Is Reading Music Worth Your Effort? [Story Time!]

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

Dude, of all the KZbin guitar teachers, you're among the few who can talk at leisure and we are all hanging on every word, because you don't just ramble, every thing you say has a life lesson attached and that's more valuable then the "put your little finger on the 3rd fret of the thickest string..." No shit. Attaching a back story to why or why not you should learn something gives it a real life translation to all of us.

[@johnfeole1971]

Agreed..

[@TFShaw]

Yes 100% agreed. 👍

[@ianmackay8815]

'because you don't JUST ramble' Nice.

[@JohnTWeston]

100%!!! I need this sort of context to a lesson to be able to make it make sense lol

[@margaretstokes1812]

Yes Justin is great! I've learned more from him over the last couple of months than any other teacher online and personally. So good Justin!

[@pjs9346]

I am returning to college to learn more about music theory. I am 67, retired and disabled. My goal is to volunteer my time to Guitars for Veterans. 🇺🇸

[@bobbys4327]

That is awesome! Kudos to you man!

[@seanmetal4138]

I'm donating to their cause. Glad you mentioned it in your post.

[@colink4823]

Good on you. Good luck

[@wesbresee]

Thank you for making a difference...people like you help to restore my faith in humanity. I still like dogs the best though..😀

[@BrendanMcGinley]

@@wesbresee This is wise.

[@akfisher7138]

one advantage of notation is that it opens up a world of music that may be new to you-like reading a new book. I had no idea that some lute stuff , old folk sings, Irish harp or Spanish and Italian music was so punk like at times. I love pop music too of course. So reading notation and playing a nylon guitar AND strumming/tab stuff I know, on steel string. Great way to justify more than instrument too!

[@michaelnewsomegreen5500]

As a young bloke living in regional Australia I too left my home town to study music at uni. I could not read a note but I played guitar by use of tab. At Uni I managed to get into the course I aspired on the back of my degree in education but not with guitar but piano. My entire course was based on learning classical piano. 43 years later would I learn piano to be a better guitar player? The answer is, I have no doubt that I am a better guitar player because I studied piano. I still play guitar every day & I play piano every day. I am an infinitely more capable as a a better musician than I would otherwise be. I am so eternally grateful for being given that chance.

[@stratoman5504]

I learned to read music years ago. I have never regretted it. Yes it is difficult, it takes lots time and energy, but the worthwhile things in life are always that way. Justin makes some compelling arguments. You just need to be sure that you are not allowing your inertia to influence you. You may never need the skill, but who really knows what’s in store for you as you go through life. I like the idea of mastering difficult things, and if some day reading music opens a door for you, you too will never regret the time and energy you spent to learn how to do it.

[@daan5361]

I totally agree, I learned to read notes on piano when I was 6, thereafter on drums and guitar. I’m picking it up again now and I have the feeling that it makes me a more complete player. And it’s very rewarding. It makes you play more precise as well, when you really focus on it. Nowadays I only practice it for 10-15 minutes a day. For the rest only band stuff etc.. I agree with Justin that it might be better not to learn notes when you starting to play.

[@jamessbca]

I totally agree. Lifelong drummer working on guitar now. From my drumming background, I can read crazy rhythms, etc. It would be such a same to not be able to have that skill on guitar (and piano!). I'm just doing a tiny bit every day. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. That's what I'm doing with guitar and piano... (Justin is the best, by the way!!!)

[@hazelisaacs2201]

There are many many excuses trotted out as to why people assume they shouldn't / don't need to; but IMO they are only trying to justify their own lack of effort. I've never met ANYONE who regretted learning to speak another language or learning to read music. Imagine if someone new arrives at your poetry circle / book club / am- dram group... you pass them a paper script with a friendly smile so they can join in and they just shrug & say "I never bothered to learn to read words" ... yet people go to music groups expecting everyone else to put in the work for them.

[@khimaros]

For fifteen years I had a nice guitar I’d pick up and learn on. Never made much progress tbh, until I found your videos on rhythm and it unlocked everything else on guitar for me. Your success is no accident, you have an uncanny ability to teach the fundamentals whilst explaining a song. Thank you a million times over.

[@Touk1-u7i]

Read music notation is like "Read by ear", and you know what you are playing. If it's important to use your ear, there is no reason to read on something that doesn't make much musical sense. As you said notations can be placed in different positions on guitar, but at same time it gives you various choices to choose from, and most importantly, you will understand guitar as an instrument better than ever before through the process. If your goal is purely for art and have no intention to show off, and you are willing to put a lot of time and effort, music notation is definitely the way to go.

[@hongkongtennis]

as a 68 year old self taught piano player i think the same thing applies. after many years of trying to learn arrangements from sheet music and books i have now changed to playing chords along with songs. its much easier and far more satisfying. as i am improving at this i am experimenting with rhythms, passing chords, and sometimes with learning the melody over the top.

