I can't play be ear at all. I always use mostly Fake Books and improvise a bit, although my playing is rather primitive, given what I could/should have learned over the years. Lazy, lazy, lazy.

People who play and can't read music are really "illiterate" aren't they? However, music is an auditory medium, not a visual one. Does anyone sit down and enjoy READING a good music book ??? No, we LISTEN to music.

I'm always astounded that some of our very BEST musicians (believe me, some are fantastic) who send us songs in our PSR Songs Group sheepishly admit that they can't read music AT ALL.

I've often wondered why. How could it be that someone would be so focused on music to play that well would not bother learning to even read a simple melody line.

Reading some of the responses here gave me some clues. I had never thought that the written music could come between a musician and the music. Interesting.

Bob