Can you learn piano without reading music? The Benefits and downsides
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- Опубликовано: 8 апр 2020
- PDF worksheets available 👉 www.pianofs.com/downloads
(All 12 Major Scales, All 12 Minor Scales, Chords of the Key, How To Build Common Chords + More)
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THE READING BOOKS I MENTION YOU MAY WANT TO CHECK OUT
John Kember Piano Sight reading vol 1
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Alfred's Basic Adult Piano Course
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OTHER USEFUL BEGINNER PIANO LESSONS YOU SHOULD WATCH
IN DEPTH overview of what beginners should be working on to grow
'How to Play Piano for Beginners' (The one I mention in the video)
• A beginner's guide to ...
'Beginner piano exercises that SOUND GOOD'
• 4 Fun Beginner Piano E...
OTHER VIDEOS I MENTIONED
Classical improvisation (Nahre Sol) bit.ly/34mEbl2
Music as a language (Victor Wooten) bit.ly/3aXEvZR
VIDEO DESCRIPTION - Benefits of reading music - Should I learn to read music to play Piano? Reading Sheet music vs playing by ear and what you can get from both. When do you need to read sheet music to play piano and how playing piano by ear can sometimes be best, even for beginners.
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Thanks For Watching!! 
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![Is Reading Music Worth Your Effort? [Story Time!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/oMVu9NoCYxQ/mqdefault.jpg)
"lot's of musicians that dont read"
*proceeds to show a picture of stevie wonder*
-me *dies*
dont know if it was meant at a joke in the video, but it got me
Lmaoo
me too... I was like, "I wonder why?" hahaha...
And Stevie is an absolute living legend.
Great point well made.
I'm 48. When music lessons started at school, we were being taught sheet music with a recorder. I hated it. There was no fun in it for me.
My mum bought me a keyboard and i quickly learned to 'play' some of my favourite rock and pop songs by ear. That was where the fun was and I now understand is simply my learning style.
I used to write down the note letters to help me memorise.
I stopped playing when i was 12 or so. My keyboard broke.
Skip forward to now, someone told me "You're never too old to start again."
I've watched a couple of your videos and I'm surprised by how much theory I had been learning myself as a kid.
I respect and love listening to classical music, just as much as I love the Beatles, Floyd & many alternative 90s bands.
The difference is that I can bash out a few chords and melodies without any stress and enjoy myself.
I only plan on playing to have fun and today I was watching another RUclipsr who taught me to play a rendition of Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen, the sensation of my emotions coming back from the depths of depression and grief cannot be expressed well with words.
My arm hairs stood on end, I felt something other than despair for the first time since my daughter died 2 years ago.
I love the way you showed respect to however someone wants to learn.
Music is both universal and deeply personal.
Thank you for putting all this content out there. I'm going on a new journey and will be following you and the other guy.
If only my school would've made space for learners like me, who knows what direction my life would've taken.
Everyone should be encouraged to 'play' music. If we're blessed enough to have ears to hear (I know Beethoven was an exceptional) then nobody has the right to shut them out of learning or feeling 'not good enough' because they can't read music.
I couldn't believe how many of my favourite musicians can't read music.
Keep up the great work and thank you for the encouragement to find some solace in my pain.
Very interesting video.
I'm in a somewhat unique situation, as with many others like me. I'm near sighted, and I CANNOT see the music on the page. I have to memorize on hand at a time well enough to play it in order to put the two together.
I learned all the key signatures pretty early. After memorizing single line music and some choir music, I picked up on classical stuff.
By the time I got to university, I did not know nor fully understand:
scales, and how they worked,
chords, and how they worked,
sight reading, music dictation, playing by ear, in all just BASIC stuff. All I could do memorize what was on the page!! It took a LOOONG time to learn pieces!!
Now with eyes getting poorer, I am teaching myself how to read in Braille. I still have to memorize but I think it will be different as I am using my stronger sense of touch over the weaker sense of sight.
Many piano teachers are iffy about taking a nearly blind student, so everything is pretty much self taught, with guidance here and there.