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

Text is a scam!!!!

[@freebear7323]

I got a hold of old books which only has sheet music. As you said, it took you about a couple of weeks to de-transcribe some really hardcore sheet music. 1. It's not hard to learn sheet reading 2. Key signature gives a lot 3. Many exercises comes in the form of sheet If you play after tabs for a couple of minutes now and then, don't learn sheet reading... If you gonna unlock every note, mode, arpeggio etc of the fretboard -> you can just as well learn sheet reading, because if you are on this course you will just have to challenge yourself day in and day out. You will also, as a accidental bonus, unlock every instrument with the western 12 key tuning. A final note: do scales reading sheet, skip the easy boring songs. Second final note: if you don't love scales yet, just do some acting, play a role of someone who do love scales.

[@langerofficial]

Justin, I owe you a massive thank you. I quit guitar after a year of 'playing dots' at 10 years old. I bravely picked the guitar up again 5 years later and started learning with your videos (13 years ago!) i stopped pretty quickly because I watched your 'most important lesson' video on your website which was about learning songs by ear. I proceded to do that and haven't stopped playing since. (I'm now learning to read after all this time because it makes sense now) Thank you for putting me on a good learning path, without you i may never have kept this calling.

[@rayclark9643]

I have to say that I totally agree with what you've outlined in this video Justin...based on my own experiences.

[@Dogtagnan]

Playing from a tab is one thing, but the rhythm information is missing. So standard notation on a line above the tab is a help, but I still find the standard "dots" get in the way for me.

[@fredlaitinen1215]

Great story and advice! I didn’t start learning to read music and find the specific notes on the guitar until two years ago. It was out of necessity. I should say I knew my treble clef well for years, but it took me a long time to find the notes on the guitar. Fitting it within a major scale pattern really helped me get intervals in my head. I was an ear player for so long, but playing songs for my church group required sight reading. I could identify note, time value, etc., but it didn’t connect in my head. As a writer and arranger, I hear what I want for a part and then go to the piano to find the notes, then score it out. Starting sight reading and learning the notes on the guitar opened a new world for me and trained my ear to recognize the notes on the paper. Learning theory now compliments this. I played for 8 years before I took my first lesson. I did a few and quit, because it was all about learning notes. Bored me to no end. In short, the need came up, so it was time, and it is making me better. Thanks for a great video and great advice!!

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

Text is a scam!!!!!

[@fredlaitinen1215]

@@sweetnsourchick1761 I took it that way. Thanks. Appreciate it.

[@kbelltv]

Thanks Justin, I enjoy these “talkie sessions” with you.

[@justinguitar]

Thanks! Appreciate ur feedback. :)

[@jleips]

So I started as a trumpet player and had to learn to read music. It wasn’t that hard - but the main difference is what Justin mentioned - there are so many places to play the same note on guitar that it really doesn’t help you to know how to read music. Even if you did know how to read you STILL need to know the notes on the fretboard to know where the possible notes to play are. So another great video with great insight. Thank you.

[@Aaron-lc4el]

Just wanna say, I wasnt that into guitars until i looked at a music shop and realized how affordable some of them are. Then i discovered your content, and boy did i get way more excited and I cannot wait to get one. In fact i'm watching your videos/Andertons interviews and stuff as a daily routine now because It's ignited a passion in me how well you know your stuff about guitars, your teaching methods, your guitar stories..etc, hell I'm literally trying to sell an old PC screen to save up for a guitar faster!! Thank you so much for all you do and thank you for igniting a hidden passion in me that i almost forgot about. Being from a religious family in north africa, my parents used to pull me away from music stores as a kid because they didnt want me to get into that stuff, I absolutely cant wait to get one and starting to put your lessons to work!! Greetings from North Africa!!

[@AvaRose00]

I started at 40 and I learned from Justin and Marty. It’s all about practicing and playing every day. It’s not easy at first, just try to set small goals and you won’t get frustrated. Well, you will get frustrated. Good luck

[@louisbuisson]

I've played the guitar on and off for several years but really started playing well a couple of years ago. My most important lesson: play at least 5 minutes everyday! Some days you'll end up playing for hours and other days 5-10 minutes. Your fingers will get used to the fretboard much faster than if you play a couple of hours on the week-end! And I must say that most of my lessons come from Justin! By the way I'm in my late 50's and I got my first guitar from my girlfriend when I turned 30.

[@stephenmorgan7082]

u have litterally saved my from pure head aches and frustrations. Im inside panicking thinking how the hell am i going to learn all this theory work. I cant get me head around it. this is after my first paid lesson . The tutor offered me tab or notation. I said notation as i thought its much better but mindfully its not. U have nailed everything i was thinking and so im going on board with your thoughts. tab it is. i cant tell u how much of a lift this video has given me. soooo much weight of me shoulders. Thank u. A true rock star

[@ufoman4468]

The only way to learn .Is to enjoy what we are been taught. Not to be forced to learn what someone else knows. I enjoyed this .

