. You can't write without it, well not anything original sounding.
Do you need to know how to read music? No. Is it good to know and might make things easier in certain situations. Yes. If you want a career in music you don’t always have to know how to read either. That being said, you work a lot more if you do and you are a lot more valuable. It sets you apart. Nowadays it’s better to have theory knowledge and a good ear
this is honestly really inspiring, i used to be able to read a bit of piano music but it as really difficult for me and i kinda stopped playing because the nite reading never stayed with me. i’m trying to learn guitar now and although i don’t have a talent for music, i really want to learn to play since i love it so much
The ability to read music really makes a difference when you’re playing other’s music. These musicians are playing their own music for the most part so they can’t play it wrong. Classical guitarists, who mostly play others music must read music, not much improvising. Written music is for the benefit of musicians who play music they didn’t write, not for the composer.
@@gracepierce1024 Playing by ear isn't a skill everyone has. Either they have it naturally or they have to develop it.
i’ve been admired as musician since 8 years ago untill now, and they’re can’t still believe that even tabs i didn’t even knew how to read it. i’m a fan of frederic chopin but guitar is the one i played more. i believe, training your ears how to find out what notes played wrong is the clever and one of the coolest habbits u can learn.👌
The ability to write down your ideas is handy for composing and for communicating your ideas to those that do read. I am glad that I can read music but it is not a requirement to be an accomplished player. If you enter into the teaching arena, I believe it is important to have covered at least the basics of reading.
I can read music a bit. Not by sight and play, It takes me a while to work it out. However I see that ability as useful as any other tool in musics vast catalogue.
It's an older tool not suited to a rock guitar, but it helped me develop my limited keyboard skills. And any new musical skill can only benefit other areas.
I was considered one of the better rock bass players in the rock circuit I played in "back in the day" and couldn't read a note of music but always came up with top notch bass parts when working on original material especially (always learned cover tunes by ear). I worked with a formally trained/schooled musician who could read and had perfect pitch but when it came to being creative...forget it. Point is, it doesn't matter how much you KNOW, it's how much you can FEEL, which is really what music is all about, at least IMHO.
well, we have to bear in mind that each musician in this video is the one in a million case blessed with an almost beyond human talent. Don't bet you are too, the odds are against you. Your best bet will be to learn all you can, and keep an open mind.
99% of rock, folk, blues and country musicians do not read music. Real good jazz improvisers did not read music, like Lester Young or Johnny Hodges and Dave Brubeck or Bixby Biderbeck or even Louis Armstrong. To be able to read music could be in the way of improvisation often. Ella Fitzgerald could not either. You can tell who can and who can't by hearing their music.
No you can't tell. Do you think Larry Carlton is a good improvisor? He did the Kid Charlemagne solo in two takes. He reads, and even arranges. Listen to Wynton Marsalis improvise - this guy is off the scale (pun untended). He reads and writes well enough to write symphonic pieces. Reading English does not preclude you from being a good speaker.
Are you sure Brubeck didn't read. Those time shifts and all that.Sounds like he knew truck loads of theory to my ears.Maybe not sight read but that stuff don't just happen without some level of craft.
@@randybackgammon890 Just google it. Pavarotti did not either. Most of people who are good musically learn music from hearing records, not reading music. None of the Beatles of course read music. they never wrote music but recorded music.
@@YoshiNishio I'm not saying anything of these people can sight read and play from that. But not many get to write/play great music if they no nothing about it.Maybe Mcartney didn't read but he knows his scales and arpeggios little dought about that.
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@@randybackgammon890 I could not read music either when I learned Rock and Folk in 1964. There were no written music of those hit songs, but everybody learned by listening to records. Then I tried to read music when I was 18 years old when I wanted to play Mozart and Chopin, it was too late and I was too old. Yes, I can read music, but so slowly so far away from sight reading. You will have to listen and read when you are so young, otherwise it will be too late by the time you get teenager. There are some people who can't not read English in the US. Only 25% of British could read and write in the 17th Century even among those great or best Shakespeare actors. Jazz performers in New Orleans could not read but faked and improvised. That is the beginning of Jazz. Blues and Folk and pop musicians were the same. Sinatra could never read music, but he became a band leader so did Ella Fitzgerald. Eric Clapton said "I used to be able read music when I played the recorder at the elemental school, but not any more since I play Rock". Miles Davis who learn a how to read at the Julliard was surprised that Jimmy Hendrix could not read music at all. Miles was a snob saying that, because he was not the best sight reader either. Reading many notes at the same time by guitar and playing a single note with a trumpet are so different. Duke Ellington had a hard time when he invited Django Reinhardt from Europe to record. Django did not know even the chord names.
