Re: His VALUABLE two cents

["John P. Giunta" <JGIUNTA@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Date sent:      Thu, 01 Sep 1994 07:13:47 -0700 (MST)
> From:           Barry Schaede <barrys@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Send reply to:  Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject:        : My two cents
> To:             Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> There's a difference between reading music and the written word.  There 
> are people that don't read music for whom the music that they don't read 
> exists in their heads as real and absolutely as if it were being played 
> at that moment.  All they have to do is hear it once.  I've met no one 
> that has this ability with written words spoken aloud.  The point of 
> written words is not to capture spoken words so that they be spoken again 
> and again. 

I would argue that that IS a legitimate purpose that written words 
can serve, especially if the original spoken words are of such 
importance that we want to get 'em right, as with certain 
philosophers and prophets.
 
It's a form of communication unto its own.  This is also > true of 
musical notation but to a much lesser degree. I can read music,  but 
not for harmonica.  That's not how I learned to play it.  I think 
> there is tremendous value in having good ear ability.  

I agree with you 100%, as I play a number of instruments both as an 
improvisor on all, and as a reader and improvisor on two of them.

Also, composing in all styles except 12-tone music starts with 
improvisation.  

 >The interesting 
> thing about all this ear notation fuss.  If you don't have a good ear you 
> can practise for the rest of your life and not get it.  


For the skill of improvisation I would tend to agree with you, 
although I played the Stradella accordion as a child and used to 
play the bass buttons up and down and sing along without knowing what 
I was doing.  It gave me a really good ear for Western harmony.  


>If you can't read 
> music you can learn.  Larry Adler didn't learn to read music until the 
> middle of his very long career.  (this tidbit courtesy of HH&HB and Kim 
> Field)  FJM