Why Learn to Read Music If You Already Play by Ear? 🎵

If you’ve made it this far, chances are you’re one of those musicians who can listen to a song and start playing it without needing sheet music. That’s an amazing skill! Many of the greatest musicians in history played by ear.

So, why bother learning to read music? 🤔

The truth is, reading music is not your enemy—it’s your ally. Here’s how learning to read music can help you improve as a musician without losing your natural ear-playing ability.

1. You’ll Learn Songs Faster ⏩🎶

When you play by ear, you rely on your ability to remember or figure out notes little by little. With sheet music, you can simply look at it and play right away, without spending hours trying to guess each chord or melody.

📌 Example: Have you ever wanted to play a song but couldn’t find a good tutorial or struggled to figure it out by ear? With sheet music, everything is clear from the start.

2. You’ll Be Able to Play Any Style and Explore More Music 🌎🎼

If you only play by ear, you might be limited to familiar genres. Reading music opens doors to many more musical styles, from jazz to classical music and even film scores.

📌 Example: Imagine you’re invited to play with a group of musicians, and they hand you a sheet of music. If you can read it, you can join in right away without having to memorize everything first.

3. It Will Improve Your Technique and Accuracy 🎯

Playing by ear is great, but reading music helps you develop better precision in rhythm, notes, and musical expression. You’ll also discover details in the score that you may have overlooked when just listening.

📌 Example: Many ear-trained musicians can play a song well, but sometimes they don’t follow the exact rhythm or miss small variations that are written in the sheet music.

4. It Makes Composing and Arranging Easier ✍️🎶

If you ever want to write your own music or create arrangements, knowing how to read and write sheet music will allow you to document your ideas without relying on recordings or tablatures.

📌 Example: Imagine you compose an incredible song and want to share it with other musicians. If you can write it down, anyone will be able to play it without you having to teach them personally.

5. It Opens More Opportunities as a Musician 🚀

If you dream of playing in orchestras, recording in studios, or working with professional musicians, reading music is an essential skill.

📌 Example: Many session musicians receive sheet music in recording studios and must play it without prior rehearsal. If you can read music, you’ll be able to adapt to more situations and gain more opportunities.

📝 Practical Exercise: Your First Connection with Sheet Music 🎼👀

We’ll use the classic “Hey Jude” by The Beatles to start reading music in a simple and practical way.

Steps:

1️⃣ Look at this sheet music of the “Hey Jude” melody (click on it to enlarge).

2️⃣ Listen to or sing the song while following the sheet music with your eyes, without playing—just observing how the notes go up and down.

3️⃣ Identify the phrases and rhythm: Can you notice how long and short notes are represented on the sheet?

This exercise will help you connect what you hear with what you see in the sheet music, making reading music feel natural. 🎶✨

Conclusion: Your Ear and Sheet Music Can Work Together 🎶🤝

Learning to read music doesn’t mean you have to stop playing by ear. On the contrary, combining both skills will make you a more complete and versatile musician.

In the next post, we’ll start with the first steps to reading sheet music easily. See you soon! 🎵✨