To learn how to read music or just play by ear?

[gordie]

Hi guys, I'm new to this forum and very new to piano playing, Meaning i'm rubbish, at this moment, Ive always wanted to play so i'm satarting out but i wonder.....Should i learnt toread music or should i just listen to the songs i wish to play then practice them until i can play, I like Einaudi's type of playing and i would like to be able to play some of his music myself but if its worth putting in the extra shift to be able to read music then i would be willing to do that, how long does it take roughly? can you guys just look at notation and start playing without knowing the song at all?

sorry for all the obvious "newbie" questions but i need to start somewhere...

Look forward to any replies.

Gordie.

[nanabush]

Learn to read at a basic level at the very least.  Find some different chord progressions (quick google search will give you a million sources).  Try some playing by ear (because that's a very good technique to have), but combined with basic note naming, reading the clefs, you'll improve WAY quicker.

[gsmile]

Learn to read music! It's a language-- you'll enjoy reading and speaking it if you love it. There are online resources everywhere! For example, Easy Tricks for Learning Notes and Accidentals 101, and PureLessons' demonstrations.

[outin]

I can't imagine how any normal person could learn to play properly without being able to read? I think it requires special talent to be able to separate all the voices and then recreate them with correct timing. Simple melodies and chords one can find by ear, but most of the advanced pieces would be too much.

I've noticed that Chopin wrote a lot of music that sounds rather "easy" when played well, but when you see the sheet you realize how complicated it actually is to produce that seemingly simple music

[asiantraveller101]

Gordie,
I have a wonderful musician friend who plays by ear only. He improvises and composes and never fail to amaze me with his talent. He has started dabbling with piano even when he was a kid.   However, I am not sure if you are able to learn everything by yourself. It is a tedious and long process. And if you want to play someone else's music, like Einaudi's, then it is easier to learn it through music reading. As nanabush says, learn to read at least, at a basic level. It does help to open up your musical world to another realm. Imagine all the music that you can learn to play correctly, all just by reading!
Good luck!
PS. You're not rubbish, but a gem in discovery!

[gordie]

Ahh thanks for your answers, i shall check the resources out, i think of course it would be more beneficial to be able to read music but the temptation to just learn by ear is very ermm tempting, must resist this temptation.....

[hastur]

I'd suggest doing a search for "Bernard Sight Reading" here on the forums, good reads.

[stephenv]

Hi. Thought I'd reply because I started playing by ear at first.  My "ear" was good enuf to find chords and harmonies that were satisfying at first but eventually I began to notice that the music I could make by ear was lacking something.  When I heard a melody harmonized in the formal sheet music MY version fell short in duplicating that sound.

My desire to create the harmonies in the formal version movtivated me to learn to "read" the music as written.  I taught myself using a hymn book.  It was tough going even though I had taken "lessons" for a while and knew the names of the notes  and where to find them on the 88 note keyboard.  I persisted and eventually learned to "read" music.   Later I resumed formal training and then went on to study further.  This culminated in my being able to approach music by Bartok...one of my favorite composers along with Schumann etc.  AND Jazz!!

To me, Jazz is the ulitmate test of one's ability to "read" and play by "ear" as well.   Improvisation!   Try it....Once you learn CHORDS!!  You'll find a fascinating world or harmony.

Bottom line:  YES learn to read you won't regret it.