Should I Bother to Learn to Read Music?

If you’re a songwriter who’s toying around with the idea of learning to read music, but you’re not sure if it’s really worth the effort, this video is for you. Standard notation can be daunting, but it does unlock a lot of capabilities that you wouldn’t otherwise have. However, modern digital technology has made some of the old uses of written music rather superfluous.

So is it really worth your time?

In this video, I’ll help you decide by going through the pros and cons. And then, if you do decide that learning to read music is the right thing for you, I’ll give you some tips on the best way to make it happen.

0:54 Learning to read
1:12 The struggle is worth it
2:40 Learning to read music is just like learning to read English
2:55 PRO: Deeper sense of knowing
3:22 PRO: Improves your musicianship
3:41 PRO: Enables better communication
4:09 PRO: Allows for clearer musical arrangements
4:28 PRO: Gives you a better understanding of rhythm
5:01 PRO: It’s good for your brain
5:31 CON: It takes time
5:49 CON: It takes effort
6:12 OTHER: Guitar is not the best instrument to learn on
7:11 OTHER: Phones can do a lot of what we used to have to notate
7:51 OTHER: So can MIDI
8:41 Tips for making the process of learning music easier

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