Hey guys... Ive been meaning to bring this up... I played in school band from grades 4-8... I am 23 now. since 8th grade i have never looked at a written peice of music...I completely forgot how to read... (I couldnt even imagine having to read a marching piece).. So basically since 9th grade i have completley relied on playing by ear...Like when someone is asks me to learn a song...i couldnt image getting tabs for it... I just go by ear...l I barely even count.

My question is...Is this really a bad corner to get into?








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I embrace my desire to feel the rhythm, to feel connected. - MJK

I wouldn't say it's bad. It helps a lot when you know how and sometimes you need to count. But it comes down to whatever you are comfortable with doing. I read and count, but I learn tunes by ear as well, it's just easier for me. I know certain drummers that it's hard to learn by ear and would rather have sheet music. To each his own.








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Rata-tata-zzzzzzz......Drums Always!

www.youtube.com/robthedrummer

I learn better by listening to music but i do kno how to read and sometimes i don't count eather but i would say at least learn basic reading








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Stevie Ray Vaughan (the reason i decided to become a musician) couldn't read music to save his life. I think that being able to read music helps a bit, but its nothing that cant be overlooked if youre just getting into generic drumming, or if you have an extremely high talent level.








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Its not even that hard to play, its just hard to count! Fuck it!

Being able to sight read/able to read music possibly can let more doors be open in the music business, but its not bad if you can. Lenny White from Return To Forever didnt know how to read a lick of music, and if you know Return To Forever then you'd know that they consist of amazing musicians. So the point is, if you don't know how to read its not bad at all. If you know how to read, just think of it as a bonus.








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\m/ \m/

a lot of the most legendary musicians couldn't read music. that's not saying that it's not a useful skill, because it definitely is. i still can't really understand drum notation too well because all of the books i read while i was growing up playing percussion were still using traditional notation.
but being able to read all kinds of music is extremely useful, especially when playing with a big band or when you're in the studio.








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Speak the rhythm with your hands.

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Pearls, Zildjians, Vics, Evans.

Bottom line with reading is that it DOES help you a great deal. Even if you just get basics down it can help you understand better how to teach yourself. That's probably the most important part (teaching yourself), because if no matter how good you are you WILL begin to work out of a very narrow bag of tricks sooner than later (especially if you don't read).

So NO it's not essential to read music (especially as a drummer), and YES having the ability to read can help avoid backing yourself into a corner technically and stylistically.

2cents
Kyle








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“PROGRESSION: Music Software for Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, AND Drums”

I've been a musician going on 22 years. I was first classically trained on trumpet, so I know how to read music. As far as my approach to drums is concerned, I never count and I don't read. Yes, reading notation can be helpful. Knowing the theory and notation helps you communicate to other musicians better. Notation is the music world's language. But it doesn't stop there. There are so many things that make up OUR language. I'm under the impression that whether or not you read notation, it is the end result that is the ultimate message. I mean, you can't expect to talk to the average joe using terms found only in music notation. You're going to need to be able to communicate your message and talk about your music to non-musicians and musicians alike. So that being said, if you can read, great. If not, that's even better in my opinion. Anybody can be taught the theory and notation, and can read it to produce the desired effect. It takes a MUSICIAN to take the notes on the page and make them speak volumes. I beleive that if you get caught up in the actual notation, you may end up forgetting about making what you're playing musical. It's a great skill to have, yes. But it's what your audience hears that makes the difference. Do you want your audience to hear a robot spitting back notes on a page, or do you want your audience to hear a professional drummer and a musician playing muisc? Like someone said earlier, to each his own. There's drummers out there that can read AND add feeling, and then there's some who can't. In my approach, it seems like an unnecessary step, but I do have fundamentals and music theory training to fall back on. Not everybody has that. Again, if you read, great. If not, that's great also. Good topic!








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I'm part of the brotherhood of like-minded individuals who like to bang on things.

i agree. when speaking to the other guys in my band i use normal musical language. when i write something down i use regular notation.
but when talking to another drummer it completely changes. there's a language that only drummers know, i think. like...i can say to my friend play 'boom chicka boom kah boom chick oom kah" while making hand gestures and he'd know what i was talking about right away.








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Speak the rhythm with your hands.

http://www.myspace.com/yjamband



Pearls, Zildjians, Vics, Evans.

b4 able to read music isnt gonna make u a good musician, it takes practice and patience along with determination and dedication and devotion among other things








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METAL 4EVER!!!!
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It's not bad.....


There's those who can sit down and spin off great inspired solos who can't read a note and there's those who can read flyshit and can't play anything thoughtful.

Reading music is merely a way to communicate ideas. Once you see that part of it, you kind of want to explore it deeper. I cannot imagine going through life without the ability to read & write in my chosen language. Reading music is kind of like that. It just gives you another way to conceptualize things.








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13612
www.billraydrums.com
www.myspace.com/billraydrums

Wow Im so happy this thread is really popping off... I agree with everything you guys are saying...I like to think of music as communication with sounds... like take jamming... it is like a conversation between musicians.. and when someone plays a particular "topic of conversation" everyone will follow... I like to look at drumming with a completle "right brained" approach... Reading music is just too mathmatical for me... Language isnt math








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I embrace my desire to feel the rhythm, to feel connected. - MJK

dude, learn to read. you might not need to now, but you will, trust me.








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"It's a funky ball of tits from outer space."

Me- www.myspace.com/one8891
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Jriddim wrote:

Wow Im so happy this thread is really popping off... I agree with everything you guys are saying...I like to think of music as communication with sounds... like take jamming... it is like a conversation between musicians.. and when someone plays a particular "topic of conversation" everyone will follow... I like to look at drumming with a completle "right brained" approach... Reading music is just too mathmatical for me... Language isnt math

That's exactly it. You've hit the nail on the head. Music is like a conversation. You have to put the notes on that page into context in order to communicate the right message. I mean, just spitting out eighth note triplets leading into a change in the music isn't going to affect anybody. That will not stick out in the minds of listeners. But if you add some dynamics to that passage, say for instance you use a crescendo, that passage all of a sudden is put into context. You've built up to the change instead of spitting out stagnant, generic eighth note triplets. Some people instinctively know to do this without being taught, and they have their own understanding. So it really IS the end result that matters. Like I said before, if you read, great. But I think that some people can instinctively "get it right" without reading. And if you can do so, like me, then right on. It's not really a matter of "learning to read because you'll need it down the road." Learn to read if you think you need it. If what you're doing now isn't exactly working I can see trying going back to fundamentals, but let's not fix what isn't broken.

I've been told from a lot of local musicians here, who mostly play in the orchestra and know how to read, that you never really need to know most of the stuff you learn anyway, because if you're a musician, you have INSTINCT, and you add that into your approach. All the music theory and reading and writing out notation is not going to replace having good musical instinct and taste. If you can "communicate" your message effectively to keep the conversation going, then you're doing a fine job. Drum on man!








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I'm part of the brotherhood of like-minded individuals who like to bang on things.

So it really IS the end result that matters. Like I said before, if you read, great. But I think that some people can instinctively "get it right" without reading. And if you can do so, like me, then right on. It's not really a matter of "learning to read because you'll need it down the road." Learn to read if you think you need it. If what you're doing now isn't exactly working I can see trying going back to fundamentals, but let's not fix what isn't broken.

Exactly...So very well said!








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I embrace my desire to feel the rhythm, to feel connected. - MJK