What does it mean to be able to read music? - Read it from the sheet? - It only makes sense if you can read it and play it - just reading it doesn't make the noise you got to be able to play it. But being able to read and to play it, helps a lot on the precision and repetition.
Music is in everyone. For some it’s already there and for others you just got to dig it out, but it’s there.
What all these guys DO have in common is having a great ear. The best thing you can do is learn to pick out the chords and leads from songs by ear. It is excellent and invaluable training. Being able to read and write music is a great skill to have but it isn't necessary. Whereas having a well trained ear is absolutely necessary to being a skilled musician.
what they have in common is some people like them..that doesn`t mean they can play
It does not matter if you can read music, it only matters that you can translate music.
Amazing the amount of incredible talent here that i did not know could not read music.
I started to learn to play the ukulele and the mandolin @ the age of 4 by my grandfather and started to play guitar @ 14. Have never been able to read music, but lucky that I can play by ear and know what key is being played. Have been playing now over 60+ years.
Is music notation important? yes
Is sight reading an essential skill for the average musician? no
If you are session musician you definitely do need to know how to sight read.
If you are a professional composer you won't need to thanks to modern recording technology. However you will need to hire a music transcriber to help you communicate with session musicians who will perform for you. It cost money and it won't be 100% accurate to what you want.
It used to be somewhat of a rare thing to hear of famous guitarists who can't read. Nowadays, even most professional guitar instructors can't read more than a basic chord chart. Just remember this, Eddie Van Halen did have 4 to 5 years of intense classical training starting at age 6. He may not have learned everything his knowledgeable teacher intended, but he learned enough to go on and have an amazing career, didn’t he? Indeed, teaching is a thankless job.
Exactly. He had piano musical training, classical at that. Even when you hear him play the piano and keyboard, you can see how he plays shows had some training. So, its a bit misleading when comments are being posted about how many of the guitarists don't know how to read music, but either not knowing or not realizing that they may have trained playing another instrument and having to learn to read music. You can't have classical musical training and not remember something.
The talent to create tunes and lyrics and put it all together and come up with great music , and all the while not actually being able to read music, makes what groups like the Beatles did even more amazing in my opinion.
Reading tablature to Pantera songs out of Guitar World in the early 90s was about as far I got into reading music. From there, I knew enough to write my own songs and transcribe others by ear if I wanted to.
That's what Music Theory is for even though I stopped studying it in college because I already know how to apply it anyway. If you're going to music schools like Berkley however, you're pretty much required to learn how to read and compose music.
You can say all you want about how amazing musicians who don’t read music are, but knowing how to read music changes every and adds more to your playing and thinking than you can imagine.
You can’t imagine it because you can’t read music.
That being said, learning or knowing how to read music would likely have ruined or would ruin most of these musicians styles, for better or worse.
If you are really serious about learning an instrument and you are over 20, learning how to read music will probably just slow you down. But if you are over 20 and really commit to learning how to read music, it will bend your learning curve into another dimension.
False, as someone who has played music for 22 years, took lessons, played in bands, took music academically and taught a little bit i gave up being able to read music pretty fast as it was the least used and needed part of being able to play music, the only time i ever needed to read music was when i was in school for it and ya i struggled a little in my classes but not being able to read music hasnt made me any less of a musician or hasnt stopped me from being able to follow along with a song or a band, i dont need to be able to read music to visualize any aspect of it because i know my way around the instruments i play and visualize how im engaging with that instrument
@@lruddy8820 but you've probably got great ears, for those of us that don't (me for example) and who started late , reading is a valuable skill.
@@Siloguy A good point. I think that's the uncomfortable topic that we need to bring into the conversation more - some guys are ear guys and some guys are process guys, and some are a combo of both. Each extreme can be taught to the other, and there's a "nature VS nurture" philisophical conversation there, but the hard truth I've come to is that some people just pick up on one or the other easier because they came in like that. I've always been an ear guy - I was trained at a college level how to read, but I taught myself to play by ear in my formative years before all that because it just came easy...
Also, the country band Alabama never learned to read either. They managed to get 21 #1 Hit songs and 27 spanning the decades of their superstardomw
Not reading music which I can't do is different than knowing your notes and understanding chords and a little music theory which i do know.. makes creating a whole lot easier for me to understand the relationship between notes as scales (modes) or chords learning triads or pentatonic scales things like that
Mozart couldn’t read music he just wrote it!
