Question for muscians playing by ear - or howcome I can't read music

[DanCa]

Hey everyone for the last few hours I have been trying to play yer blues by the beattles on the harp and I just couldn't get it from readding the notes only. I had to listen to the song before it would fall in place is this fairly normal? Ive only been readding music for about six months so I am curious if some people cant read music but play by ear.

[Oeditpus Rex]

1. I read when I took piano lessons

a gazillion years ago, and sang in choirs in high school. Didn't have cause to do it after that, so I forgot how. :(

Been playin' by ear since I been playin', though.

[spacelady]

2. I read somewhere that Paul McCartney started out playing by ear.

[CanuckAmok]

8. but he stopped when he learned it was easier to use his hands.

n/t

[Floogeldy]

3. Do you have relative pitch?

?

[DanCa]

4. Yes (nt)

[Floogeldy]

5. A lot of sheet music cuts corners or neglects nuances.

And some instruments in some styles of music are not susceptible to sterile transcriptions due to the advanced techniques of some original artists.

I dare say that it would be quite impossible for one to succesfully transcribe the guitar part to "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" so that any old yuk yuk could pick up the sheet music and duplicate what Jimi did.

Defnilly use your ear to fill in the gaps. Experimentation might also be necessary.

[DanCa]

6. Oh okay so than do you t hink I am just being to hard on myself?

I am mean I can't expect to go from zero to sonny boy williamson over night

[Floogeldy]

7. Defnilly don't be hard on yourself.

:)

[JohnnyCougar]

9. there are tons of people that play by ear

I can do both very well. But I started out learning by ear.

My friend Adam almost never reads music. Can listen to 99% of the rock songs on the radio and have them figured out by the time the song is over.

[Robeson]

10. I play by ear. I know the chords, so that helps, but I do play by ear...

...I usually have no problem working through a song. It's actually pretty common if you've ever been in a room full of musicians.