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