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.........

Well, the word genius comes to mind. How can it not? In addition to being a genius from a muscially-inclined family, he worked his butt off and allowed his music to help him overcome a less than ideal childhood, to put it mildly.

alandail said:

poppys said:

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

No, you can’t prove something that isn’t true.

Prince's statements during a 1978 interview with the Minneapolis Tribune:

*

"Prince – no last name, no first name, no ”the ,” just Prince – was born in south Minneapolis on June 7 1959, the son of a swing-band leader who used the stage name Roger Prince. His mother was the lead singer of the band. At the age of 7, Prince took up the piano.

“Around the time I was 8,” he said in an interview, “I had pretty good idea what the piano was all about.”

“I had one piano lesson and two guitar lessons as a kid. I was a poor student, because when a teacher would be trying to teach me how to play junky stuff I would start playing my own songs. I’d usually get ridiculed for it, but I ended up doing my own thing. I can’t read music. It hasn’t gotten in the way yet. Maybe it will later, but I doubt it.” "

*

So, we now have more than one quote/video of Prince's own words at different times in his life stating that he could not read music....

Thanks everyone for their thoughts on this topic. Really some good insights on the thread. His music will last because...

He was just simply the best total musician of his time!!!!!!!

Peace, out fam.

Knowing music theory doesn't require knowing how to site read. Just like someone who can't read English on paper can still speak and understand proper English. He obviosly understands theory.

Lot's of great musicians don't read, not because they don't have the ability to learn, they just don't bother. Most of my favorite musicians don't read. Reading doesn't affect musicianship. It's moreso good to know if you are a musician for hire. Being called on certain gigs like house bands, orchestras, and session work. But an artist doesn't need to read.

I think he once said he didn't read music, so I'll go with that.

Exoticfunk said:

Knowing music theory doesn't require knowing how to site read. Just like someone who can't read English on paper can still speak and understand proper English. He obviosly understands theory.

Lot's of great musicians don't read, not because they don't have the ability to learn, they just don't bother. Most of my favorite musicians don't read. Reading doesn't affect musicianship. It's moreso good to know if you are a musician for hire. Being called on certain gigs like house bands, orchestras, and session work. But an artist doesn't need to read.

I think he once said he didn't read music, so I'll go with that.

Check out my post #91 above He said it a couple of times - first in 1978....

violetcrush said:

violetcrush said:

violetcrush said:

alandail said:

poppys said: No, you can’t prove something that isn’t true.

Prince's statements during a 1978 interview with the Minneapolis Tribune:

*

"Prince – no last name, no first name, no ”the ,” just Prince – was born in south Minneapolis on June 7 1959, the son of a swing-band leader who used the stage name Roger Prince. His mother was the lead singer of the band. At the age of 7, Prince took up the piano.

“Around the time I was 8,” he said in an interview, “I had pretty good idea what the piano was all about.”

“I had one piano lesson and two guitar lessons as a kid. I was a poor student, because when a teacher would be trying to teach me how to play junky stuff I would start playing my own songs. I’d usually get ridiculed for it, but I ended up doing my own thing. I can’t read music. It hasn’t gotten in the way yet. Maybe it will later, but I doubt it.” "

*

So, we now have more than one quote/video of Prince's own words at different times in his life stating that he could not read music....

Here you go, the actual video as quoted from earlier, skip to 2 minutes 24 seconds in:




I suppose compare that to his comments about Beyoncé knowing scales, he clearly knew a lot of what is technically considered "theory" even if he mostly knew it from practical experience or as ways to practise his instrument.

[Edited 3/22/19 11:59am]

Pure Genis

purplefam99 said:

violetcrush said:

Prince's statements during a 1978 interview with the Minneapolis Tribune:

*

"Prince – no last name, no first name, no ”the ,” just Prince – was born in south Minneapolis on June 7 1959, the son of a swing-band leader who used the stage name Roger Prince. His mother was the lead singer of the band. At the age of 7, Prince took up the piano.

“Around the time I was 8,” he said in an interview, “I had pretty good idea what the piano was all about.”

“I had one piano lesson and two guitar lessons as a kid. I was a poor student, because when a teacher would be trying to teach me how to play junky stuff I would start playing my own songs. I’d usually get ridiculed for it, but I ended up doing my own thing. I can’t read music. It hasn’t gotten in the way yet. Maybe it will later, but I doubt it.” "

*

So, we now have more than one quote/video of Prince's own words at different times in his life stating that he could not read music....

Thanks for providing that violet.

You're welcome!

purplefam99 said:

violetcrush said:

I think you have the story a bit backwards. Lisa Coleman was playing classical music for Prince and his Father. They were fascinated with her playing. She told them that if you can read and play classical music you can play anything. He speaks about her playing during his first P&M show at PP Jan 2016. He said that when she first arrived in MN he was not sure whether she was going to work out - she wouldn't look him in the eyes. He was on the phone with his Manager telling him to get her a flight back to LA when he heard her playing piano in his basement. He said, "nevermind" to his Manager, and the rest is history

It is possible I could have remembered the story wrong. Your account still supports the notion that my post was trying to convey, That prince did not read music (per his own words in interview) [Edited 3/22/19 11:50am]

I believe Lisa discussed the story that I posted during her and Wendy's interview with Questlove on his Pandora show. Either that, or I read it in one of the many Biographies as well. Hard to keep track of all the stories and discussions

I know that this is an old thread, but I stumbled across this video and it reminded me of this discussion. Music theory and the methods of communicating it in written form aren’t absolutely essential (of course they help). The forms, relations and possible structures are there to be discovered and innovated upon for the naturally gifted individual – that is, you can have a very advanced “intuitive” sense of musical theory without having learnt it in the formal sense. You can know a chord without being able to name it. I mentioned Hermeto Pascoal in a different thread recently. He’s certainly one of the most gifted multi-instrumentalists in the world today, but also extremely advanced as a composer and musical thinker. He couldn’t read music for the first half of his life and didn’t start learning formal theory until the age of 42 (despite having “written” hundreds of compositions). As he explains from 30:15 in the video below, he’d actually warn against taking theory too seriously. This whole video is a masterclass, but I’d urge you to watch his chord accompaniment and then how he improvises the tune from 43:00 – it’s a joy to behold.

Part 2 is equally fascinating (to me at least ).

http://www.youtube.com/wa...p;t=30m15s

https://www.youtube.com/w...zLsI-ky9_4

[Edited 4/24/19 16:33pm]