How did a virtual unknown musician from Minnesota that couldn't even read music become a worldwide artist? I think of that sometimes when I am listening to his music with my eyes closed. I mean, I know he knew the basic keys he was starting out in, but most of the time he would just play the songs in his head, or jam with his current band, and music just flowed out. I really do think music is a God-given talent, and P. always acknowleged this. The power of it all still gets me though.........

Seahorsie said:

How did a virtual unknown musician from Minnesota that couldn't even read music become a worldwide artist? I think of that sometimes when I am listening to his music with my eyes closed. I mean, I know he knew the basic keys he was starting out in, but most of the time he would just play the songs in his head, or jam with his current band, and music just flowed out. I really do think music is a God-given talent, and P. always acknowleged this. The power of it all still gets me though.........

How do you know he couldn't read music? Where does it say that? His father was a professional bandleader, his mother was a singer. He took music in school too. I learned how to read music in public elementary school.

poppys said:

Seahorsie said:

How did a virtual unknown musician from Minnesota that couldn't even read music become a worldwide artist? I think of that sometimes when I am listening to his music with my eyes closed. I mean, I know he knew the basic keys he was starting out in, but most of the time he would just play the songs in his head, or jam with his current band, and music just flowed out. I really do think music is a God-given talent, and P. always acknowleged this. The power of it all still gets me though.........

How do you know he couldn't read music? Where does it say that? His father was a professional bandleader, his mother was a singer. He took music in school too. I learned how to read music in public elementary school.

He acknowledged that several times. He was self-taught so he must have played by ear. But in agreement with the OP, I also wonder how he knew what notes were called "A", "B Minor", etc. How did he learn so fast that he could conduct his rehearsals like he did? Ever listen to him speaking to the band in these?

TheTruth123 said:

poppys said:

How do you know he couldn't read music? Where does it say that? His father was a professional bandleader, his mother was a singer. He took music in school too. I learned how to read music in public elementary school.

He acknowledged that several times. He was self-taught so he must have played by ear. But in agreement with the OP, I also wonder how he knew what notes were called "A", "B Minor", etc. How did he learn so fast that he could conduct his rehearsals like he did? Ever listen to him speaking to the band in these?

Thank you TheTruth123. Please provide links with context to your statement.

I could never do what Prince did. I'm not a musician, and I can read music, it's not that hard. For some reason no one that ever starts threads like this acknowledges that Prince's father was an accomplished musician, he took him to gigs, so Prince knew other musicians such as Andre's father to name just one.

People like to fantasize that Prince sprang out of the musical ethers fully realized. I don't think so. He had a musical heritage and community behind him. Maybe he didn't need to write down notes to create his music but I'm betting he could read it when he wanted to.

It's like when European archaeologists went to Mexico and decided that space aliens made Chichen Itza because they didn't think the people there were capable of it. They wrote entire books on the subject.

I always took it to mean he couldn't sit in front of a piece of music and play it by sight. I can read music, in as much as I know what all the notes and symbols mean. What I can't do is sit in front of a piano and just bash out something I've never played before just by having the sheet music there in front of me.

It's absolutely inconceivable to me that Prince couldn't point to a stave and tell you which notes go where.

poppys said:

They were highly respected at the time North. Do your own research. Hint, there was racism involved in their "theories".

But leave it to you to always try to debunk whatever I write. Do you have anything on the actual topic being discussed?

[Edited 3/8/19 7:40am]

poppys said:

TheEnglishGent said:

I always took it to mean he couldn't sit in front of a piece of music and play it by sight. I can read music, in as much as I know what all the notes and symbols mean. What I can't do is sit in front of a piano and just bash out something I've never played before just by having the sheet music there in front of me.

It's absolutely inconceivable to me that Prince couldn't point to a stave and tell you which notes go where.

I agree. When musicians play by ear several of them still know a lot about music. They can tell you what key a song is in, whether notes are major or minor, change keys to chromatic, etc. Its just the actually following a piece of sheet music to play something that they dont do.

Can anyone actually prove definitively that Prince could not read music? This is all speculation.

poppys said:

Can anyone actually prove definitively that Prince could not read music? This is all speculation.

I can't remember who was interviewing him. But they asked him and he said no. And then the interviewer asked if he would learn how, and he said no, because he influenced too many people (something to this effect)....Cant remember where this was from.

Madhouse6 said:

Yes - ask others around him and they will confirm that he would listen to a piece and then play it He also tweeted a picture of us playing blow up instruments and titled it they play by ear in reference to himself

That does not mean he couldn't READ music.

There must be/have been someone who knows that for sure - a teacher or relative.