[@robertYTB78g]

As an amateur I think it never harms to try everything, as long as you can make progress and it gives you joy (and therefore motivation) when you do it. I had 20 years of fun learning classical guitar and reading simple tunes, but in the end I plateau - d out on the sight reading side and memorised the more complex classical pieces. It didn't exclude me learning rock and folk guitar and training my ears at the same time, no harm there. Now I'm learning to sight read on the piano I couldn't agree more that reading music on the guitar is much harder, I'm not sure if I would ever have got really fast enough at it on the guitar. The catch comes if (like me) life leads you away from your instrument, so that now I have lost memory of the complex pieces I memorised I can't read well enough on the guitar to get any of them back without the same immense effort.. Memorisation has another catch too, if like me you get sick of playing the same tunes. After three years learning keyboard, the number of pieces I can sight read (largely pop using an app) is growing exponentially, and it is awesome to be developing a transferable skill. I would just like to say I had the same dream of fast fluent reading new pieces on the guitar, but never made it, and now it's fine on the piano. Might just be my awesome piano app with a repertoire of so many of my favorite pop tunes, but yes the guitar sight reading is definitely harder too.

[@kevininman2013]

What you say makes total sense. You don’t need to read music to play and have good time. You should definitely learn the notes on the guitar. Ruthen is very important as well. Cheers Justin nothing to argue with here.

[@addieb8943]

The main reason i tried to learn to read music while playing guitar for me was because, If you learn to read music you can literally play anything without ever hearing the song. The problem I find with tab is time signatures and just making melody there is no way to play a song without hearing it first with tab. reading for me still hardest thing to do while playing at the same time specially now with youtube and internet it is soo much easier just to google or youtube a tune you want to learn.

[@michaelmerrullo2043]

I learned to play chords and songs physically before learning to read music. I do enjoy reading music, it helps me understand what I’m playing better. I agree it may get a lot of people stuck in the mud as a starting but part of me thinks it can be helpful to implement in the early learning process. Tab is great but traditional reading helped me read rhythm better. I say if you have the time, why not?

[@lozo2331]

I went through the William Leavitt books and learning to read music through them changed my guitar playing completely for the better. It increased my overall aptitude for learning and I know the neck better than ever before. If you’re serious at all about playing guitar then it’s a good idea to learn how to read.

[@cherylgower4900]

I agree with you, Justin. I played piano before the guitar, so naturally I learned standard notation. Now to hear and see a melody written in SN, I have to strain my brain to translate the notes into tab. And from there to know the string/fret/note name that the tab is indicating. That's asking a lot for the brain to maneuver for a waltz let alone a lively polka. I'm just about read to begin Grade 3 of your guitar course, so your lecture helped me decide to concentrate on Tabs, Chords and Note Names on the fretboard.

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

Text is a scam!!!!!

[@ViraDrama]

For me, learning to read music notation is like travel with a map. You can get to the destinations without a map but it’s far more easier with a map, because you don’t need to memorize everything.

[@MustafaBaabad]

Yes, I used to learn in musicak school next to my office. I spent frustrating year reading the tablature and I know that is not the route that I want. At that time no youtube and there is nobody who likes to play music around me and I thought that lesson was the only way to be able to play music. Eventually I gave up. Only after I retired then I found huge treasure on youtube. Thanks Justin. Cheers from Indonesia.

[@seanmetal4138]

One thing I've found is learning to read music helps learn the notes on the fretboard easier than tab. Numbers on the fret board help with finger positions but not identifying notes, whereas you know what the notes are when you see them on staff.

[@dewluc00]

I have mixed views on this. I learned chords via your first book & vids and think your style of teaching is awesome. But learning to read standard notation via Mel Bay, etc. while I was verrry slowly but surely getting the hang of chords with you, was hugely satisfying to me. The progress comes more rapidly. It crosses over to other instruments. It means you can grab any old songbook you ever come across and just try a piece. I found it a lot of fun, and I really hate seeing it dissed, as there could be sooo many others who would also enjoy it but may never try due to these kinds of remarks which always seem to suggest it's "boring". Yes, some parts of books are boring, because not everyone learns at the same rate. But you can just cruise through those exercises once and focus on the more interesting bits. Justin, you carry a lot of influence... please don't be like sooo many other teachers out there, please just let people explore their options with an open mind.

[@dewluc00]

ps. This is not Tim Cooper. It's his wife.

[@misanthropicmusings4596]

I agree -- love this channel, but learning to read musical notation really opens a whole world of possibilities in my opinion -- I am speaking more from my experience playing violin and some piano, and I am not a professional nor in any way as accomplished as Justin, still I believe that learning to read notation can't help but round out one's guitar journey.

