My mom, Dad, and stepmother were classically trained musicians. For my own good and flexibility, they said I had to learn the rules before I could break them intelligently. Dyslexic with ADHD, I see music as colors and shapes. I never learned to read music, lost a scholarship at the Houston Conservatory of Music for faking it and rewriting the old masters… and have shied away from playing with other people since I wasn’t a “real musician”.
The joke is on me—as I now learn that many of my heroes through the decades also have not read printed music! Bonnie Raitt, the Eagles, the Beatles, Irving Berlin, Barbara Streisand, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Joni Mitchell, Elvis Presley, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Ritchie, and more!!!
That said, I’d love to be able to talk keys and time signatures with other players. What I’ve learned is that the players I love can follow me wherever my creative mind colors and shapes lead!! The amazing Nina Gerber did have to make charts for the tour she did with me, but it was no biggie for her. Having her as a side musician was one of the joys of my life!
How do I co-write with Janet Feld, who teaches guitar, songwriting, and knows printed music? She trusts gut instinct enough to try different things until we both feel it sounds “right”!!
So hooray for you if you do or do not read printed music. We each have different tools in our musical toolboxes.
Songwriting Tip 1:
Don’t let anything define your boundaries except your heart, conscience, and what sounds right to you.
Songwriting Tip 2:
When making your melody, let the notes follow what the words are saying. In today’s video below, there are two short clips from the beginning of Ridin in the Sky; notice how the melody rises as the hang glider lifts off. It’s the same song, one version in folk and the other in pop/country with the London Philharmonic.
Hugs and wishes to you. And please do share this post with your friends who might enjoy it.
Auntie Crow ️ ♥️ 🐦⬛
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