Re: Why you should learn to read


"Derek Tearne" <derek@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1ja0lvj.1pi34s496oyolN%derek@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Jim Carr <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Derek Tearne wrote:

Now, many of the people on this newsgroup are bass players who have
come
through the 'garage band', and it is very easy to convince oneself that
ones own musical experience is the mainstream one - but I would say
that's far from the case - there are loads of orchestras, mixed
ensembles, quartets etc. around that are reading based and have almost
completely unrelated networks of musicians.

You clipped my quote where I referred specifically to singers,
guitarists, bassists and drummers. And this is a bass newsgroup. I think
the context is pretty well established.

I clipped that did I? Hmmm. Go back and carefully read the post I
responded to. It starts "When, exactly, are musicians asked to
sight-read, meaning read a piece cold and play it at the same time,
other than as part of a business
transaction?"

That is a blanket statement about musicians.

It then talks about craigslist ads, and then, eventually, talks about
the days to day activities of singers, guitarists bassists and drummers.

At the end it again makes a blanket statement about musicians.

I am responding directly to this strange statement about musicians.

OK, this is a bass player centric newsgroup, but I feel almost certain
that every bass player here, regardless of whether or not they only play
bass, regards themselves as a musician.

The context pretty clearly is about music and musicians - and there are
many musicians who read, and only read, who are not involved in business
transactions.

Of course, if you want to argue that somehow guitarists, bassists,
drummers and singers are somehow not musicians... well, good luck with
that.

If I said that it's a necessary skill to know how to fix a cord with a
soldering iron, would you point out that there are loads of musicians in
orchestras, marching bands, quartets, etc. who don't use amps?

Actually, you probably would. Nevermind.

Well, apart from letting out a hearty guffaw at such a ridiculous
statement - I do indeed know many musicians who haven't the faintest
idea how to do basic maintenance on their instruments - and who
absolutely should never be allowed near a soldering iron - in fact my
soldering skills are such that I fear I should be counted amongst their
number - not that this stops me soldering stuff of course.

So, actually, if you said it is a necessary skill to know how to fix a
cord with a soldering iron I'd say no, it isn't.


Soldering isn't a necessary skill, but it's one that's nice to have for a
gigging musician. Sight reading, on the other hand is a skill that's
absolutely necessary to have if one wants to get the gigs that require it.
No music gig that I'm aware of requires a musucuan to be proficient at
soldering.


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