Finding music for practice in Braille is hard too. The print to Braille music translation software is thousands of dollars!! Any music I want, I have have to Braille it myself, again this takes along time!!
I feel is easy to learn by ear than reading... if makes sense 😋... I’m a beginner and the sheet sometimes looks like something from another planet lol!
Yes it's like a new language when you first start reading, but with consistency, you begin to get your eye in
That's because you are musical, and the pieces you try to learn are not difficult. When the music becomes too complex, it's impossible to pick up all the layers by ear, at that point sheet notations are like cheat sheets.
total opposite to me
Ifeel u 😆😆iexperienced it too
@@junxu4438 just play chopin nocturne op 9 no 2 smoothly without using sheets but it took long tho like about a month.. idk if thats good?
I am around 5 years into playing piano, solely from learning by ear or by RUclips synthesia videos.
I have learned songs like Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 9 N. 2 and Rachmaninoff’s Prelude In C Sharp Minor Op. 3 N. 2 easily without ever having taken lessons, learning scales, or learning to read sheet music.
With that being said, I wish I had started out with lessons, scales, and sheet music from the beginning. Everything would be so much easier to learn, simple things like arpeggios wouldn’t be as scary, and my technique would certainly be better in all ways.
I don’t really have a point, but maybe I can be a helpful example to those on the edge.
At the very least, learn to read sheet music from day one, because it will make learning and maintaining your pieces so much easier than any other method.
Yes
Not everyone can learn to read music. Some can't. However, there are many who can play piano or other instruments intrinsically, or by ear.
Yes, it would be nice and beneficial to learn to read music, but there are many people who have made careers in music without ever being able to read a note.
Not saying that is the best way... just that there are some, maybe more than you think, that play and work in music without being able to read a note.
I really appreciate your lessons. Thank you for all the time you have dedicated to this. Piano has always been on my bucket list. I am starting now at 73 years old with the “learn like you will live forever” attitude. Fortunately I have played acoustic guitar since youth and play regularly. My goal is simply to play accompaniments to my favorite songs. I already can do this with guitar reasonably well. My current path is learning piano chords. I practice by playing chords along to songs I know on my playlist. Slowly but slowly it goes, but it is going. Thanks man
Wow I loved your in depth explanation. I'm encouraged - I learned how to "read" and played in a school band for 5 years but never got an intuitive or fun sense of music. Looking to learn melodica after many years away from music and learning here!
I think some of my goals are learning to read music (and playing it), but to also learn enough about music theory in general to learn how play some of my favorite songs by ear
Awesome, well I hope the channel helps you get where you want. How long have you been playing?
I think the problem with classical music education is that it often relies too much on learning to play from sheet. The problem with this approach is that it makes people more "instrument playing machines" rather than musicians. My sister, for instance, can play piano pretty well but only by reading. She does not understand theory at all and is not able to improvise. Why? Because all she has ever done with a piano is play like a machine by reading sheet. To me it seems like the most useless music-related skill, when it comes to enjoying and understanding the music you are playing.
A musician reliant on sheet music is like a chef reliant on recipes. That is, not a true musician (or a true chef) at all.
Thanks for this video❤️...my dad said it's also a gift to music when you learn most in hearing than reading cause I can detect bad and good tunes but my mom encouraged me to continue learning notes.
Ive been playing piano for about a month . Ive been playing guitar for years so it was easy for me to understand the keyboard and chords. Im having a blast playing the piano i just learn the chords to songs i want to learn. You can get the basic structure of a song from the guitar chords which are all over the internet. Ive also been doing alot of improvising, just playing around learning to play with both hands .I havnt even thought about learning how to read sheet music. The most important thing is to have fun, and i looked into reading music and it just seems like a little much right now. I want to learn to play the piano and have fun for a few years before i think about learning to read. Thanks for this video!
I ran into a lot of problems with this when I started reading music, reckon your tips here would have been really helpful! Nice video
:)
Incredibly great advice thank you so much, have always found it challenging and a bit boring to learn to read music and simply li resting and fun to play a song by ear and just enjoy the process of playing along.
