Dave Brubeck Quotes

I can't read a note of music. I just do it all from ear.

I can play just about any keyboard but I can't read or write a note.

Yeah, I can read music and I know the names of chords.

I don't read music. I don't write or read music.

I've never known how to read music in my life.

To the best of my knowledge, none of the Beatles can read music.

Truth of the matter is, I can't even read or write music.

I learned when I started to study piano that I could play by ear. I could hear a song on the radio a couple of times and hear the song and the lyrics and sing it for you after a couple of plays.

I've got a pretty good musical ear, and I can pick things up.

I never got formal training in music. I would just sit with my ear to the speaker and my hand on the needle. I'd listen to Wanda Jackson and think, 'How did she do that?,' and lift the needle and try it myself.

I don't read music. Not even essentially. Not even nonessentially.

I just can't read music.

I've always considered transcribing to be an invaluable tool in the development of one's musical ear and, over the years, I have spent countless glorious hours transcribing different kinds of music, either guitar-oriented or not.

I don't read music, which is a shame, actually, and I shouldn't even speak of it because it's embarrassing, but it's true.

It's easy to get next to music theory, especially between your peers and music classes and so forth. You just pay attention. I had a good ear, so I realized that printed music was just about reminding you what to play.

I think it's a bit of a myth that if you can read music you can write music. It doesn't work like that.

I had to learn chord shapes. I bought books with chord charts. I used to listen to all kinds of pop music.

I can read music, but I have no technique, and singing was never an option even though I sang a lot growing up.

I have never learned to read or write music so I am not a virtuoso musician like the others you mentioned. I am completely unable to play like them because I never learned classical music, I just developed my own crazy style!

What I try to impart to a musician is to really try to practice the instrument in a really sincere way. Learn as much about music as you possibly can. Learn composition. Study to try to create compositions of your own and put your own personal touch on your music.

I needed to really pursue music and learn what I needed to learn on my own by getting in and doing it, not by reading a book about it.

I studied music at the most remedial level when I was a kid, through the Los Angeles public schools, with a little private instruction.

Reading music is something that's inherently hateful to me. It makes music like mathematics.

In aptitude tests, I scored highest in music.

I learned some chords and I started watching anybody I could, once I really got into it.