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

[Fred & Sylvia]

Richard Hunter (who I greatly admire) wrote:
".Wouldn't hurt to learn a little chord and scale theory too.
I can't imagine this conversation taking place on a forum for sax players."

I now write:
Almost all of what Richard says in his post is spot on.  But, a bit of a red
herring there at the end, Richard.  Sax players don't carry 12 different
tuned saxes with them, do they?.  If they did, I could easily imagine such a
discussion on a sax forum.  Personally, I put chord and scale theory well
above music reading in the priority list.  Nashville numbering takes care a
lot of that for those of us with transposing instruments.  I thought Michael
Rubin's comments (who I also greatly admire) were really on the money.
Don't make me choose between you two, now.

Fred S