I know a pianist who when you remove the music is absolutely lost and can’t play anything. I can read slowly but have found that learning the language of music such as harmony and melody has been the best thing I did.
Great advice. I'm only a few weeks into learning. I feel the best way is to learn is 80% on learning basic chords and how they work together. 20% on reading. A separate lesson for theory if wanted. Love your tutorials, much appreciated
I'm a drummer originally. reading drum tabs is quite easy. I decided to buy a bass and realized I needed to learn to read notes, scales, chords and some theory. Why? Because that's how I am. I need to understand the "why" as well as the "how". Some folks don't need the "why" they are totally cool with "how" and they take it from there. I believe it depends on the person. I think music theory/notation is fascinating. There is so much symmetry between music/nature. Further I found I was having difficulty picking "it" up on a fretboard. Someone told me music is easier to understand on a keyboard. So I bought one and it's certainly true. That's how I landed here. Your vides are awesome and your teaching style is simple and easy to follow.. You make the hard stuff easier. Thanks.
WATCH NEXT - 4 Key benefits of learning scales and what they can do to help YOU IMPROVE 👉 ruclips.net/video/n-Mj1rnOZrM/видео.html
This was really encouraging. I always struggled with sight reading because I naturally want to learn things by ear. So I would get frustrated with myself everytime I stopped looking at the sheet and worked things out myself because I so desperately wanted to be able to actually SIGHT read. But watching this made me realise that maybe that's just not the right route for me, at least at the moment... and I should focus on training my ears even more because that's what I do best! I look forward to seeing you do a video on chord progressions because this is something I'd like to learn more about! Thanks so much for doing these!
I am learning to read music and I am progressing but I want to be able to play by ear which seems impossible to me.
@@thekingsson1757 that's great that you're progressing with it! I find that listening really intently to music has helped train my ear more... There is a video on this channel about intervals that really helps too... I hope you get better with your ear training! It's a great skill to have, but go with what naturally suits you of course!
@@AyeshaShaSha thanks I will take your advice, I can relate to the notes I think because of high school and college typing courses. It just seems more fun to be able to listen and play.
@@thekingsson1757 it is fun, but I also think it's fun the other way round! Basically, just have fun with music in your own way!
Music is much appreciated by listening..
Music theory / learning from the score is the best way for me!!! 😊
I can read some music, had about 3 years of classical training from the age of 10-12. In my forties now and trying to get back into it. Acquired a 49 Key Roland keytar and for many years I thought I had made a terrible mistake. You have inspired me to pick the thing up again and maybe try to learn chords & maybe try my hand at the Blues. I do think being able to read music is essential for classical proficiency though. Thank you
Thank you!!!
I am a pianist that doesnt even know where middle C is on a piano, but I have just looked at what people are playing when they play a song, and from that alone, I have learned to play some Rondo Alla Turca, La Campanella, and a bit of Winter Wind Etude. I've gotten to the part where the first about 20 measures plays again, but slightly different, so I can do more than the first very easy bit
Middle C is in the middle of the piano
I have just started learning piano by reading. I started playing piano when I was young but not reading music sheet which made me limited and not playing accurately. So now that I am old 😅 i decided to learn reading.
So I got a question of sorts. So I’m a violinist and I’ve been brought up as the typical “classical” musician; reading and decoding sheet music. However, I’ve also taken up guitar and piano and I started to realize, there’s so much more to music beyond this sheet of paper, but I don’t know the first thing there is to approaching that language without sheet music. I’ve been playing for about 10 years or so and I know improvising and playing without papered music involves a lot of theory and a fundamental understanding of scales, harmony, chords, modes and so on. But it’s a lot to take on, coming from the fact that I’ve been majority self taught and I do actively teach as well. I’ve met plenty of instructors who I’ve asked to show me the art of improvisation and never found much success from them. I do understand a lot about chords, keys, scales and general theory but I don’t know how to connect them all to the art of writing and improv... So musician to musician, what would you advise to someone like me who’s got general theory down but looking to go beyond that? I hope this kind of makes sense, thank you for taking the time!!
