re: reading music

[Michael Carreira <michaelcarreira@xxxxxxxxx>]

I can?t imagine being an active musician in this (US)
country without just learning to read by accident.

But forget that: Reading is just a tool, like
electricity or concert halls, lots of us use it but
more don?t. There is a ton of American music (even
though we are shackled by Europe and western
consumerism) like southern spirituals, Appalachian
music, and recent development in electronic music and
free improvisation, where reading music is just
irrelevant. Plus Africa, Asia, Australia, and natives
of both Americas. 

I guess this has everything to do with economics: If
you want to be a wage earning professional musician
then learn to read front, back and up side down. If
you are just a musician who makes music because that
is what people do and you don?t care to peddle CDs and
do sessions then use whatever tools you think you
need. 

I think electricity is a more contentious tool then
reading/ writing.


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