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Is being able to read sheet music esential?


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Ive never understood sheet music, and Ive never seen the use in it. As a guitarist who was never able to read that shit, Ive grown a lot since day one.

Now I got a new teacher, my old one(amazing guitarist by the way) ditched me for southern cal so I got his replacement, and hes teaching me how to read sheet music the first lesson. So Im like "Ok, lets do this"... and its like Im starting all over again. I dont understand it at all, and I dont see the point of it.

Since I know this forum has some great guitarists, I thought I'd ask how important it is to know sheet music. Can you read sheet music? I know Slash doesnt know how to read it... and hes doing fine.

I dont see how its a bad thing to at least learn it, it just kinda seems like I waste of time compared to some of the other stuff I could be learning.

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Well, what sheet music has over tabs is:

Once you're good at reading it, you can get the timing right almost immediately, due to it showing you the timing there, something which tabs don't do, they also give you more variations of playing it than tabs, tabs gives you the fret, notation gives you the note, of which there are several on a guitar so you can move it about. Kinda like Jimmy Page, I swear he plays some songs on totally different parts of the neck at times.

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ive been able to read sheet music about 4 years before i started guitar because ive played saxophone, but, playing guitar has actually boosted my saxophon playing because i can now play scales on my sax thanks to knowing scales on guitar, i can use those on saxophone by knowing how many half steps apart each note is ect ect

i doubt that helps you any but its just sumthin kool id thought id mention

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dude, all you need is guitar pro and the knowledge of the chords, scales, and modes. sheet music is pretty much worthless now (as far as guitar goes) . the time it would take to learn would be better spent learning some gnr tunes.

however - learning how to play the piano will make you so much better at guitar it isn't funny, so keep that in mind.

Edited by quadlaser
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It isent really essential, since alot of great guitarest are self taught and ear trained, but I found it helps alot, especially if want to play any other instruments too, or want to compose on a large scale. Plus, if you ever want to some thing along the lines a session musician, 9 out of 10 times they choose someone that can read charts. So short answer no, long answer depends.

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Reading music does limit you as a guitarist a fair bit, but it really limits you generally as a musician (other instruments etc.)

what? the only difference is that you cab read notes, which helps you when wanting to pick up another instrument, since they both are often written in G exception bass which notated in F.

it doesn't change how you play/style etc..

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Reading music does limit you as a guitarist a fair bit, but it really limits you generally as a musician (other instruments etc.)

what? the only difference is that you cab read notes, which helps you when wanting to pick up another instrument, since they both are often written in G exception bass which notated in F.

it doesn't change how you play/style etc..

1. i didn't say it changed how you play or your style, i just said it limits you in certain aspects.

2. "since they both are often written in G exception bass which notated in F." - dont get what u mean

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Guest Ohdistortedsmile1789

There's a whole lot of work you could miss out on due to being a non-reader. If you ever want to play Jazz or Classical, or if you ever want to do session work, you'll need to be able to read. It would make you a better musician.

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There's a whole lot of work you could miss out on due to being a non-reader. If you ever want to play Jazz or Classical, or if you ever want to do session work, you'll need to be able to read. It would make you a better musician.

yea i agree with that, but i mean it all also depends on how adept you are, if you are really keen tonally, then i dont see THAT much of a need.

but for jazz music, most def. you need to.

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Reading music does limit you as a guitarist a fair bit, but it really limits you generally as a musician (other instruments etc.)

what? the only difference is that you cab read notes, which helps you when wanting to pick up another instrument, since they both are often written in G exception bass which notated in F.

it doesn't change how you play/style etc..

1. i didn't say it changed how you play or your style, i just said it limits you in certain aspects.

2. "since they both are often written in G exception bass which notated in F." - dont get what u mean

hmm i think you need to explain why it limits you :) as i can't understand how it would :)

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hmm i think you need to explain why it limits you :) as i can't understand how it would :)

say you're doing work as a session musicion and you're working with professional people. if they've got a guitar part for you and there are many other instruments (all in music notation) then you obviously need to have that skill.

i think it applies more when you're in a professional enviroment.

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hmm i think you need to explain why it limits you :) as i can't understand how it would :)

say you're doing work as a session musicion and you're working with professional people. if they've got a guitar part for you and there are many other instruments (all in music notation) then you obviously need to have that skill.

i think it applies more when you're in a professional enviroment.

I think you mean that NOT knowing sheet music limits you

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hmm i think you need to explain why it limits you :) as i can't understand how it would :)

say you're doing work as a session musicion and you're working with professional people. if they've got a guitar part for you and there are many other instruments (all in music notation) then you obviously need to have that skill.

i think it applies more when you're in a professional enviroment.

I think you mean that NOT knowing sheet music limits you

now i get it.

it was foggy before.

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