I came from guitar, so the transition for chords and all I understood once the notes were easily layed out in front of me
You can really hit the ground running playing chords in C on piano, and I honestly think it is what is a great way to start. Learn some other chords for songs in other keys, and then start incorporating sheet music.
It is the scales, arpeggios, and interval learning that really helps to play sheet music faster
Thxs friend your the best
Thank you my friend I plan to follow your videos hopefully let you know the progress I'm making
It seems to me that if you are trying to teach yourself piano from online resources, learning to read at least basic symbols can be very beneficial, cause then you won't have to limit yourself to videos & channels that don't significantly use notation to explain useful concepts. Practicing sight reading for a few minutes is also one way to add variety to your practice routine when you're getting bored or feeling stagnant.
I play the piano and I can read but it takes me a while to learn the whole song. I am now trying to improve my reading a little bit and also listening to music and pick things out of it like the key it is in and some of the notes and chords in it. Thank you for this video, I have been really curious about this topic.
Great stuff. Those elements you're working all start coming together at some point and really help you make strides. Good luck with your progress
@@PianoFromScratch thanks
Nice video. I have been playing for about 4 years, and I have been in a rut. I memorise all of my songs and I have learnt them from RUclips and not used sheet music. But I do for some reason feel as though I need to learn sheet music for piano to call my self an actual 'pianist'. I can play rock and jazz and I do play classical too. But when I play Clair de lune for example I feel like I need to play it with sheet music. But like ur analogy, for me, it's just like doing a code breaker. And that's how I see it. And it's just mind numbing trying to learn sheet music in my opinion as it takes so long.
Great video 👍 from a beginner
I was slowly working my way through the Alfred's book, before discovering your channel. I was enjoying it (sort of), but the material and techniques were frankly, quite dull. I would often forget what I'd been working on recently and my only motivation seemed to be to get through the book, instead of actually making and learning about music! Your approach seems much more sensible. Your lessons are challenging but easy to follow and most importantly, more motivational and memorable. I particularly like the improvisational aspects, which help me understand things and listen to things much better. These were very lacking in the book. The lessons on scales and theory also appeal to the more nerdy, control-freak parts of my character! Keep up the good work 😊👍
Yea i think books are really useful for some aspects of learning, but inherently they will always be lacking in other areas. And yes i love the nerdy stuff too!
I couldnt be without my learning of theory and playing from a score... sight reading skills etc... i can approach any piece within my ability level and learn from the score... my repetiore pieces are eventually stored to memory...
I love your explanation and way of teaching. Just wondering if you have or will do a series of reading the sheets as well? Thanks
I love the way you teach that's why I wish you can have a series of reading sheets tutorial from scratch too. Thanks
Or would you recommend one YT channel that teaches well on reading music sheet like yourself by using ear. I am starting to learn by watching to learn from your earliest video, one by one and for each and everyone. I agree and love your way of learning but I wish to learn reading sheets too.
Hi, I have some plans to add some reading content this year 🎹🙂
@@PianoFromScratch Great and thanks in advance. Can't wait to watch and learn it
I learned how to read sheet music from the very beginning of my journey 3 years ago... with the inclusion of theory - started with ABRSM grade 1 and now on the grade 4... this has added huge benefit to my understanding of music...
I learnt to read music but playing in a group on stage its better to just understand the theory and have a good ear
I really struggle with sight reading!!!! The bass cleft is the trouble
You're not alone, takes lots of experience. Practice your reading as often/frequently as you can and you will see progress, that's the key. Make sure that if you're 'sight' reading that it's at a reasonable, achievable level. Perhaps do some extra work on the Bass clef alone if that feels harder to help it catch up to the treble
30 yr guitarist, drummer. Can't read music, I lose my timing. I learn by ear and can play a piece in a few minutes. I've tried to learn music, and just fail over and over, I'm very slow and seems forced, but when by ear I'm quick and seems very fluid.