Really? I can sing some opera aria but i can't read music
how about this? can you read this? u r🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕💩💩💩
@@googoglowglow9849 bruh
Mozart even wrote a book about music-theory... Mozart composed many variations from other composers... Mozart used music-theory in his compositions - that is quite easy to proof... and now don't let us talke about Beethoven, Bach and basically every "classical composer" (one cannot write "great music" for orchestra without theory) - and by the way: -You can find Paul McCartney talking about chord-progressions and other stuff - so most likely he is not an expert in music-theory (for his music, which i like very, very much, one doesn't really need music-theory) but knows the stuff that's useful for him... and for the rest he can ask the producer (like George Martin) or hire someone really good ;)
@@simpliciussimpli-cissimus6034 👍
Here’s the problem I have with this:
I could teach a musician the basics of reading music in a couple of hours. I couldn’t make readers out of them that fast and guitar has its own difficulties because most notes are located in more than one place, but I could teach them how the system works and if they want to go in deeper they can. It’s not like learning a language.
Music is the only field I know of where people applaud for illiteracy. I can’t do that.
I rarely play classical. I find it much easier to learn by listening than by reading. but still, it’s a way to notate something and it’s a way of figuring out something someone else notated. It’s good to know. And no, reading doesn’t damage your creativity, it’s just a tool. Learning how to use any tool doesn’t screw up your creativity.
Can you teach me
Sure, I think I can actually do it without graphics, but it would take a while in writing. You want me to do it here? Are you a musician? Can you name the notes on a keyboard? I need to know where to start.
@@SwarfCrawler If you play an instrument it would help to know which instrument(s). And also a bit of an idea of what you know. Do you know note names? Do you know what a half step and a whole step are? Do you know the names of any intervals? Do you know what a major scale is? It’s not that I need you to know this stuff, it’s just that I need to know if I have to go over this stuff because it tells me where to start.
@@koshersalaami oh mate I appreciate the response. I basically know absolutely nothing about music theory, I know there are ment to be 7 notes and thats it. I "play" the guitar and have been playing for a year and a half, but I dont know any scales or chords or anything. I basically learn really easy metal downpicking riffs like some simple megadeth/opeth/metallica with tab and then I just goof around with power chords. I literally just do random patterns with no idea how it's going to sound and most of the time its horrible but every now and then it sounds cool. But I want to know how to play the sounds in my head, I have the most beautiful music in my mind but idk how to play it. Id also like to be able to go, okay I want to make a medieval classical sound, and then play some sort of "scale" or "mode" or "key" or whatever its called, that will let me explore the whole fretboard with that certain sound.
@@SwarfCrawler Reading may not be what you need, though you might need to know a bit of theory. Do you have access to a keyboard? Even one on a tablet. Keyboards have the advantage of basically being diagrams. I play both keyboard and guitar (and other things) so I can relate to what you need. To have this conversation it really helps to be able to visualize a keyboard and know the names of the notes. The white notes will do, I’ll explain the black notes to you later. And I assume you know what an octave is. Again, I can help, but I need a baseline. Also, on your guitar are you using standard tuning? If you’re not things change - still doable, but different.
Some immensely talented individuals there.
Music comes from deep inside.
Music was playing and creating long before theory appeared...
Theory was created to mark the best path of righteousness. If no theory was invented then everything would be crap and non transposable or understandable
I'm a little suspicious of Yo-Yo Ma ( he always plays from memory without a music stand) and of course the London Philharmonic is widely known to play by ear.
That is strange... every trained classical musician can read music - and by the way - i never understood the fuzz about it - it is not hard to learn - with some talent it will not take more than a month... did you think Classical musicians just learned the stuff by listening to others - if so, you underestimate the complexity of a orchestra-score by far...
There are 7 modes of major. The most basic approach possible. If you learn your intervals pertaining to the scale of Ionian or root note you too can play by ear. Noone just does it like magic. Musicianship is a craft you must exercise.
Creativity and soul expression are the two essential elements
Thank you, Thank you very much..
It separates the men from the boys. I've played all kinds of stuff over the decades, but my years of conservatory training made things a lot easier. Plus you get opportunities that don't come to Uncle Joe with a banjo - any number of times I've played gigs with little to no rehearsal because of my strong sight reading skills. Case in point - subbed trombone for a major symphony when the principal player got stung by a bee at 4 in the afternoon and wound up in the hospital with anaphylactic shock I sight read Brahm's Symphony # 4 and a few other things at 8 pm (three hours after the phone call.) Damn good thing I could read. And had a clean tux.
