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List of artists who can't read and write sheet music

analogue

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Can anyone on here give me a list of artists who can't read and write sheet music?

So far i've got


Michael Jackson
Paul Mccartney
Lionel Richie
 
None of The Beatles
Chaka Khan
Jimi Hendrix
B.B. King
James Brown
Aretha Franklin
 
I'm sure there are a lot of pop/rock/soul artists who can't read/write music notation. As Michael's said. It's not necessary in pop/rock/soul music.
 
Tori Amos can be added to that list.

That is all I know of off the top of my head.
 
just name all the boybands etc from the late 80s onwards lol
 
^^ God no, that list would include hundreds (maybe thousands) of names. :lol:
 
Dutchie said:
Stevie Wonder (obviously) :lol:
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OMG that was brutal. lol.
You are crazy.

Anyway, I know Michael has said that he can't write or read sheet music,but what about that classical piece that he wrote, Iowa? Maybe he learned in time?
 
I think it's because they don't know it's easy.

Michael could learn who to read and write music very quickly if he bothered to learn how.
 
those who don't need it, don't need to learn it.

it's far from essential in most pop scenarios (even Jazz) and many a time i've heard people praise their idols who are illiterate in music notation like it's an accomplishment to go so far without it. it's not.
 
music theory is a good thing to just know about so you are more aware of things in music.

it would help a musician far more (Even if they did have a good ear) to know about theory as then they could apply that to sightsinging.

however, music is a form of an expression for emotion, so seeing as having a good ear and performance skills are just as if not more important i woldn't say that knowledge of music theory is really something a performer needs.
 
The necessity for reading music depends entirely on what one wants/needs to be able to do.

Reading music at a high level generally takes years of study, particularly for piano.

Depends also on the instrument one plays; there're tabs for guitar, treble and bass clefs for piano, treble or bass clef for wind, brass and string instruments, lead sheets and chord charts for guitar or piano, full score for orchestras..... Different kinds of music reading exist.

For most genres, a lead sheet or tabs are enough. And some musicians just use their ears, and sometimes that can be enough too. Except when one has to play a song one has never heard before.

Yeah, it really depends on a lot of things....
 
To add to the list i think i heard that Chris Martin from Coldplay and read and write sheet music either
 
Well Michael's made the best music ever anyway without knowing so I'm not gonna complain about him not learning it.. :D
 
naz_mijac said:
Quincy Jones !! no it's a joke lol
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I know you were only joking, but just because I know this, I'm going to say it. :D

QJ studied music composition and theory with Nadia Boulanger and Olivier Messiaen in Paris. Although that might not mean much to anyone here other than me. :p
 
Irving Berlin. (According to Larry King, when he interviewed Mariah on his show.)
 
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