I've quit trying to read what I need to play into just playing what I feel I need to.
Not sure if this makes sense. 🤔
I only play Piano by I ear or freestyle Since I was born in this world, I once tried reading sheet music because mum said it would be better if Ii could read it but it just stressed me and also made my playing Extremely worse for months until I decided to quit so since then I never learned how to read sheet music.... btw I never learned anything about music theory.....
I’ve been playing piano for 4 years, and I’ve just finished learning interstellar, I don’t understand sheet music at all or even read it
I use a Fake Book . I played the electric organ as a kid & the chords are coming back to me even though it was decades ago. Also,my eyes aren't that great so it's difficult to read notes..
My nephew is 11 and plays guitar by ear
that stevie must be a pun :P
Idk how to read and I play level 10 completely ear
Just began to Play the Keys again, I felt like Learning Music by Ear is Better than Reading Music imho.
I love how one of your examples of artists that don't read music was a blind guy 😂
haha
Wats that song at 1:13
Gymnopodie no.1 by Erik Satie
how long does it take to be able to read music
That's not too easy to answer because it depends on exactly what you mean. Learning the basics of how it works well enough so you can figure out how to play something from sheet music to an intermediate kind of level doesn't take too long (remember learning what to play and actually playing it aren't the same thing). There's then more advanced things written down you will come across and keep learning as you go too. Then learning to sight read or just play something very quickly from the sheet is something that requires you to have the practical playing skills too and you will just be gradually increasing your ability to do over a long period of time. With sight reading, it's best to start very simple
I am legally blind, and I was wondering the same thing. I learned how to play guitar by just learning chords. I’m hoping I can do the same thing with the piano.
I hope you have a good life.
chris martin
Im working on synthesia lol
really ? i was thinking im the only one lol what pieces are your learning in synthesia?
Radoslav Dragnev yeah but im focus on making money right now, i can play some easy piece by Chopin and Beethoven, game music and some another bla bla too
My sister can read music and can play anything, but has no idea what she is playing. I mean no idea. If you asked her to play a F min she would have no clue. But I’m the opposite. I can’t read music, but can play all the chords and their inversions. I studied music theory and would much rather know how to build chords and have a deep understanding of music.
how can I learn to play by ear ?
There’s not one specific thing to do I can tell you, it’s a combination of lots of things. Obviously ear training, things like intervals, chords and starting with very simple things trying to work out melodies by ear... a lot. A big part is familiarity with the keyboard and understanding the basics of how music works which essentially helps you know where to find things and massively supports your ear training. This is all stuff I have been and will continue to focus on with the channel. Knowing how to analyse music a bit helps you make the most of music you learn and when you start to understand a language you can start to form your own sentences. Practice simple improvisation too and experimentation adapting things you know. It’s really difficult to explain this all fully and I will do a video on this topic to get more in depth.
Just tilt your head to one side amd bend down. Just be aware your ear and side of your face will be sore the first weeks until you buildup tolerance.
You can make money and (connections) being a session musician
Too long..could you make it Shorter ? Or make the Conclusion of it ? What are the benefits ? - - - -
i don't play an instrument really. I'd like to learn the piano, if I were, I'd want to learn how to read music. You wouldn't be able to write a piece if you couldn't read it.
There shouldn't be a " cookie cutter" approach for everyone to learn to play music as if we all have the same exact aptitudes and needs. Im primarily using Apps to learn to play piano and I will no longer mention this to my piano teacher customers. As a piano tuner I also make use of Apps and have been attacked as a "water company meter reading piano tuner." The assumption is (wrongly) that I cant hear what Im doing. As for playing piano, the assumption is (wrongly) that I cant read music and nor do I understand music theory.What did I or the water company employee do to deserve their disparagement ? I really don't mind because I get great results without making things needlessly difficult for myself. IM planning a video to demonstrate the method I use to learn to play complicated pieces without reading music.
Good point, builders use power tools to make the job more efficient when they need! Reading music is a great skill, I find it makes learning more efficient in some areas, but learning without is better suited in other areas
pp popo