FruitToAttractBears said:

I see. Computers can create sheet music, and in the olden days people used to transcribe pop tunes so they could sell the sheet music to them.

Also, people have pointed out that that music in the beginning of the movie wasn't really the music to the songs (I think Rave Un2.. is one of the songs) but it was just a movie prop, essentially.

This is how it is:

- Whether or not being able to read music has nothing to do with the ability to play.

- Playing "by ear" and reading music are not in any way opposites (all good musicians use their ears just as much while reading as well).

- It is possible to have a good understanding of music theory without actually knowing how to read or write music.

- Whether or not being able to write sheet music has nothing to do with the ability to compose.
_ _ _

Personally, I'm a hundred percent sure that Prince can not read music.
And while we're at it: he can't play the saxophone either...
[Edited 8/14/06 13:57pm]

FruitToAttractBears said:

In GB Prince is sitting at a computer, which means he is probably using a software program like CakeWalk that notates as you play on a keyboard. Many great musicians don't read or sight read music. However, you do not need to know how to sight read or read to CREATE music. Knowing the scales and chords is all about the sound. I learned music reading first and really wished I had learned by ear. With reading, there is a tendency to get very technical at times. Whereas once you know the sounds of scales, chords, intervals, etc. the soul and passion take over and you're not worrying about the cyle of fifths or a flatted seventh.

With regard to the books, no musician writes the music in the song books. Companies like Hal Leonard publish those books and due to copyright law, they are never exact. That is why you have to LISTEN to the actual song to get the feel for the performance of the song.

RealMusician said:

I think this is the most important point. Sheet music is just another "language" to translate music into.

Not reading music doesn't mean Prince doesn't have a vast knowledge of music theory. In fact he probably knows more about theory than millions of people who can read music but don't know anything about creating it.

Prince still knows whata b flat diminished scale or an f minor 7 chord is on several instruments, he just doesn't read them on paper a staff.

Ok I guess I'll just accept the fact that none of you really understand my point.

FruitToAttractBears said:

It seems like you're assuming that Prince actually wrote the sheet music pictured in Grafitti Bridge with his own hand, but I don't think that's true.

I don't think Prince "writes" music in the way you're talking about. He writes it playing an instrument & singing.
[Edited 8/14/06 14:22pm]

NDRU said:

Actually, whether he actually wrote it or not is irrelevant. The point is, the music was written down. If he's said so many times that he can't read sheet music than WHAT WAS THE POINT of having it in the first place? If he can't read it, 1) he couldn't have written it anyway 2) even if he didn't write it himself, there's no way he could use it. I realize it's just a movie, but why would he contradict himself? He's been known to lie, so I put my money on the possibility that he CAN read sheet music, and that was just a extraneous continuity error in the movie contradicting what he's said in interviews and whatnot as others have said. But like I said, I realize it's just a movie.

FruitToAttractBears said:

I definitely wouldn't trust that movie for any real info on Prince. But your point is valid, why would he use sheet music in the movie if he doesn't in real life? Maybe it was just an easy way of showing how prolific he is, something that people can understand. Maybe showing a bunch of tapes wouldn't get the point across as clearly.

For me it's impossible to think that Prince cannot read sheet music. Is anyone seriously suggesting that he couldn't point to a note on a stave and say, that's a C, or that's a B, or whatever note it is?

A different matter is being able to sight read. By that I mean giving him an unknown piece and letting him just sit and play it straight off.

I certainly believe that the second point is what he's referring to when he says he can't read music. There's absolutely no way that he wouldn't know where to place a single note on a stave.

The words in the space spell FACE. Every Good Boy Deserves Football. That much isn't hard at all.

TheEnglishGent said:

Maybe he can, but why is there "absolutely no way" he doesn't?

Besides, knowing that & the bass clef "all cars eat gas" & "good boys do fine always" is like knowing the alphabet. It doesn't mean a person can read.

NDRU said:

Come on. Yes it does.

FruitToAttractBears said:

So time signatures, rhythmic notation, repeats, codas, dynamics, etc don't mean anything?

NDRU said:

Punctuation and grammar.

FruitToAttractBears said:

hmm...some of it, yes

But I'd say the rhythm of a note is probably pretty important to Prince.

I think ya'll are splitting hairs. I've heard him say he does not read music -- on tape in that Australian interview mentioned above and straight from the horse's mouth at the ONA soundcheck in Cleveland.

Yes, I'm sure somewhere along the way he's been shown the names of the lines and spaces and understands the notations for time signatures and keys. But, apparently, he doesn't bother with it because he doesn't feel the need to do so.

What I've heard/read about the way he works is mostly by ear -- he'll make a tape of a song, play it for the band, and they have to pick it up by ear (probably with a few instructions i.e. calling out chord changes and the like) and away he goes.

If he really needs to, he can have the notes transcribed by a service or a software program (anyone seen Drumline? Kid couldn't read, but he could play the mess out some drums) and pass the paper along.

The question isn't whether he could if he wanted to (I assume he has the capactiy to learn) or if he ever has (even basic music in public school teaches it), or if he needs to (he seems to be doing fine without it), but if he does. And the answer is "NO".

txladykat said:

I thought it was Every Good Boy Does Fine ...?

LOL... sorry if that was a bit off topic...
[Edited 8/14/06 18:23pm]

if he doesn't read music what the hell does he do instead? if you love music why not learn how to read the darn thing.

amateur said:

I'm very weak in the "music reading" however, Understanding the 3D nature of music is a beautiful thing.

However I find this argument slightly retarded. Being that he has shown in the movies Purple Rain and G-Bridge, he writes music.

I'm weak in reading and writing, but I can still do it. I don't even play or compose that much. There should be little question that Prince can do it far better then I can.

MickG said:

does 3D mean stereo?

amateur said:

No, it's a visual representation of thinking in a more then flat way.

UCantHavaDaMango said:

Is it gifted to not be able to read music?

CaptainJack said:

That is, when you are such a talented musician like P.

I dont know if he reads it or not BUT...I'm guessing he doesnt read it because of the fact in Purple Rain when he put the cassette in and listened to it he stopped it, and then started it over listening to it again and then began to play it on the piano. Seemed to me he was playing by ear. Thats how I do it.

But I could be wrong

RUHip2TheJive said:

LOL, I am sure that is the phrase teachers use...but I am self taught, so I came up with my own that works for me

it is obvious Prince has perfect pitch...which is all that really matters. That being said, what is the context of the statement he made about sheet music? Did he specifically say "I don't know HOW to read sheet music" or did he say "I don't READ sheet music"? They are two different statements with two different meanings.

I have been told by two different people that have played with him/know him well that he "knows how" to read, but that he doesn't use it. He plays by ear, he creates by ear, etc. That doesn't mean he "can't", just means more times than not "he doesn't". One band member that has toured with him told me that he was not provided with "sheet music" to learn from, he was simply provided the music and learned it by using a cd trainer.

So, all relevant things, from what I am being told, he "can" but rarely "does". Got it?

TheEnglishGent said:

Yes.

CaptainJack said:

Read reply #31

txladykat said:

No, it's not.
And no, it isn't.

you're not suppose to read music, you suppose to listen to it, silly.

NDRU said:

People who are not musicians tend to be fascinated by the language of musical notation (just like looking at Chinese writing, or whatever language you don't understand). This thread proves the point exactly...

To the uninitiated, the simplest sheet music can look very advanced, and I assume it was used in the movie to imply some kind of "genius" status...although that actually has nothing to do with it.