Sheet Music Questions

Artemis

Junior Member
I have never played with sheet music before and I only play by ear. I also have never seen a lot of sheet music played by other people. Do they only use sheet music in orchestra's or something?? It seems like it would distract you from playing rather then help you, unless you memorize it completely beforehand... But then why not just memorize the song by ear beforehand? So basically I am wondering the importance of sheet music, does it help , how much can you read, and is it worth it trying to learn? I thought that it might be something I'd like to try when I have time, just to see if it works for me. what do you think?
 
Learn to read. Trust me, it has so many uses. It's a form of communication between musicians that saves time and prevents misunderstandings: "NO, YOU F*CKER, IT GOES BAD-A-DA, BAD-A-DA, NOT 'BAD-A-DE-DEE!' "...we've all been there...pointless.

Reading also speeds up the learning process no end. You can scan through transcriptions in magazines and books and get it immediately. Not only that, but you can notate ideas and transcribe quickly. You now have a permanent record rather than having to try to rely on memory (difficult if you've just worked out a lengthy solo for the first time, for example).

Reading gets in the way? No, it saves you sh*tting your pants trying to remember everything that's coming up. Especially if you haven't had much (or any!) rehearsal. You can sit back, concentrate on the music and glance at a chart to refresh your mind when needed.
 
For starters, at 38, I am probably the most novice drummer on this site so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

But, sheet music has helped me to where I am now which isn't far from where I started. Sure, I could emulate some of the things I heard but during my lessons, it helps me a lot and it's rewarding to go from thinking "WTF, I'm never gonna be able to play that", to "Ya, I can play that it my sleep".

It also helps me with things I may not notice by only hearing it.
 
i was drumming for 16 years before i learned to read. i wish i could go back and kick my 14 year old butt. it took me about 6 months of not hard work to learn to read and the benefits in the last 7 years have been astonishing.

why should you learn to read?
- it is so easy that it is foolish not to.
- you can write your own ideas down
- you open yourself up to the vast resources available in books, DVDs, the internet and in magazines
- you open the doors to a lot of gigs/jobs in your future that would otherwise be closed to a non-reader (show drumming, ensemble work, circuses, cruise ships, teaching and writing - to name a few)

just do it! i would be twice the drummer i am today if i had had theory from the start.
j
 
i agree with everyone here. if it's gigs you want, you'll get more if you can read, especially if you're a good sight reader. if you want to improve, get yourself some books, and read away. it allows you to communicate with fellow musicians in technical jargon. it makes everything better. do it. i'm really lucky, in that i grew up in southern california, at a time when school music programs were excellent. i learned to read music at age 9, and i can't imagine not being able to. it helps you visualize what you play. it helps you figure out what others are playing. you can become your own teacher. WIN!
 
You play by ear already and that is good.
If you were a beginner I would say learn by ear first.

But it's a bit like asking, should a poet learn how to read words.
Of course he should.
Ted Reed's book Syncopation is a good place to start.

Even if you never get a reading gig, it can help you memorize seemingly difficult phrases.
I know for me, once I can visualize it on the page, it's really in my brain.
Some things sound harder than they really are.
 
I have never played with sheet music before and I only play by ear. I also have never seen a lot of sheet music played by other people. Do they only use sheet music in orchestra's or something?? It seems like it would distract you from playing rather then help you, unless you memorize it completely beforehand... But then why not just memorize the song by ear beforehand? So basically I am wondering the importance of sheet music, does it help , how much can you read, and is it worth it trying to learn? I thought that it might be something I'd like to try when I have time, just to see if it works for me. what do you think?

sheet music is how we organize music. How else are you going to know where the 70th measure of a song is or where a repeat is, or what the dynamic markings are, or what other instruments are doing so you do not get lost.

Reading helps in practice and studio situations. Live performance looks better without sheet music.
 
reading definately helps. I've been on both sides of this. On one hand, most of the playing I've done in the rock, pop, country genres have been entirely by ear. However in jazz I've often played with charts. It's important to note that drum charts are usually NOT note for note parts. It more or less tells you the form of the arrangement and gives you key hooks and rhythms to play. I studied music in college so did a lot of reading. The skills I have developed for reading have been invaluable. Once I got called to do a tour with an artist from Sweden here in the states, and got the call literally the night before the first show. They basically said, "can you be on a plane to San Diego tomorrow morning for a show tomorrow night?". I had never heard this artists material before. So, I really didn't have time to try and memorize his stuff. I downloaded all his stuff from itunes, and was listening and WRITING drum parts on the plane. If I didn't have those reading (and subsiqently writing) skills, there's no way I would have been prepared, because in this case I was playing with backing tracks that already had drum machine in it. So, I had to play every kick drum note, snare note, etc... exactly as they were on the record, otherwise it would sound off.

As far as being able to read regular music (ie treble and bass cleff primarily), reading scales, chords etc... its not something that you'll often use directly as a drummer, but nonetheless, understanding that stuff can come in handy. For example, knowing the difference between major and minor modes can make a difference in how you "color" songs. Also understand what a 1, 4 and 5 chord is will help you understand how to frame the form of the tune.

Lastly, remember that you're a "musician", before you are a "drummer", and thus learning ANYTHIING having to do with music, whether directly related to drums or not, is always good.
 
If you have an e-kit (electronic drums) and a computer,
Roland's DT-1 drum tutor software is a great way to learn to sight read.
- It has about 60 songs ranging from rank beginner to pretty advanced.
- It presents the drum parts as sheet music that scrolls as you play.
- It reads the MIDI from your e-kit and tells you if you played each note right.
- It has game notation too if you really want to go there.
 
I play in a Glenn Miller style big band among other styles. We travel with approximately 1000 charts at any one time (drum book measures about 8" thick). If I couldn't read I'd be in a heck of a mess. I also do pit orchestra work where reading is a MUST. Most drum parts are a guide, meant to be loosely followed, but they are the road map to knowing where you are and the style you are to play. I also play in a three piece jazz trio where I do no reading (it is all by ear and feel). It depends on the style and venue. If you are just going to be a rock drummer and everything is in 4/4 than you probably don't need to read. Learning to read will open up many more opportunities than you could have otherwise. Learn or not, it is your choice.
 
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