He may not have chosen to use that to write music, I know a musician like that right now.

poppys said:

Madhouse6 said:

Yes - ask others around him and they will confirm that he would listen to a piece and then play it He also tweeted a picture of us playing blow up instruments and titled it they play by ear in reference to himself

That does not mean he couldn't READ music.

http://prince.org/msg/7/446672

[Edited 3/8/19 10:59am]

TheEnglishGent said:

I always took it to mean he couldn't sit in front of a piece of music and play it by sight. I can read music, in as much as I know what all the notes and symbols mean. What I can't do is sit in front of a piano and just bash out something I've never played before just by having the sheet music there in front of me.

It's absolutely inconceivable to me that Prince couldn't point to a stave and tell you which notes go where.

That is what I was thinking! And also I have seen him in early photos of him with sheet music in front of him..... So what are these people talking about?

KoolEaze said:

poppys said:

That does not mean he couldn't READ music.

http://prince.org/msg/7/446672

Thanks KoolEaze. He read music, but he used other methods is what I'm getting here.

Astasheiks said:

TheEnglishGent said:

I always took it to mean he couldn't sit in front of a piece of music and play it by sight. I can read music, in as much as I know what all the notes and symbols mean. What I can't do is sit in front of a piano and just bash out something I've never played before just by having the sheet music there in front of me.

It's absolutely inconceivable to me that Prince couldn't point to a stave and tell you which notes go where.

That is what I was thinking! And also I have seen him in early photos of him with sheet music in front of him..... So what are these people talking about?

I think it's that whole - he sprang outta nowhere thing. Which makes no sense.

Dude was a genius AND had musical roots - if you don't follow the magical unicorn fairies explanation for everything he accomplished. Which diminishes the fact that he came from a musical family. Louisiana is full of them, Trombone Shorty being one of the most famous right now. It's like saying Mavis Staples was born singing without any historical input.

Prince could read music, he just couldn'tg hear the music in his head as he read the notes. And you don't have to read sheet music to understand what you're playing.

Wow, you all been busy while I was away yesterday. Yes, I based my statement on that interview. I almost hate to bring this one up, but I am from the old school in the Ozarks, so this one may blow your minds. Old time front porch hillbillies many times (especially string players) the person could not read sheet music, but could read "shapenotes". A simplified verson, tells each key to play in the song as it goes along. Sorry, but I had to let you in on that.................

He took music classes in school, where he picked up a basic knowledge of chord structures, and he practiced. Then after that, he practiced some more. When he found a little more spare time, he practiced.

There is a difference between not doing something and not being able to do it.


Haven't read him saying he didn't know how, just that he didn't do it. Maybe it was a personal choice thing not a lack of ability thing.


Who wrote out all that sheet music shown in PR?

[Edited 3/8/19 18:57pm]

KoolEaze said:

poppys said:

That does not mean he couldn't READ music.

http://prince.org/msg/7/446672

[Edited 3/8/19 10:59am]

Thank you.

Seahorsie said:

How did a virtual unknown musician from Minnesota that couldn't even read music become a worldwide artist? I think of that sometimes when I am listening to his music with my eyes closed. I mean, I know he knew the basic keys he was starting out in, but most of the time he would just play the songs in his head, or jam with his current band, and music just flowed out. I really do think music is a God-given talent, and P. always acknowleged this. The power of it all still gets me though.........

You take a kid that's hungry, that starts with nothing, and hears music in everything, and you put him in front of a piano, put a guitar in his hands, a pair of drum sticks, and watch what he does. Prince once said in an interview that he heard music all the time. When you have someone that is that artistic, that in tune with their own art, they won't let anything stop them.

stole alot

benni said:

Seahorsie said:

How did a virtual unknown musician from Minnesota that couldn't even read music become a worldwide artist? I think of that sometimes when I am listening to his music with my eyes closed. I mean, I know he knew the basic keys he was starting out in, but most of the time he would just play the songs in his head, or jam with his current band, and music just flowed out. I really do think music is a God-given talent, and P. always acknowleged this. The power of it all still gets me though.........

You take a kid that's hungry, that starts with nothing, and hears music in everything, and you put him in front of a piano, put a guitar in his hands, a pair of drum sticks, and watch what he does. Prince once said in an interview that he heard music all the time. When you have someone that is that artistic, that in tune with their own art, they won't let anything stop them.

But Prince wasn't put in front of a random piano, he didn't start with nothing musically. The piano was there first. Music was in the family, in the bones. Reading music and taking it to another level are not mutually exclusive.

[Edited 3/9/19 19:28pm]

luvsexy4all said:

stole alot

troll a lot