100%, if one is Paul McCartney reading isn't necessary , for the rest of us mortals its a great skill to have. Steve Lukather has always said being able to read music was critical for him as a session guitarist.
You can obviously be a great player without reading music, but it will limit the situations in which you’ll be able to show your talent.
I do not believe this at all. Just learn theory and how it relates to your instrument. Then grab a lead sheet and fill in the gaps. Eventually you will just figure it out on your own.
This is pretty surprising.
As a beginner who knows a bit a theory, I can say that it helps you learn faster by knowing "where you are" and how where you are corresponds to other chords/notes.
With that being said, the results produced by the people in the video are undeniable.
Thank you so much, Tyson! I can not read music but I can hear it perfectly. Thanks to your video I will not worry about that anymore. Thank you.
Wow, sure thing Konstantine! I hadn't realized this topic would spark such a friendly (and sometimes not) debate... But I'm particularly glad if I helped spark a sense of closure for you! ;-)
@@tysonfarmermusic Any topic could be spark for friendly debate and I am glad this one is. I can add to the topic that I learn lyrics more by listening to them rather than reading :D
Thank you. Wish you many friendly debates.
I will kiss you for making this video haha
You technically don’t have to learn to read music but why would you be proud to not read music? Being able to read music helps a lot.
Not being a slave to tab would indeed be a great help...
@@robertallen6710 well tabs are for people who can't play and never will because tabs are for copy cats. It's an illusion that you're playing. Learn basic theory and you will be playing authenticly. Better than your tab friends.
It's much more important that you feel and hear the music.
Brilliant!!!
I love how many musicians proudly " claim" they know nothing about reading music or chord names. Baloney. Every one of them know chords and positioning. Its as of to say " I'm so damn good man I dont need to learn music. I'm all ear. Pure talent" Yeah ,Steve Vai sucks...get over yourselves.
Dave Grohl was the strangest. How can you look at guitar strings like a different part of the drumkit? It would sound completely different to play a guitar like that, and he certainly doesn't do it. Its mostly your standard rock power chords!
The problem most reading musicians have with non-reading musicians is when the non-reading musicians come in to play some new tunes with the readers. The readers can knock out five tunes in a half hour or less, pack up and go home. The non-readers have to learn the song by ear/memory and then learn the "roadmap" of the session. It simply takes more time to accommodate the non-readers. However, that being said, some of the most creative sessions I've done have been with non-reading musicians. It's also kind of refreshing, too. But it is a little frustrating at times when some of these "great guitar players" come in and have to transpose all the songs to either E, A or G. Some of the best tunes out there lay really well in F, Eb, or Ab. And I know without a capo these keys are killers for most guitarists.
a couple people I've played with that can Read music didnt have a good EAR for music and zero improv skills...I took theory in school.and part of it was ear training listening to the teacher and she'd play intervals and ask us to call them out as we heard ......What helped my ear the most was learning so many songs from albums of cassettes ..just wearing out the vinyl , needle , or tapes ...
There was a fairly well known musician in Indy in the 90s called Duke Tomato. I loved his music and In the mid 2000s he was giving guitar lessons at a shop in town. I scheduled one. I had played guitar for 25 years at that point. I was self taught, Was pretty damn good but didn’t know names of cords so forth.
I had just bought a Les Paul and thought it would be cool just to meet the guy and jam.
missleading title. it should say: Famous rock stars that plays 4 chords and pentatonic 5 note scale songs and dont need to read. Come on! this are all great players not because they dont read, because they were born musicians! 95% of the "normal" people would need to learn technique and basic music theory just to can play the simplest music. And this without telling you to play classical, or jazz or more advanced or intelectual music... you will need to know music much more. I cant make you a list of 1000+ famous musicians that reads music... Finally: you dont choose knowing music or not. Its an hability, you have it or you will need to learn it from theory. You just are born with that need or not. Most of people will need to learn it from theory, a small percentage wont.
Knowing “how to read music” and understanding basic theory or two different things. Every one of those guitarists know at least some basic elements of theory or they wouldn’t be able to play in key. They know that if they’re in Em versus E Major there are different ways to play that. That’s the theory of it, which isn’t the same thing as reading the music notes. But it’s not too far off. In short, they may not “read the notes” but they sure do understand the theory behind it all.
i started loking at sweeping , didnt know what an arpesio was ,but when watchin them move through the notes with out using the three fret spacing and sliding up, i did it completely different but same notes that work in playing blues not a egogone wild
I started playing piano by ear after 1st.covid lockdown
6 months down the line
I started learning how to read staff notes.
