Need Music People's Opinion

[amyrose5]

(05-08-2012 05:34 PM)laurat99 Wrote:  He "proudly" states he doesn't read music--he plays by ear and it's never the same thing twice. It's like folks getting together playing music and improvising.

I'm not sure playing by ear or improvisation is something to be ashamed of. Many great musicians have not been formally trained. Even some composing complex music like The Beatles (who don't generally get enough credit for their musical ability...as the article I linked states, it wasn't new and different only because of the beat, volume and their haircuts). And jazz and blues music, the most distinctly American forms, have a long history of improvisation.

But I would think it would be difficult to teach others without the language of theory and composition. So that would be the issue here.

I suppose, though, that is probably for the people who go to his classes to decide. If he isn't charging for it and he isn't pretending he is going to teach music theory, it is hard to say he's doing anything wrong. On the other hand, if he's charging $150 for four hours of his non-expertise....but I don't know anyone who does that about any topic.

[Ricardo]

I have the opposite problem: I can write the vocal arrangements, I just can't play them.

I would LOVE to join a song-writing group any time!

Full mastery of the English Language is no guarantee that you can write a good story.

I have a friend who is like that. We showed him a banjo and a ukelele for the first time at a party were were at. Within 10 minutes he was playing songs on them.

Woody Guthrie wrote two and three songs per day for years and years. Most of these songs have been lost. (Most of them deserved to be lost...)

The problem is when you think you will write a symphony every other day.

[Presbygirl]

(05-08-2012 05:34 PM)laurat99 Wrote:  

(05-08-2012 04:06 PM)Presbygirl Wrote:  I'm curious, how is it known that he doesn't read music? Self proclamation?

So he's a play it by ear kinda guy? What do you mean by he "adds to whatever is going on?"

He "proudly" states he doesn't read music--he plays by ear and it's never the same thing twice. It's like folks getting together playing music and improvising.

I was thinking this might be the case.

He could teach them what he knows and that would be fun and fine for some! However, he should be careful to be truthful to his potential audience abut his real capabilities and style.