Playing by ear

Post #72,053 by Steve Lowe 1/2/03 1:17:41 PM Reply	Playing by ear Playing by ear gives you at least one thing the sheet music cannot: The feel of the song. While I can read sheet music (for some values of read), I do much better when I've got a copy of the song to listen to because I can get more of feel for the groove of the song than is possible using the sheet music alone. ----- Steve
Post #72,098 by Meerkat 1/2/03 6:22:04 PM Reply	ObAol MeToo (tm) I always had (and still have) trouble sight-reading because I play by ear. Back in the days when I was a kiddy and still having piano lessons, when I given a new song I go and program it into my TI 99/4a (the speed at which I could type in a CALL SOUND statement...) so I could figure out what it sounds like. Once I started doing that it was heaps easier to learn the songs I had to play. Not at all helpful WRT my learning how to sight-read, though... John. Busy lad.
Post #72,129 by deSitter 1/2/03 8:58:55 PM Reply	Re: ObAol MeToo (tm) Do you mean "sight read" or "read music"? I can read piano music and more or less hear it - but I can't "sight read" as I understand it for a damn. -drl
Post #72,137 by Meerkat 1/2/03 10:15:55 PM Reply	I can read music, I'm just really slow at it. John. Busy lad.
Post #72,170 by static 1/3/03 4:53:00 AM 1/4/03 4:41:59 AM Reply	That's really interesting. Because I have an ear for the feel of music, but when playing, I still prefer to play from chord charts. OTOH, melody lines I can play at speed from manuscript, though hearing it first is Very Helpful. :-) Then too, I've played from a chord chart cold (in a church band) and the song leader suspected but couldn't be sure that I hadn't played that song before. Wade. Microsoft are clearly boiling the frogs. Edited by static Jan. 4, 2003, 04:41:59 AM EST Expand All History
Post #72,219 by drewk 1/3/03 10:55:19 AM Reply	Speed-reader here Though most musicians would look at drum or percussion music and lose their minds. If you're talking percussion (not counting marimba and other keyboard-like instruments) the notes will generally be all on one line. Or rather each line is a completely different instrument. Often each instrument will have a different-shaped note head. Then there's the stuff they give the guy playing the drum set in a pop/jazz/rock etc. band. It's frequently so over-written it's nearly unplayable. I usually just asked for the lead sheet (for standards, the kind with a melody and chord progression) or a copy of the first trumpet part. Basically give me the melody line and let me figure out what to do with it. === Microsoft offers them the one thing most business people will pay any price for - the ability to say "we had no choice - everyone's doing it that way." -- [link\|http://z.iwethey.org/forums/render/content/show?contentid=38978\|Andrew Grygus]
Post #72,467 by deSitter 1/4/03 1:13:52 PM Reply	You're a drummer? Cool! -drl
Post #72,624 by Steve Lowe 1/5/03 2:11:58 AM Reply	I use chord charts a lot I make chord charts from sheet music all the time. I hate trying to turn pages in the midst of a song. I try to memorize as much as I can, but we do so many different songs, and a different set every week. ----- Steve
Post #72,214 by admin 1/3/03 10:31:13 AM Reply	Same here. I can't play for shit from music. I end up memorizing the song more or less before I can play it well. I can play melodies by ear after hearing them once, if I'm paying attention. My son is learning to sight read quite well, thankfully. It's a useful skill to have in addition to playing by ear. Regards, -scott anderson "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."

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