some think he doesn't read music. It is obvious he does "play by ear" and is not trained in "musical theory", I do believe he can read sheet music, but that playing by ear is how he works best. If course, this is just my opinion, based on comments to me from people he has worked with.

I agree. I've heard people say he can't read, but I have a hard time believing it. How could he have been in high school band without knowing how to read music? I guess he could have just picked up what the people around him were doing, but they would have taught him to read in band anyway. Even if he didn't learn in high school, I would think that a man who is so musical would learn eventually, and pick it up very quickly.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge...

FruitToAttractBears said:

ROFL

I always used:

FACE-G

and

very good dog deserves fun

Isn't prince reading his fathers sheet music in Purple Rain? And playing with notes on his computer screen in the beginning of Graffiti Bridge?

txladykat said:

That's a good one.

Another one I used... "Put a FACE in the space!"

Just saying that takes me back to 1st grade. XD

Tom said:

uhh, those were movies. - The man can't read music but he can play the hell out of it! He's a genius ain't ya heard?

joseph8 said:

BUT...how can you write music if you can't read it? Hmm? HMM?

FruitToAttractBears said:

that is easy, it is all in the ear.....I know lots of musicians who can create music, but can't read it , Prince's songbooks aren't written by him anyways....they are interpreted by others in listening to his music..hence why the songs are sometimes off

guess prince reads guitar tabs and chords like the way
C-Am-G-F what are the chords of purple rain.

after the years he may have learned to write down some chords in the way
some jazzer or classics do ? Normally those people have music teachers or they study music. Prince was self tought and didnt study.

By the way you dont need notes eaven you play jazz.You only need to know what scale to play ovber some chords and i guess Prince knows what he#s playin !

but it doesnt matter if he does. there are a couple of good musicians who cannot read notes. What they are playin is what they have in mind.

or did you ever see J.Hendrix, Steve Ray Vaughan BB King or Eric Clapton read their songs up from a letter ? guess not...

No but Hendrix said he wanted to be able to read and write music so he could compose epic numbers using string sections and hiring other musicians to play what he wanted on his records. he mentioned wanting to go to music school!

It helps in certain cases; especially if your using string sections and asking experienced musicians to play; if you could write it down or interprete it i guess that could only help?
www.rockfunk.de

joseph8 said:

BUT...how can you write music if you can't read it? Hmm? HMM?

guess prince reads guitar tabs and chords like the way
C-Am-G-F what are the chords of purple rain.

after the years he may have learned to write down some chords in the way
some jazzer or classics do ? Normally those people have music teachers or they study music. Prince was self tought and didnt study.

By the way you dont need notes eaven you play jazz.You only need to know what scale to play ovber some chords and i guess Prince knows what he#s playin !

but it doesnt matter if he does. there are a couple of good musicians who cannot read notes. What they are playin is what they have in mind.

or did you ever see J.Hendrix, Steve Ray Vaughan BB King or Eric Clapton read their songs up from a letter ? guess not...

greats by wickedsmith
www.rockfunk.de

FruitToAttractBears said:

By noodling on an instrument and singing your lyrics until you get it right.

NDRU said:

No, I mean literally WRITE. Like with a pen and paper.

wickedsmith said:

and how do you know what "scale" to play if you don't read music/notes? its all relevant.....knowing what the scales are indicates you have some knowledge of musical notations

FruitToAttractBears said:

maybe you're joking, but you can write songs without actually writing them on paper.