LearnGospelMusic.com Community
Gospel Instruments => Gospel Keyboard / Piano => Topic started by: eggiepoo on November 25, 2006, 08:56:49 PM
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I need advice on reading music. I can read music, but I am trying to learn to play by hearing, instead of by reading. I have had a musician to tell me that I need to stop trying to play by ear, and just keep playing by reading the music. I belong to a church where the music is very up beat, and I want to be able to play by ear. If I continue to play by music, will the hearing start to fall in place.
Thanks for any advice
eggiepoo
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Both are EQUALLY important. Some musicians who are trained will tell you that classical music and and reading music is real music and playing by ear doesn't count. HOWEVER, there are some musicians, some online, will tell you that you don't need to read music, or that they did so and so without ever reading music. Now because everyone's not saved, i'm going to heat for this but i believe that you are not a true musician if you can't read music and play by ear. You should know everything about your craft no matter how gifted you are. However, there are many books out there that make it easy to learn how to read music. I hope we reply in love and not just say anything and say "it's in love".
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Both are EQUALLY important. Some musicians who are trained will tell you that classical music and and reading music is real music and playing by ear doesn't count. HOWEVER, there are some musicians, some online, will tell you that you don't need to read music, or that they did so and so without ever reading music. Now because everyone's not saved, i'm going to heat for this but i believe that you are not a true musician if you can't read music and play by ear. You should know everything about your craft no matter how gifted you are. However, there are many books out there that make it easy to learn how to read music. I hope we reply in love and not just say anything and say "it's in love".
Well, you might've just started a debate LOL....But anyway, I believe it all depends on the church you go to. To me playing music by ear is more important to me than reading music, because the songs we sing you most likely are not going to find it in a hymn book, maybe some. I think more Methodist churchs and caucasian churches use "sheet" music than Pentacostal and other black churches. I wouldn't say your not a true musician if you can't read music and play by ear. Did David read "sheet" music? I mean you can find some really hot musicians out there who can't read one note on sheet music, but can play better than anybody who can. But I do believe that you should learn how to do both. :)
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Keep doing both equally. reading music is a big help to learning the actual chords. Then by ear you can change some chords to your liking.
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I need advice on reading music. I can read music, but I am trying to learn to play by hearing, instead of by reading. I have had a musician to tell me that I need to stop trying to play by ear, and just keep playing by reading the music. I belong to a church where the music is very up beat, and I want to be able to play by ear. If I continue to play by music, will the hearing start to fall in place.
Thanks for any advice
eggiepoo
WELCOME to LGM! :)
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Well Eggipoo, if I were you I wouldn't stop reading music, I would add listening to my reading. I'm just the opposite. I came here being able to hear music patterns even before I could play them. In fact that's what inspired me. So I learned to play the guitar and the piano. But I always wanted to be able to read music. It took me over twenty years to learn because I did it the hard way. On my own. If I had it to do again, I would get a teacher. That would have saved a lot of time.
In your case, since you can read music and want to develop your ear. Well that comes from listening. I've been listening to a lot of blues lately. I get these jazz and blues play along Cds. From www.jazzbooks.com. They come with the sheet music and a CD so you can practice what you hear. First I just listen to the CD, and follow along with the sheet music. Looking at the chord patterns, and the bass patterns..Say a blues bass line goes, 1,3,5,6,7b,6 5,3,1, etc. while improvising on the 7b and 3 in the right hand. Well behold, you see this pattern playing right before your eyes. You listen to enough of these blues bass lines and melodys, pretty soon you will recognize them without the sheet music. So listening is the key to learning how to play by ear. Listening for bass patterns, chord patterns, etc.. And being able to see the music as well as hear it, will cut your learning curve in haft. And don't be afraid of the blues either. You ain't a jazz musician if you can't play the blues. The reason I say blues is because blues patterns are apart of most music styles, be it jazz, rock, rap, hip hop, blues, RnB, and the Gospell.
May Gods' Peace be unto you
MrTea
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You ain't a jazz musician if you can't play the blues.
Oh yes doc. I had to learn that the hard way. :o
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Now because everyone's not saved, i'm going to heat for this but i believe that you are not a true musician if you can't read music and play by ear. You should know everything about your craft no matter how gifted you are.
I agree 1000% with this statement. You may be a good musician by just doing one or the other, but you won't be a true musician until u can master everything about your instrument.
I wouldn't say your not a true musician if you can't read music and play by ear. Did David read "sheet" music? I mean you can find some really hot musicians out there who can't read one note on sheet music, but can play better than anybody who can. But I do believe that you should learn how to do both. :)
The musicians in the Bible days didn't have sheet music to read, so they probably knew nothing about it. But, if they did have sheet music, I'm pretty sure David would have known about it and learned it.
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Thanks everyone for the great advice on my reading music. I will continue to read music, as well as learn to play by ear, because I want to be anointed by God to be a good musician. So whatever it takes, I am willing to do it. God Bless You all for the advice.
Eggiepoo
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All of the above are important. I wish i can do all of them...but not l00% yet. If someones wants to pay you to play for them and they telll u u have to be able to place this piece, well the musician that play by ear wouldnt get the job, the person that read and play sheet music will get the job. Now, the musician is asked to play for the choir..some fast up beat pieces quickly...they prolly already have heard the songs at church before and they only can play it..by ear..well..once again the guy that plays by ear will get this job..and not the sheet music reader. Now, the 3 musician can do both ..he can read and and play sheet music and also play by ear..he would be double blessed. So, I believe one must master all the above also. Alot of time in some churches u don't have the time to be looking and reading music..u be trying to keep your eyes on the choir, the preacher, the band and its a job making sure u do your part.
Be blessed.
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study sheet music that has the type of music you want to learn
wow gospel has song books on all their abums
study these study the chords and begin fitting them ino songs you do at your church take certain progressions and cadences and apply them inot your talk music
transpose your favorite ones in every key
understand how to do opne four five
and all the other progressions we have in gospel there arent that many
and when you can do this you will be playing by ear
because when you play by ear in church you are really composing on the spot
and you cant compose unless you understand the tools the chords and the progressions are your tools
so if you continue reading and you read music that applies to the music you need to learn you will find your self growing by leaps and bounds
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Well-said Diverse379... Well said... Understanding is the cornerstone to supreme knowledge. Knowing and assuming are two totally different things...
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Well-said Diverse379... Well said... Understanding is the cornerstone to supreme knowledge. Knowing and assuming are two totally different things...
lol well said but poorly written.
I need to use spell check for sure.
but thanks cherri hey i thought you were going to call me
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I need advice on reading music. I can read music, but I am trying to learn to play by hearing, instead of by reading. I have had a musician to tell me that I need to stop trying to play by ear, and just keep playing by reading the music. I belong to a church where the music is very up beat, and I want to be able to play by ear. If I continue to play by music, will the hearing start to fall in place.
Thanks for any advice
eggiepoo
These are other topics from LGM about reading music and playing by ear:
http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,30426.0/topicseen.html
http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,22125.0/topicseen.html