[Harp-L] How important is it to be able to read music?

[Robert Laughlin]

My mamma done tol' me,,

when I was in knee pants,,

my mamma done tol' me,,

"Son,,,,,,,,"


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Rubin" <michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx>
To: "Gary Lehmann" <gnarlyheman at xxxxx>
Cc: "harp-l" <harp-l at xxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2016 10:02 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] How important is it to be able to read music?


>I can discern my melody from the chords.  If I know the song,  I generally
> can hear the melody just when the chords are played, especially jazz
> melodies.  I can discern the chords from the melody.
>
> You can call it your mammy if you wanna.
> Michael Rubin
> michaelrubinharmonica.com
>
> On Thu, Dec 8, 2016 at 11:33 AM, Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman at xxxxx> 
> wrote:
>
>> I believe you are referring to harmonic information.
>> A melody is distinct from the harmonic information. Consider any of a
>> number of blues songs, all over the same I IV V cadence.
>> Can you discern the melody with only the chord information?
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 8, 2016 at 7:56 AM, Michael Rubin <
>> michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx> wrote:
>>
>>> Gary says Chord charts have no melodic information.
>>>
>>> You and I read chords very differently.  Almost all the melodic
>>> information to be had in a song can be located in the chords.
>>> Michael Rubin
>>> michaelrubinharmonica.com
>>>
>>> On Thu, Dec 8, 2016 at 9:25 AM, Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman at xxxxx>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Wed, Dec 7, 2016 at 8:34 PM, Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman at xxxxx>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > I am a horrible staff reader, but can sight read chord changes on
>>>> guitar
>>>> > (for the most part).
>>>> >
>>>> > Just to put a fine point on it, I am talking about reading a chord
>>>> chart
>>>> and playing guitar, not playing harmonica--although I could translate
>>>> chord
>>>> changes into harp information as well--but chord charts have no melodic
>>>> information.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>