Now my playing skills have improved.
I didn't like reading staff at 1st
But now it's like 2nd nature.
My friend who has been doing it for 5 years mentioned that it's gets a lot more easier years down the line.
When Eddie said that he just listened and followed the teachers fingers and copied them I was baffled. I have no idea how to read music and that is exactly what I did when learning how to play. Crazy man
It's called regurgitation. It's easy to follow a drawn out map when copying someone's move or sound. But believe it to be true that Eddie did know theory and without it he would never have been who we know him to be today. He practiced to produce on call.
Rest in peace Eddie Van Halen
The biggest shock I ever had was Alex Lifeson from Rush. I could not believe that music so advanced, complex, and perfectly arranged was made by a guy who can't read music.
A great lesson for all.
The most amazing one ever is missing... Buddy Rich! Buddy learned all those intricate charts by ear and had them in memory from one playthrough!
Most of the early greats in Jazz couldn't read - think about that - mind blowing.
Reading music and musical theory, expands your abilities and enjoyment.
Makes me feel way better. I've been playing piano for years and can't read music. I do it the same way Eddie Van Halen described: watch, emulate, get better at it. Or I'll listen to a song and start figuring out which keys to hit by how it sounds. 🤷♂seems to work for me just fine.
Ive been a drummer since age 12 (I’m 42), I haven’t been consistent but I jammed in my late uncle’s band (drummer) he’d let me jam a couple of songs on gigs.
I had a couple of Metal bands in my early 20s, and being an adult with a job, marriage kids doesn’t leave a lot of free time for drumming, but in a way I’ve been kinda hard on myself for not reading music, but reading while being a great thing to learn is not really necessary to be a good musician. Very inspiring video.
I am 76 and started playing guitar in my early teens, mainly to accompany my singing. I have sung since I was age three or four. I cannot "read" music. I have sung in church choirs and know the basics of when the notes go up and down, are held, etc. but I have to learn the music "in my head" to really sing. I learned basic guitar by learning chords, then singing a song and figuring out how the chords fit the melody in my head. After doing this a while I got a "feel" where chords fit in most melodies. Of course I had music books with songs showing the correct chords and refined my playing. It still comes down to having the melody in my head, that is where it all starts. I only do music as a hobby, and have never played in a band but even at my current age I really enjoy singing and playing. My son also plays and sings but he also can write music, something I could never do.
Love you Eddie ,Jimi, Paul, stevie
I never read music and the only time it hurt me was when I played with other (lesser skilled musicians than me) who demanded I play my solos in a different key.
Tan simple como gente con talento!
The best thing l was told when l was learning guitar is to learn all the notes on the neck and l still can't read but l know every note l hit and you can see what notes make up every chord you understand music and how it works without being able to read the dots it was probably one of the best things l learnt.
This gives me hope.
Wow, Jimmy was certainly way more mellow, when ask that question, then Paul was.
As a rocker you don't have to read music but a lot of rock musicians claim they know far less theory than the actually do to make it sound casual and effortless. Diligent practice isn't hip. But I think you'll find the best have done it obsessively at some point.Over time you can pic up a lot without knowing the formal terms but I,m convinced my songwriting would have evolved a lot quicker if someone could have taught me what took me years to discover for myself
I agree. If I would have practiced the major intervals when I first started I could have shaved at least 5 or more years off and been that much more ahead. Not learning theory when I first started retarded my musical growth. Now that I have learned my basic theory I say to myself why was I so lazy to haven't learned them back then. Because I thought the same like.most noobs do. Such and such didn't know or that I.play.metal and theory isn't needed. Wrong wrong wrong. That's all wronge. If you want be good like.th3 greats you need up.your skill knowledge. You don't have to be a master at all the modes scales chords or time, but without a little bit of all of that you'll just be another cumbaya player doing only covers and never knowing what to do when one day you meet a real.player and find yourself feeling dumb for not learning basic music theory.
Musicians are just gifted! Some more than most. But knowing music isn't special, it's been part of our world for four thousand years..... I think that God said, "Let Them play"! And we have music!
Forgot Glenn Cambell. Self tought Made man. Rythem and melody and feeling come from the univers you are just the reciver and you give 🙏❤️🦋🔥🦋❤️🙏
I'm presuming that not being able to read would exclude 95% of all musicians from doing session work. Walking into a studio and joining other musicians who read and who are being paid scale or double scale would be disastrous to say the least.
I agree, using the examples in the video is using musical geniuses and saying well it applies to everyone. Almost everyone else who either wants to study or make a living with music can only be helped by knowing how to read.