Q: Should I learn to read music?

Yes, if you want to be a serious musician, a capability to read music can be very useful. There are many good musicians who cannot read music, so reading music is not strictly necessary. However, music notation is a very widespread means of communication, and an ability to read music will open up worlds of information. The many different systems that use arrows and numbers that exists have their use in explaining specific harmonica related things and for absolute beginners. However, they are generally considered not to be a good alternative to ordinary music notation. They are much more limited, and no other musician will be able to understand them.

(FMI: "Reading Music" 12 Apr 95 WY, RB)
(FMI: "Re: Harmonica and reading music" 25-28 Jan 94 RF, GM, TM, SL, GJ, BL, (context of Big River, etc.)
(FMI: "Play music, don't play harmonica (longer yet)" 1 Jun 95 HA)

 

Buy the Book!

I cleaned up my tab for Sonny Boy's Help Me and made it into a short book. There's a Kindle version for 99 cents, and if you buy the paperback you get the Kindle free.

Playing "Help-Me" In the Style of Sonny Boy Williamson II: A step by step, note for note analysis of some of Sonny Boy's Signature Riffs