Read Music

[Normanfernandez]

How many here can read Music Sheet
(Written Music)
Just asking

[travlin-easy]

Though I tried to learn how to read the dots for more than 40 years, there seemed to be a disconnect between my hands and my brain when it came to actually playing from the sheets. Consequently, I only play the sounds that are in my head. If I hear a song, I can usually play and sing it. Of course, that's only if I like the song to begin with.

All the best,

Gary

[DonM]

I can read music, but I try hard not to let it mess up my playing!
Seriously, it is no doubt a valuable asset to know how, but not necessary to make great music. 
It is important to understand chord structure and the relationship between chords and notes, in other words music theory.
My method is to write down the lyrics and chords to the song I'm learning, listen to the melody, find an appropriate style, and GO!  I generally remember both the chord changes and the words after playing it for a while.  If not I always have the chart to refresh my aging memory. 
I use the right hand to play the melody and improvise for solos, fills, riffs, etc.  It's easy after you do it for 50 years. 
https://app.box.com/s/vulihdaq8mgxc8g509z9op97oi479phg

[panos]

For many years I am trying to read sheet music and is pretty difficult for me reading and playing at the same time.
Maybe at 48 tempo I can do it 

I cannot understand the precise timing of 16th notes and pauses sometimes and I get ungry.
Then I listen to the melody to find out what the composer trying to tell me there.

Those little lines, dots, marks are like hieroglyphics to me and give me a headache.
Is the note between the lines,on the line,and which line is that anyway,is it an 8th note here or a 16th note? 
pifffff....They are all so similar.

Nice perfomance Don by the way.

[robs68]

If I dont read the notes;  I cant play music!   

[Toril S]

I play by ear. 

[DonM]

I play by ear. 

I would LOVE to see that.  I have to use my fingers.   HEE HEE! 

[mikf]

It's  not really something  with a simple yes/no answer because there is a big difference between being able to stumble through a simple lead sheet or being able to sight read a piece by Chopin. But it's generally advantageous to be able to read music to some level even if you are a mostly playing by ear. For arranger playing you really need at the very least to learn  to read a chord notation and play it in real time.
Mike

[Del]

I read music but no necessarily play it as written.

[Oldden]

Hi,
I can read music both for keyboard and guitar, plus plus guitar TAB and chord charts.

There is a lot of help available these days if you wish to learn notation. There are a huge number of apps available plus videos on YouTube to get you started. Plus more advanced programs are out there for later. If the eyes are not as good as they were, as mine aren't , music can be bought with larger, and often simpler notation, or if you have a music printing program it can be resized.

Most of all it's enjoyable, it does not matter if you never play Chopin but are happy with a Busker book, just enjoy it, thats what it's all about.

Oldden

[1-man-band-berlin]

I can read music, but can respond the best to MLC (melody, lyrics, chords) or MLC plus bass.
When I have an piano arrangement without chords, I figure out the harmonies and write it above.

[1-man-band-berlin]

For many years I am trying to read sheet music and is pretty difficult for me reading and playing at the same time.
Maybe at 48 tempo I can do it 

And I can play some songs faster, when I use sheet music, instead playing by ear.

[Aulis]

I can't read the dots on the fly, but I mostly use them when I'm learning a new song. I play the dots  from a sheet in a suitable tempo until it's feels comfortable to play by heart. I use only lyrics / chordsheets in my iPad-app OnSong, with additional comments made to memorize solos, riffs or endings on my keys.

Best regards
Aulis G

[Graham UK]

I can read music pretty good but this means I can't improvise unless it's in print, that's the advantage if I could play by ear.

[chongjasmine]

I can't read music. The dots and lines confuse me.
I tried, really tried to learn how to read music.
Just cannot do it.
I listen to a song and learn to figure up the melody, without looking at the sheet.

[Normanfernandez]

I can read music pretty good but this means I can't improvise unless it's in print, that's the advantage if I could play by ear.

I'm facing the same problem too

[alanclare]

This reminds me of the response of the English comedian Eric Morecambe to the conductor André Previn when he criticised his piano playing. "I'm playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order."

Alan

[frozzers]

Norman and Graham

I've just posted a new topic on learning jazz piano which may be of interest.

