Author: Steve Epstein
Date: 2005-12-23 07:39
What Tom Puwalski says is absolutely correct, and is the same sort of advice you'd get from any truly accomplished player of any type of traditional music, on any instrument, but...
Maybe Connie is looking for something in between sitting at home and reading out of book, versus sitting with a pianist, etc, and "doing a respectable job to the music".
Many of those who play well by ear underestimate the difficulty of learning how to play by ear, as those who read really well can't believe that everyone can't be a great sightreader, and many of those who can do both believe that everyone can do both. Maybe Connie would like to be able to play some klezmer today, as opposed to five years from now after extensive ear learning from old 78's (okay, new CD's, too). Maybe Connie has a day job. Klezmer isn't exactly the easiest music to learn by ear, either, what with its unusual to western ears modes.
It's still possible to play with other people and be reading. You just can't expect to make a hit record or get serious gigs. And if Connie does try to play in a band, she'll see that even if she reads, she'll need to get away from the page and need to listen to recordings to learn what and how to play away from the page. So some ear learning will still occur, as much as Connie wants and is capable of.
Would you advise someone who wished to play classical music but whose sightreading and/or technique was not up to snuff, not at the level of a pro, not to bother?
Steve Epstein
Post Edited (2005-12-23 07:47)
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The Ethnic Clarinet
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