Reading Music

[under13]

Do any of yall know how to read music?

If so How well?

Do you think that reading is an essential skill for the gospel musician?

Does your church require that you read?

[sjonathan02]

I read music fairly well. Is reading essential for a gospel musician? No. Can it help? Absolutely. Lastly, no.

[SisterCM]

Do any of yall know how to read music?  yes

If so How well?  still learning

Do you think that reading is an essential skill for the gospel musician?  maybe
Does your church require that you read?  no

[Fenix]

Well reading music is one thing, sight-reading is another. I read music very well, i don't sight-read so well. I can sight read at a basic level with not too much going on.

As of now, the only reason i even read music is so i can play exactly what the artist is playing. So far i have been learning so much stuff just by reading the voicings used on the sheet and what not.

[themidiroom]

Do any of yall know how to read music?

If so How well?

Do you think that reading is an essential skill for the gospel musician?

Does your church require that you read?

I can kinda read charts, but that's about it.  I don't think it is essential for a gospel musician but there are times where it can come in handy.   I play everything by ear at church.

[amandaag]

okay when he said reading music, i thought of sight reading.

well i know how to read music, but it does sucks for me nowadays. In terms of sight reading, it takes me a half an hour just to read one sheet of music, while professional musicians takes 2 minutes. But i know with practice, it will be perfect.

I think both reading music and playing by ear are the two good skills a musician should have.

well my church sings from the hymns all the time, so i think it is required for the musicians to read music.

[T-Block]

Do any of yall know how to read music?  I can read sheet music

If so How well?  Figuring out what notes/chords are played, advanced level;   Sight-reading, intermediate level (at slow tempo, lol)

Do you think that reading is an essential skill for the gospel musician?  Yes

Does your church require that you read?  No

[Metronome]

I can read..........drum music (lol played in high school......was raw too playin in jazz combos and stuff lol) I was learnin how to read before college but the Canisius accounting program is a workload.....i'm gonna hop back on it though this summer

[ltljake]

My piano teacher told me to not read every single note. She gave me an example by sight reading a song out of our learning book.....IN A DIFFERENT KEY!! I was floored. She said if you read every single note it would take hours on top of hours on top of hours to play through a song. Instead, read the intervals. So you only need to really ready the first note of a given passage. Your brain will do the rest from the scale you already know. Chords are even easier as major and minor 3rds are easily recognized. (line line space space etc etc) Gospel accidentals may be a different story.  Also learn to play without taking your eyes off of the paper, like a typist.

Gospel Sheet music is often watered down to make it more playable. We all know our 7-3-6-2-5s and our 13 flat 5 flat 9s, but seeing it written on sheet music will give you a heart attack.

[Fenix]

My piano teacher told me to not read every single note. She gave me an example by sight reading a song out of our learning book.....IN A DIFFERENT KEY!! I was floored. She said if you read every single note it would take hours on top of hours on top of hours to play through a song. Instead, read the intervals. So you only need to really ready the first note of a given passage. Your brain will do the rest from the scale you already know. Chords are even easier as major and minor 3rds are easily recognized. (line line space space etc etc) Gospel accidentals may be a different story.  Also learn to play without taking your eyes off of the paper, like a typist.

Gospel Sheet music is often watered down to make it more playable. We all know our 7-3-6-2-5s and our 13 flat 5 flat 9s, but seeing it written on sheet music will give you a heart attack.

LOL I know thats the truth. I once saw an old gospel song written out in "real" format, not "fake". I nearly gave up playing the keys when i saw that. Funny enough it was just a simple chord like a min b5 or something.

[themidiroom]

LOL I know thats the truth. I once saw an old gospel song written out in "real" format, not "fake". I nearly gave up playing the keys when i saw that. Funny enough it was just a simple chord like a min b5 or something.

I was listening to my old music teacher playing some Christmas music and at the end of the song, he started playing a gizzillion notes.  I thought surely that couldn't be on the sheet music but it was.  That was the first time I'd seen 64th notes written out and dude was sight reading it.