[@mrjohnpmuir]

Absolutely the BEST story about learning guitar. Justin ...Your reasoning and explanations are superb and I get what you are saying THANK YOU SO MUCH !!!

[@cathybroadus4411]

Justin Guitar is a blessed saint. This is an arduous journey and it’s a wonderful thing to have such a wonderful guide.

[@justinguitar]

:) Happy to help!

[@cathybroadus4411]

@@Codzilla71 can it not be both?

[@charlie-obrien]

I am one of those players whose earliest lessons consisted of learning to read music and plinking out simple note melodies (which sucked). The end result was I did learn how to read music but I was a terrible guitar player because it was frustrating and I lost interest. One point of solace for me was that years later when my daughter wanted to play keyboards, I was able to help her learn because of my prior learning. The end of the story is that I picked the guitar back up 5 years ago after a 30 year layoff and thanks to Justin's beginner and intermediate course I am now a proficient player who is happily enjoying my guitar again and will be now for the rest of my life.

[@jamesreardon6819]

Thank you, Justin, for this very important talk. I started my musical journey on recorder, and learned to read standard notation, but learning guitar the three elements you stress, reading tab, knowing the fretboard, and rhythm are right on.

[@Deliquescentinsight]

The really basic theory you should know, which is the true 'magic key' to navigating the guitar neck is the 'Chromatic Scale'-this can be learned in a few days and goes like this: E-F-F#-G-Ab-A-Bb-B-C-C#-D-Eb-E. One octave. We know that each fret is one semitone, so we can determine every note from this. This takes a while to assimilate, but it is worth your time.

[@grievouserror]

Talking or playing, Justin, you're aces in my book. I always appreciate your perspective and can never shake the feeling that you're someone I'd quite like if we met in person. Your experience parallels my own in some ways. I had classical piano lessons for 6 years and picked up a guitar when I was in college. I could read music OK but found the guitar frustrating and confusing because of its 2D nature and the multiple locations of notes. The typical initial difficulties in fretting notes didn't help. I found other uses for my time and gave up trying to figure it out for about 25 years until a few KZbin channels re-awakened my interest in learning while also clearing up some of the mystery.With my very limited experience, I agree wholeheartedly that the ability to read music isn't necessarily an advantage in learning guitar. Music theory, on the other hand, was more valuable to me although I know that's not a universally held opinion.

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

TEXT is a scam!!!!!!

[@charlie-obrien]

@@sweetnsourchick1761 Yes, it does not come from the official acct. Don't text or give any info.

[@Jacob-r4w]

Do more of these story or talk videos. Helps me get inspired.

[@lohndavis3794]

I like reading notation and believe it to be beneficial ! A lot of guitar notations has the tabs displayed beneath so one gets the best of both. It’s great 👍

[@aureliobrighton1871]

Superb in every aspect. And full of sympathy through all Octaves. Thankyou from Munich. 🌻

[@chrisminer5884]

I can read at a basic level and find it is useful for finding the melody notes which are rarely tabbed. It goes without saying that you have to then know where those notes are on the guitar

[@mushauribahimana7135]

Me too. For me, it looked like gibberish. I couldn't read or write notation. I'm glad I learnt and I understand it more now. It's helped me be a better musician😊

[@julian.morgan]

12:10 As someone who doesn't read music beyond a simple melody or bass line, and is much happier with TAB, I find it fascinating that musicians in previous eras, a 100 odd years before audio recording was invented, would visit a music shop and sift through racks of sheet music, "listening" to the music they were reading in their heads. I don't mean just humming a written melody line. I mean being able to pick up pretty much any piece of music, be it a duet, quartet or a full blown orchestral score, and have the written music "playback" in their heads. I guess you either learned the skill or you ended up spending a lot of money on music you only realised you didn't like, when you got it home :) Of course I'm sure most professional classical musicians retain such skills today, but apparently it was a very normal skill amongst even pretty average amateurs (like me) and something I kinda regret I don't have.

[@jfar3340]

yeah sight reading is an important skill

[@dennishickey7194]

Don't give up. I'm not a good player whatsoever or a great reader but....knowing a little theory I can see it layed out in the sheet music. I'm beginning to get the basic patterns and fingerings for scales, intervals and chords. This makes memorizing and understanding pieces easier and I'm confident that patient effort over time will ve well rewarded. Good luck! Music is a language. We didn't learn to spontaneously hear, speak and understand it overnight. Learning to read and write, knowing grammar abd structure of different forms and reading widely helped us communicate better orally. I think it's very much the same with music.

