playing by ear

I've played with a few excellent keyboard players who couldn't read, though they were the exception. Keyboard is probably the best instrument to have when learning to read or study theory. Everything makes more sense thanks to the way the keys are laid out providing an excellent visual aid. This may be a good time for you to work on reading skills.

I'm primarly a bass player and can read though I don't use it for much other than method books and the odd song that's too complex to easily play by ear.

I just can't do it. I can't even tune up my guitar without an electronic tuner. RobJ stole those talents in the gene pool. It's tabs and chord books for me. I can tell if a notes is off, I have trouble with sharps and flats. My wife picks up on stuff pretty easy, though.

danbo wrote: It's tabs and chord books for me. I can tell if a notes is off, I have trouble with sharps and flats. My wife picks up on stuff pretty easy, though.

I assume you meant that you can't hear when a note is off? If so, I find that interesting, I know you can sing in tune and that tells me you can hear accidentals just fine or your singing would be off as well. Perhaps it's a confidence thing?

arqwave wrote: Look at eddie van halen... music is art, remember that, and sometimes the theory comes along with the empiric knowledge; you must feel the instrument, and then get to the technical side. i suggest you to learn how to read music in order to improve your playing and get a wider world at your fingertips. If you manage both worlds, you'll even improve the understanding of music and playing, good luck. In any case, enjoy your music and the moment you are having with it, is a worderful thing to play an instrument peace

I will have to disagree with you. Although Eddie, one of the greatest guitarists ever, learned to play with little in the way of formal lessons, his talent comes not simply because he 'feels the music', but instead it comes from years of practice. He also has the ability to learn; ie. Eddie can figure out a chord, derive the seventh, the major seventh, the minor, and then be able to solo from those notes. However, when he is playing, I notice most of his notes are diatonic (within the boundaries of the chord tones), and rarely forages outside his changes. If, however, he had taken formal training, he would likely be able to perform changes much more frequently. There is no question that Eddie is fast, but he simply does not have the panache of other guitarists like, say, Malmsteen. therefore my thesis is that musical theory is quite often necessary for soloing to happen.

ps. you spelled empirical wrong