| The process of learning to read music is a wonderful | | | | "Georgia On my Mind" by Hoagy Carmichael for |
| journey into the discovery of new musical horizons. | | | | example. Nobody plays the intro. Also there are other |
| Try it, you will not be sorry. Learn to read music today. | | | | examples. |
| 1. Essential to communicating with other musicians. | | | | I know this example is an old song that many of you |
| Music is a language unto itself. Given that, how can | | | | may not know, but the fact remains that just because |
| you communicate if you cannot speak it? Ensembles, | | | | you have heard it on the radio a million times does not |
| bands, choirs, opera, jazz all operate on the written | | | | mean it was written that way. It may be even better |
| notes first. Way before improvisation was the written | | | | the way the author originally intended it! |
| note. Simply put, if you cannot read you will never be in | | | | If you are a song writer I am sure you would want |
| any ensemble that requires it. We could really stop | | | | people to know the way you wrote it. Think about that |
| right there. | | | | for a moment. |
| 2. Essential to understanding theory. | | | | 5.Discover new music. |
| The theory of music is by necessity based on the | | | | It is a wonderful thing to "find" music just because you |
| written note. All of the structure of chords, melody, | | | | are leafing through a songbook and you find something |
| harmony and so forth can only be understood | | | | that really speaks top you. I have found many this |
| completely through the written note. I know you say | | | | way. These are songs that I absolutely love. I would |
| well this is boring, but someday you will be so glad you | | | | never have known they existed without being able to |
| started now. | | | | read. |
| 3. Learn a song without any other reference. | | | | 6.It is Fun! |
| You will not have to replay the tape or cd a million | | | | It may seem a little hard at first, but so was riding a |
| times or learn from someone else. How many times | | | | bicycle as I recall. In fact the first time my father let go |
| can you try to learn from a cd or from someone else | | | | from holding me on a bicycle I ran into a post and |
| and not know if you got it right? If you can read you | | | | knocked it over! I rarely do that these days now that I |
| can go straight to the book and get all of the basic | | | | have learned how. In fact there are days when I don't |
| information on your own. | | | | knock anything over. |
| This greatly speeds up the learning curve. You cannot | | | | 7. It will make you a better musician. |
| learn from a book the particular way a band performs | | | | This may go without saying, but it really bears |
| the song, but you can get the basis of the song and | | | | repeating. After all, don't we all want to be a better |
| go from there. | | | | musician? Of course we do. |
| 4. Know the way the author of those songs meant for | | | | Are you prepared to discover new music, perform |
| them to sound. | | | | with people you might never have met otherwise, |
| This is very interesting I think. I have many times been | | | | speak with authority about the origins and intent of a |
| very surprised to find out a song was written very | | | | particular piece of music or composer? I think I know |
| differently than I have always heard it performed. | | | | the answer. Learn to read music, you will not be sorry. |
| Perhaps the performer left of the "intro" for example. | | | | |