[@marcricke2275]

you are correct, rhythm is everything

[@Keninoz1]

I learned to read music (partially) many years ago. I hated it because of the time it took & because all I wanted to do back then was learn to play Beatles songs & all the other songs from that period. Having said that, although I didn't become a fluent reader it has held me in good stead. These days I combine TAB with my knowledge of the way music is written (triplets etc) & the time values of each note to work out how a piece is meant to be played. This works best for me when the TAB also has a standard notation line. If I had my time over (& the patience, which I still don't have), I'd make the effort to learn more - but I'm not complaining :)

[@lavarball3265]

Great story, Justin. I love hearing about your musical journey to understand how you got to such a level of guitar mastery. I started playing two months ago, you’ve got me playing several songs, learning many chords, and now I’m learning to utilize the scales to tap into my creative side on the guitar. Thank you, Justin. You are literally teaching the world to play.

[@flip2724]

I was eerie of learning a song off tab so i came back here and when you said knowing what the notes are on the fretboard (which i do) makes more musical sense relative to the chord you're playing it made all sense to learn tab but know it as the note

[@rjb10101]

I originally learned to play piano/keyboard first, so I learned ''Every Good Boy Deserves Favour'' and ''Face'' and all the crotches and timings that go along with the theory,,,,, Then I picked up the guitar, and it made no sense (to me anyway) to use the Stave,,,, Guitar Tab was obviously the easier route. But I do have to say,, massive respect to any guitarist who can play from the musical stave and not the tab....

[@lukehamel-smith8146]

I’ve got an absolutely terrible ear; learning theory helps me tremendously to hear things better - it limits the range of possibilities and gives me a language to refer to things with - both of which help me hear better. While I understand Justin’s point that knowing the names of the notes together with tab gives you best of both worlds - ease of reading together with musical understanding - for me reading music immediately puts the song in a theory context which allows me to hear it better. At its most simple with sheet music I can “see” the melody is ascending which helps me hear it ascending better. It’s more difficult to do that with tab. In a more complex way, I know a note is a certain degree of the scale which allows me to hear it performing that function better. All that being said I am awful at reading and if I had to learn to read well before I could play anything pleasing I would have given up a long time ago. But, with a couple of chords - and the enjoyment that goes with them - under my belt; learning to read (poorly) has helped me progress - especially with hearing the music better.

[@MrA1582000]

I do agree with you. There are those of us that really don’t have an “ear”. I find seeing the standard notation helps me play.

[@misanthropicmusings4596]

@@MrA1582000 Count me in the group of those with the terrible ear! Agreed, learning to read standard notation helps.

[@ElrohirGuitar]

Very well put. When playing is fun, I am more apt to figure out theory. Then it isn't a chore, it is figuring out an interesting puzzle.

[@kimcarr7409]

I learned to read music when I was in third grade, playing piano. Fifth grade, violin, then Alto Clarinet, Trombone, Baritone, Sax, Flute, and Sousaphone. I've played in jazz bands, marching bands, orchestras and concert bands. What I love about guitar, is the ability to use tabs instead of notation. For me, it's easier if I have both, but that is a personal preference on my part as it is easier for me to read the rhythm from notation than from tab. Still a beginner and hopefully getting better daily at tab reading. Oh, and ear training is important regardless of what instrument you are playing....maybe more so on guitar. Thanks Justin, you always give us such great information in each video.

[@robinleebraun7739]

Fifty years ago, I also discovered that a guitar is not really well fitted to standard music notation. Same goes for any string instrument with frets where there are multiple ways to play each note, interval or chord. Tabs are better and maybe the best so far, but I learned by ear and chord books. So for me, sight reading a song if I haven’t heard it before is nearly impossible. To learn a new song, first I almost memorize the tune and lyrics, then work on arranging the chords to my liking. This gives me the timing also. I like your KZbin lessons.

[@IamBrianDickson]

I play guitar at church, where there is a mix of musicians who sight read and those who don't. I'd say I'm of intermediate standard, I know most of the notes on the neck. I found it really helpful in a group setting to learn basic rhythm and notation navigation signs like 'DC al Coda' to know when something is to be repeated etc. Our sheet music has dots (notation) and chord symbols. So for me, it has been helpful to at least sight read rhythm.

[@MikeCaseyMusic72]

I got into Music school somewhat the same way. The difference was I could read having played in band, horns and woodwinds, and a little piano. If never approached a guitar that way tho. Played with my dad and his friends. Today I can fully sight read, but absolutely suck with tab. I studied jazz and classical, graduated, and only ever played once at a classical guitarist, never jazz. But i do Rick every night. I primarily now play but ear or a quick tutorial if I need it quickly. Many of yours have saved my butt when prepping for a short notice gig.

[@andydinesguitar]

I can't read Standard Notation but can read Rhythmic Notation. It was one page in Total Guitar and took about 30 mins to learn! I find it really useful combined with tab and learning by ear. Started teaching during the pandemic and found that students with only a few weeks playing could easily grasp it. It helps them with the easy Rockschool grades and just a better understanding of rhythm👌

[@lawrencecarver4233]

Back on 1995 I taught myself how to read sheet music notes in 2 to 3 week's. An tab a little later.

