Interesting thread...
I can read, but am not great at it. It's difficult for me now to play exactly what's written on the page, let's say.
For as long as I remember, I take a piece of sheet music or a fake chart and work off the chords. If its a tune I've never heard before I can sit down and grind through it, but with the aid of the internet, I can usually find a recording of it. Once I hear a tune a few times, especially if I have the chords, I'm able to put something solid together.
This approach works for me very well. However, when I was younger, I really liked bands like Kansas and ELP. I bought a few of there songbooks and immediately ran into a brick wall.
In short, that's the price I paid for never taking lessons, I guess...
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Bill in Dayton
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Bill in Dayton