Chris

[JohnS (Ugawoga)]

Hi
I can read music, but i do not keep 100% to the script as there are lots of little nuances that you hear on a record and is not there in writing.
I hate when the middle section of a song is not written in sheet music, like a guitar break  etc
This is where improvision comes in.

All the Best
john

[bassgolf]

I can read music.(I'm a bassist in a symphony orchestra). The problem with most sheet music however is that it is not correct. I try to listen to the original and write a chart for myself.

I do also find that the Tyros 5 is very primitive in the ability to edit music that I have played into it. I wish that could be improved.

[DrakeM]

It's like very thing else i assemble or put together. If I get stuck, then I refer back to the instructions, otherwise they just slow me down.

Actually the licks and riffs I am after to learn which are heard on the original record are generally never on a piece of sheet music. So, I figure the licks out and use a Number Note system which I write out on my lead sheets (which I make myself). I refer to those notations to recall my intros, licks and riffs.

Regards
Drake

[DerekA]

I can read up to about piano grade 5 fairly comfortably, gets tricky after that.

[Colin D]

I can read music,  I had Organ lessons for 3 years, 35 years ago,  It really helps when you wish to learn a new song.  I find it's quicker than trying to play by ear.  I can play about 5 songs without music now, I often only glance a tht e music, but need it there too.  I guess it does mean that you can play along with others who are all following the same score.  I hope it did not hold me back,

Thanks all for a great forum,

Regards

Colin

[marc1956]

I can only play from sheet music. I don't hear the note's when i'm listening to music. Can't sing eather.
So, the only thing to play is from sheet music.

marc

[deeandj]

I can sight read the treble clef but not the bass clef.  I usually play from a fake book using the melody and chords.  I am currently trying to learn the accordion and play accordion music (which utilizes the bass clef). I am hoping to master the bass clef with the accordion and then transfer that knowledge to the keyboard. 

[ekurburski]

Being a retired Army bandsman I can read music. BUT.  I read bass clef well (I was a trombone player) and I can read treble clef with chord symbols.  I can't read them at the same time though.

[Normanfernandez]

Thanks for sharing my friends!

[jes826]

I truly have the highest admiration for those who play by ear and can sing.  I cannot!  I must have music sheets to guide my playing.  That being said, I don't play from piano double staff music without the chord symbols above the treble line.  Therefore, most of my music sheets are lead sheets with the melody staff and chords which I can manage in the keys of C,F,Bb,G,D, and their respective minor keys.  Since I have a very narrow bass vocal range, I just don't sing, except for congregational singing in church.   

John

[mikf]

Like I said in an earlier post, the question has no yes /no answer. It's like asking can you sing. We can all sing, but depending on the context of the question it can mean anything. Both me and Michael Buble could truthfully answer yes, but the answer wouldn't tell you anything.
Reading music at the basic level is actually very simple. It has been devised to be simple and very visual. Everyone can learn to do it. But that means little, because to be useful you need to be able not just to read each note, but translate it to a real note on the instrument, and do it fast enough, not taking 30 seconds a note. And then also play well enough to produce the note accurately while looking at the music, not the keyboard. If you can do this for a single line of notes in the treble clef, at moderate speed, then you are at the lowest useful base on reading music for a keyboard.
Then next level up is - can you do it in more than one key.
The next level up is can you read and play from chord symbols, and read both the notes and the chord symbols simultaneously.
Can you do this in real time at normal playing speed.
If you can, you can sight read lead sheets, and this may be all you ever need to play an arranger.
But if we keep going.......
Can you read multiple simultaneous notes in one hand or two.
Can you read bass and treble clef simultaneously and play the notes with both hands.
Can you do it all at normal playing speed.
Can you do it really fast in every key .....
And so on.....all the way to sight reading and playing complex scores. 
Mike

[jerryghr]

Here is are some basics for reading music.

https://www.musicnotes.com/now/tips/how-to-read-sheet-music/?utm_source=social_paid&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=Now&utm_content=howtoreadsheetmusic&fbclid=IwAR25Hjlxd5gnJXflwXyMk67xlmlxSrWxf-JuuGiYcI3-zzp9-ilUgQd95yg

Jerryghr