[@russelljoplin2728]

Reading has opened up a lot of interesting, albeit difficult, books and avenues of guitar study that I wouldn't be able to access if I couldn't read. I learned to read simple melodies when I was a young guitar player and having just a bit of that understand has helped me pick the guitar back up more easily. I learn and play lots of things by ear and tab but I think the fifteen minutes per day I spend reading is time well invested.

[@arabianseagull]

Exactly! so very true and as said "its very important to read music" it can help to being in very unexpected moments in life to make a living and otherwise also. thanks for the advice JustinGuitar.

[@MrDavis-oz6uw]

I was fascinated with the story and forgot why you brought it up in the first place.

[@J101191514]

After starting to learn to read guitar music notation late in life I agree with you Justin. The progress is just too slow to be worth it and the same time could be used in learning the fretboard, rhythm notation and learning favourite songs by ear. . Being able to sight read must give you a lot of satisfaction but if it's not coming easily, the big question must be asked: What do i need it for? Just for the satisfying feeling that I can do something hard or can it be of any actual use? Thanks for the advice. I think I'll change my direction!

[@peterscarfesguitarchannel2029]

I learnt for the first 13 years reading Tab and playing from memory as this is whats needed to play in bands and solo singing and playing sets.Then i scrapped it all because i wanted to play more solo Classical stuff.I read Music for the Classical Guitar and couldn't do it any other way,and Classical Guitar Books are mainly in Notation when you buy them with some being an inch thick so memorising that isn't doable.I play Rock and Blues By Tab and Memory but i wouldn't even consider the Classical Guitar with Tab,also i love the Notation Reading Process.I think it depends on your goals.

[@quailstudios]

You are spot on Justin. I love to hear your approach and perspective about the musical journey.

[@stevethomson7194]

Hey, love the lesson’s, the “leaf” lesson changed my outlook so much, one thing you didn’t mention about learning to read music, for a left hander tab always confuses me, but reading music makes no difference which hand you’re using, thank you Justin

[@williamburke6870]

I am an old lefty newbie and I’m trying to look at it like learning tab is my version of learning music theory. Reading tab backwards or upside down or whatever happens is just what hast to happen for me to keep going. So right or wrong, that’s the direction I’m headed.🤓

[@OneHarp]

Great video! I never learned to read sheet music, but my early formal training as a wannabe rock drummer definitely allowed me to sight-read rhythm from traditional notation. That has been a HUGE help learning other instruments (like guitar). Learning to read tab, knowing the fretboard, and knowing how to read rhythm seems like a pretty good approach for most folks.

[@ronniedaruvala5834]

I think I'm going to order your Rhythm Reading book to add to my "Justin shelf". Many thanks Justin.

[@johnradin1273]

Thanks for a great insight Justin. I think your points are really important and that it puts many things in context. Music is so akin to languages that it's fair to say that a good story teller doesn't necessarily need to be able to read the words on a page. Reading is a useful skill in language learning (just as grammar is useful) and it can give the learner more confidence once acquired. But, speaking comes before reading and grammar in the same way that playing should come ahead of learning notation and music theory. If all of them can be learned so much the better but the essence of speaking is to speak and the essence of playing music is to play. 🎶

[@christopherenge4934]

I've made a couple of forays in learning to read standard notation for guitar. One thing I tried was taking the hymns we sing at church and try to play them on the guitar. My thinking is that these would be extremely familiar songs. In our hymnbook, usually there are two notes in the treble clef, the high note being the melody. The hardest thing I found was that as a guitar player I tend to think in root notes, with the lowest note being the root, but the lowest note in this case is harmony. It's almost like starting from scratch mentally, and that's just playing two notes at a time.

[@DoodleBugLisa]

Justin, I so agree that we need to know the notes on the fretboard. I was so frustrated the other day, I think with you because you called the G on the low E string the third fret of the fat string. I said it was too much language for me, that that direction just kept bouncing back-and-forth in my head when I was trying to figure out a tune you were teaching. Well, as much as I hate excuses, I have dyslexia, and I’m 62. For me, using one of those beginner books that teaches simple sight reading has been very helpful. The other thing that has been very helpful for me, which is probably very basic for everybody else, is to remember, there’s only one G on each string between frets one and 12. Well except those also very frustrating sharps and flats. I suppose what I’m saying supports the importance of ear training. But still most tab it’s so damn tiny, I’ve decided to go get a few in person lessons, then go back to learning on KZbin. That’s because I have to surrender to and except that dyslexia is a learning disability. I hate that I have to admit to having learning weakness. I hate having an uncool issue. I mean only weaklings Surrender. But I love the guitar so much, and I love making music so much, that I’m gonna pay all that money I can’t afford To have someone show me how to overcome. The teacher said we can do it in a month, four lessons. I mean shoot, if Jimi Hendrix could overcome all he had to being left-handed, I should be able to overcome seeing things turned around. I love your videos and I can’t wait until I can get back to them!

