If we can't read music are we musicians??

j.g. · December 06, 2010, 02:57:03 PM

I had a bit of a heated discussion with someone recently,and my blood is still boiling from it.
They said if we can't read music, we aren't musicians - do you agree??
My view is that I know some people who can read music but the music they produce is of a lesser standard than many a good player who can't read.
For example - Manitas de Plata a Spanish Flemenco player, who can't even read or write - now he is a musician - search for him on Youtube, even playing now well into his 80's.

FuzzFace · December 06, 2010, 02:57:57 PM

There is such a thing as a natural in any field.

The theory was invented to explain what these people are doing.

Gritter · December 06, 2010, 03:00:02 PM

Poppy Cock! That someone is full of shit!

A lot of great cooks/chefs don't read cookbooks. The proof is in the resulting food/song.

Bluesberry · December 06, 2010, 03:08:24 PM

Reading music and playing music are two completely different things. Its like reading a book or speaking. If you can't read are you still a speaker when you speak. You can speak words even if you can't read them. I say the musician is the dude who plays/makes music.

64Guitars · December 06, 2010, 03:15:19 PM

Music doesn't originate from a page. It originates from inside a person. The page is just a storage medium for sharing the music so that others can learn it. But it's by no means the only method of learning a piece of music. Many musicians do just fine learning music by listening to it and playing by ear. It's the end result that makes you a musician; not the method you use to learn a song.

Ferryman · December 06, 2010, 03:18:12 PM

Musical notation was invented so that the music created by real artists could be played by lesser mortals.

Just get your "friend" to check out any of the definitions of musician - reading music does not come into it. This is the most popular on the web "One who composes, conducts, or performs music, especially instrumental music." You don't have to be able to read music to compose it or perform it.

Cheers,

Nigel