Hi Ogre,

You a sad case? No way! You sound very apologetic because you have to play using the dots. Don't apologize! Take pride in the fact you can read music!!!! Be happy about it!!!!

I've been corresponding with a person who is debating whether to take lessons and learn to read music or let an ear-player friend teach him to play by ear (which in addition, by the way, requires ear players to memorize everything they play) and I have counseled that it is far better to learn to read music. I have in the range of 4000 - 5000 pieces of music in my music library. There is no way an ear player can memorize that many tunes. As a "reader", I can play all of them if I practice. An ear player is limited to what is contained in his/her memory. Not only that, the chords an ear player uses may not be correct harmonically speaking which tends to spoil the song he/she is trying to play. If we "readers" play a song, the harmony and melody is always correct. And what if an ear player forgets a chord or melody note? He/she has to go back to the drawing board and "hunt and peck" until the problem is fixed. We readers just pick up the music and play. The notes and chords are correct today, tomorrow, next year, and . . . well, you get the idea.

Be happy that you are a reader, that you took the time and effort to acquire that skill! Yes, it is nice to have the Easy Record music to use to find chords for songs for which you have no music, and it is wonderful that our forum friends share their music with us. But never apologize for being "just a reader". So cheer up and be happy, Ogre.

Happy Playing (and READING!)

Chuck

[This message has been edited by Chuck Piper (edited 09-08-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Chuck Piper (edited 09-08-2003).]