- From Our Blog -
As a musician, being able to play by ear is an impressive trait, but the reality is few of us can do it with absolute precision every time. Sure, a lot of the greats couldn’t read a single note but being able to sight-read sheet music opens a lot of doors for musicians at all experience levels.
Need convincing? Here are a few excellent reasons why learning to read music will change your musical life for the better:
Playing Well With Others
As a musician, chances are at some point you’ll want to collaborate with your peers, whether in a band, choir, or recording studio. The ability to write and read sheet music makes it easier to communicate with your fellow musicians and keeps everyone on the same page–literally.
This is especially true when involving many players, for example in an orchestral setting. Reading music helps you stay on track and is especially useful for songwriting purposes with a group. Even if you are jamming with others who can’t read music, your knowledge will be indispensable as you can quickly teach what you know to anyone who is struggling to keep up.
Boosting Brain Power
Learning to read music doesn’t just help you perfect your craft; it can also improve your critical thinking and math skills. As you begin to learn how to read notes and chords, you’ll also find that your memory becomes sharper, and you begin to have a deeper understanding of music theory.
Although it is of course possible to memorize songs by ear, reading the notes laid out in black and white helps your brain retain the information more accurately and for a longer period. Plus, if you forget a bar or two, it is easy to pick right back up where you got lost! Read more in our blog »