[@RonBruce]

Learning to play by ear have more cons mentioned in this video. For example, developing a good ear takes time the same way reading does because of note accuracy, figuring out chords, and committing to memory. And learning without reading means playing tons of chords to pop song and that gets boring after a while. And if you want to play chord melody, then you have to rely on tab and ear, and that can also take time. If you can read music you don’t ever have to rely on figuring out anything and it lessens the time it takes to learn a song. Even if it’s from a KZbin video. Which in my opinion is frustrating. If you can read you can play the song instantly. Chord melody and playing becomes more fun because you can play anything, anytime. Pop up a jam track to a real book full of thousands of music…I think is more interesting than playing 4 chords of 100s of pop songs that sounds the same in the long term.

[@TheBluzeman]

I learned the treble clef as "Every Good Boy Does Fine".

[@JTPMcC]

I played Keyboard well before I played guitar and I agree with Justin it’s easy to find E on a keyboard but more difficult to find it on a guitar because there are more E notes. I can read music ok but with persistence and lots of patience I’m getting better at finding melody notes on guitar. I think also (on guitar anyway) it depends on which key the song is in and which scale is used major or minor.

[@user-iamRobinV68]

Yes! Justin! Love hearing your stories! ❤️

[@philmorbey1827]

I totally agree I learnt guitar to a reasonable level by learning chords. I started with similar way with single note stuff and almost gave up because it was't what interested me. Then I found found some books with chord progressions which I could do by listening to the original and fitting the changes by ear. . I find even now when someone says use this strumming pattern to a song I learnt back then my interpretation is similar but not always the same but mine always sounded good to my ear and makes sense. This carried me so far that I neglected single note stuff for years. I was able to play and jam along with a really solid knowledge of chords and knowing the top two strings to find the roots for barrels and power chords. I am going back now to add more complex single note stuff, to the repetoir because I want to not because a book said so. For me guitar is a hobby not my job so it has to be about enjoying it and playing things or what is the point. I know I will never be in a band or use it to make money.

[@StuartTufft]

I understand what you mean about this type of video being polarising, but I think you will find many people benefit from this. We never know where life will lead, so it's always nice to hear some anecdotal wisdom. Like many other people have said, you seem like a lovely guy, and it's nice to listen to you just have a chat. I can't thank you enough for all of your work. P.s I'm definitely looking to buy your music theory course so I can play around the fretboard!

[@glen7999]

Early teens I learned to read music and play simple songs. Got bored with it and put the guitar down. 50 years later, now retired and learning to play again but with chords and your lessons. Still can read somewhat. But at least I'm having fun, just wish I was progressing a little faster.

[@DG-mv6zw]

Hi Justin. Fascinating story. Your resolve to study music shows great strength of character - as does your enthusiasm to teach others. I have nothing but admiration. 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@A65Bill]

Music lessons would have been great but like most of us back in Liverpool 1960s I learned to play by ear. Chords and rhythms but left lead guitar to others. Still find some "official " chord arrangements different from what I hear and play. Thanks Justin

[@99ddude]

How about using interval numbers instead of letters? You always know where you are in the scale and it's easier to go backward and forward using numbers. as long as you maintain the half step between 3 and 4 and 7 and 8 you're golden. The relationship of patterns quickly becomes apparent. just wondering.

[@paulskinner8985]

Hey Justin…your an Aussie, never new you lived in tassie. Love your lessons and how your channel has evolved, your a great teacher and personable to boot. Greetings from Perth W.A. Paul.

[@Randorita]

I learned to read music when playing trumpet from age 11 to 18, but transferring that to guitar is a nightmare I will avoid. However, I keep promising myself I will learn the notes on the fretboard. Tabs give me a little problem, because they seem to be upside down from the chords I have been using for years. I am retired now, so I should have more time to play, if I would stop playing computer games so much! After over 50 years, off and on, of playing guitar, I should be better than I am. But, I have fun playing songs I enjoy!

[@ericdyrhaug9587]

Thanks Justin!!!!! Please do more "ramble" videos! You are amazing at what you do and listening to you talk about your experiences and opinions about guitar is a better and more fun use of my time than 99% of other content on this website.

[@rockykoast7065]

I went to piano lessons for maybe a couple of years or so & learned to read music but I was never any good at sight reading...learnt next to nothing about playing by ear but managed to more or less pick up Bonnie & Clyde, partly from a friend of my older brother ( he could play absolutely anything by ear after 1 or 2 listen throughs!) A few years ago I got myself a ukulele..never had any formal lessons; just what I could find on KZbin, made quite good progress & learned a few songs ( discovered I have a crap memory for lyrics! :|). Trying to learn guitar the same way but I'm also fighting a neuropathy which makes it hard to keep my hands working ( pushing my wheelchair or hanging onto a pair of walking sticks saps some of the remaining strength in my hands..) but still have a bit of drive to learn something!! We all learn differently I think, so its important to go with what works!

