Can you read music? And are you left-handed or right-handed?

[begin_within]

I have a theory that it's slightly easier for left-handed people to learn to read music, because music is represented on paper visually, not with numbers or verbally (except for the occasional Italian words). This is a very unscientific test to see how many people here read music and whether you are left- or right-handed.

[ZombieNixon]

1. Right handed, read music.

:shrug:

[Chan790]

2. Left-handed, Doesn't read music

but I'm also tone-deaf so what would be the point?

[reyd reid reed]

3. I'm right handed and I can read music

Four of my children can also read music (the youngest can't...yet) and three of those four are right handed.

[terrya]

4. Right handed, can't read music

[Richardo]

5. Left-handed, reads music

[trackfan]

6. Right handed - read music

but I still think of it purely as numbers.

[Jamastiene]

7. Left-handed and can't read music well enough to

count it as being able to read it at all. I can do the "Every good boy does fine" thing, but as far as sitting there reading it like I actually understand the point, nope, can't do it.

That's what guitar tab is for. :P

[femmocrat]

8. It could be that more democrats are right-handed.

Have you considered that possibility?

[5thGenDemocrat]

9. Left-handed and don't read music

But I've been a cartoonist since I was old enough to hold a pencil, which I would think is related to your premise.
John
And the musicians I know are always asking me to draw cartoons of their bands.

[Tikki]

10. Was left-handed...read music very, very well....

Tikki

[SOteric]

11. Yes, I can read music. I'm an ambidexter.

I also speak Italian, since that was my parents' native language. :shrug:

[wildhorses]

12. won't your results be skewed? There are more right handed

people on here to answer the question...

[Chan790]

16. I believe

Lefties make up something like 10% of the population, although this % is propably slightly skewed because the source forced people to chose L or R, as Ambi was not an option.

As long as the sampling pool holds true to that ratio approximately (which it currently is) the result should be statistically accurate, if not necessarily correct. (A statistically correct result would require a scientifically-chosen pool to balance out all other factors.)

Edit: Damn, beaten to the punch on the L-R ratio statistic by politicat.

[Ohio Joe]

13. Left Handed, Don't Read Music

But then... I've never tried to learn how to read music.

[Smudge]

14. Right Handed, Read Music.

I can count rhythms and all that jazz quite well, but when it comes to natural talent I'm a bit lacking.

[politicat]

15. Remember that lefties are only 10% of the population

and that number is smaller in women than men.

I read music quite well, and I'm left handed, but my sisters also read music and they're right handed.

[AirmensMom]

22. Only 10%?

That's interesting. When I was working, at least half of the programmers were left-handed in every job I had. How strange is that?

[politicat]

25. There's lots of us in computing, but only about 10% in the general pop.

And it's only 3-4% of women. There may be an evolutionary reason for it (the theory currently is that women who were right handed held their babies next to their hearts, and so the babies were quieter, more contented and grew just enough better that right handed women had a better chance of passing on their genes.)

[jpgray]

17. I don't buy that theory

To me learning to read music is like learning to, well, read. Takes a long time with lots of practice, and at first you memorize recurring phrases before you're able to sound things out, and eventually you can tackle even the totally unfamiliar right out of the gate. Most musicians (including myself) are just too lazy to put enough time into it.

[ghostsofgiants]

18. Right-handed, can read music.

[Spirochete]

19. Left-handed - don't read music

[deadparrot]

20. Left-handed, read music. nt

[AirmensMom]

21. Left-handed, read music.

I was a computer programmer, too.

[Dr Fate]

23. I used to read music and I'm left handed.

I have not played to written music since I was kid though.

Mostly by ear & improv nowadays- easy country, rockabilly, garage & blues stuff that I like does not require it...

[tjwmason]

24. Sinister

and can read music.

I'm not quite sure how your theory works though.

[bigwillq]

26. Right-handed, don't (nt)

[WritingIsMyReligion]

27. Right-handed, read all sorts of music.

:bounce:

:D

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

28. Right handed and can't read regular sheet music,though I'm working on that

[hyphenate]

29. I can read music

but very slowly. I'm not a musician, though; I learned the notes and can play the melody on a piano, but not chords or anything complex. If I had a piano of my own, I could probably learn more and quicker, but I pick it up on my own rather than through lessons. My dad knew how to play by ear with a wide variety of instruments.

[graywarrior]

30. Ambi-dex.

[ComerPerro]

31. very unscientific, indeed. lol