[@seanmcmanamon3773]

Great video. I am debating this with learning for Irish Tenor Guitar where I would primarily be playing the melody as opposed to chords.

[@elmiguel6725]

Thank you, Justin, this was enlightening to say the least. I am older and although I would love to be able to "read", at this point I think it would be a waste of time. I wholeheartedly agree with your approach.

[@melonhusk-kt5ys]

i had to learn braille music along with normal braille it's not easy the repeat symbols OMG the in-accord symbols counting the beats adding them up just to make one chord i'd think sight reading would be pretty easy to learn do it because PPL will be amazed i've sat in on students playing classical guitar and they sight read

[@sweetnsourchick1761]

Justin is causing me to sin! I'M COVETING THAT GUITAR!!!!! That thing is beautiful! Aside from that, a great lesson, as usual. Wonderful advice. 👍

[@rajvirsingh5754]

Justin thanks for sharing that story we all love these casual talk type lessons And I guess I'll have to learn to read cause I'm getting into jazz I'll take it slowly at my own pace

[@VitalBigras]

I am learning to read rhythm is now my goal

[@RoadsterRock]

a great video, thanks. it was reassuring to me to see like minded views as myself, as I am also a guitar tutor. I always make sure that reading rhythms is one of the first things I do. I also think there's a lot of snobbery about tab at times, people think it's a very poor imitation to notation, but as I always say, you have to use your ears to put those notes together, and in a world where it is so easy to get someone to show you what to do, ear training is somewhat over looked! I always try and find songs that there aren't any tabs or videos for, which forces the student to use their ears to workout progressions/ solos. I always recommend my students to your lessons/videos, as I can rest assured they are getting some great info/insight, and there are some very poor teachers out there! many thanks.

[@rolandhoward7905]

I am still pretty basic at guitar, but learning to sight read via bouree, pachelbels canon, and whichever of bachs preludes it is I have printed is a great journey (in addition to Justin’s ear trainer app and finger gym)

[@philhitchings]

My better half plays classical flute and reads music fluently, but when she looks at by pages of TAB she shrugs and says it's just another language to learn, neither method is easy and both take effort. However, the effort is worth it whichever method you use to read/play.

[@michaelread4580]

Very informative, and good guide. Thanks for the help and direction.

[@rockykoast7065]

I think I would have made more progress learning piano if I'd learned more how to play by ear & more contemporary music! What had motivated me to learn was my dad bashing out "In the mood" on our old piano! That was terrific!- seemed the whole house shook with the beat ..My piano lessons were classical piano. I enjoy classical music but it was and is a slog for me to learn.. Eventually I bought some of David Carr's boogie woogie books which remotivated me for a while... 👍😁

[@stoyanovasparuh4990]

very informative! Thanks again for your efforts!

[@Mars_Fortune_Music]

I love how you told your story. I can relate 🙂

[@gunsofsteele]

Segovia's book just shot up in value 10000 % ! Thanks a bunch Justin. 🤣🤣🤣

[@COMB0RICO]

I agree with you 100%. Thank you from TExas!

[@COMB0RICO]

You know, I did just have a thought, though. Without audio recordings, the only way to learn a song was to be able to sight read.

[@mammoth123.]

FACE...EGBDF I learned that in 1969 had 3 years private lessons and 2 years in high school music theory class. That was Mel Bay lessons I did exactly what you said eee fff ggg went through all strings and up to position two. Then some cords. Went through book 4. Then some Jazz, Finger picking...etc.

[@gazesalso645]

I started learning classical because I (naively) thought that if I could play classical I could play anything. Learning to read music, which is required for classical, isn't easy and, even after 2 years, pieces in higher positions take longer to work out. Also, not being able to jam or play by ear or even just strum I feel I have big gaps in my guitar skills. That said, I don't regret taking the time starting with classical and learning to read. Transitioning to flamenco hasn't been as tough as it might otherwise have been and I reckon it'll be the same with other fingerstyle genres. Also, being able to sight read is quite a satisfying skill to have. Standard notation is also pretty compact and personally I find it much more efficient compared to watching KZbin videos where explanations revolve around strange sounding chord names or, worse, put this finger on this string on this fret. I guess though, at the end of the day, a lot depends on the type of music you're going to be playing and if you're going to play more than one instrument.

[@RockinJohnnyaitken]

Thanks for your advice, I have mastered the first n sixth string but still need to work out the others

[@droussel7359]

I learned to read music when I was studying cello as a kid, but never got fluent reading it for guitar. I do vastly prefer tabs IF it also includes the rhythm along with it which is unfortunately often missing from tabs.

[@johnbuttrey953]

Very good logic. Well said.