SpectralJulian: Why is it good practice not to transcribe your songs? Just curious... :)

It forces you to use your memory more and strengthen it, that means you are less likely to fuck up a song during performance due to not remembering it.

As a plus, usually the better songs you write are more memorable. That way, if you are forgetting parts of a song, you know which passages need to be improved.

So it is good practice for both songwriting and performance IMO.

A tricky one. I would say I'm literate, but not highly so. I'm self-tought, so there's a lot of simple things I'm probably missing. It makes the learning process slower but more fun.

I have the strong feeling that learning to sight-read, and getting a little deeper into the mechanics of music is generally a good way to open yourself up to new ideas. I know SY aren't especially known for their 'proper' musical knowledge, but they are very aware of the contemporary reportoire... It's very difficult to listen to the likes of Xenakis (etc) without at least having some appreciation of what they are doing relative to the general edicts of composition, which is a form of literacy, albeit implicit.

Poorly articulated. I'm going to the pub all afternoon, I'll write something more erudite tomorrow.

Plus, the widely accepted western classical music theory kids get fed in college doesn't account for microtonal music as far as I am aware of. Wouldn't the comprehension of microtonal systems be part of musical literacy?

Being blessed with a strong foundation and breadth of knowledge of musical theory and concepts definitely brings a wider perspective when composing and performing music. An awareness of what exactly you are embellishing or deconstructing makes for a more impassioned execution, regardless of the situation or setting. I think it helps to know the difference between 4/4 and 7/8, at the least, for example. This not only makes music appreciation more meaningful, it also encourages creative growth in creating your own music, as you are equipped with a bigger arsenal, so to speak.

Yes and or no... surely its an extension of one branch of general musical literacy? I mean, no one is ever going to know every musical system, I don't think microtonal understanding is important enough to be considered fundamental to literacy, unlike the 'western classical music theory' you speak of. I mean, if you're including microtonal as 'crucial', would you then say you have to have an in-depth knowledge of spectralism, and Xenakis? I love both, and I have a musical literacy, but I don't particularly feel the need to understand how Xenakis got from statistical analysis of clouds to his IRCAM system, mainly because I would probably need a phd in maths...

Microtonalism is year 4, page 56, paragraph 2.

I cant read standart notation, I'n not able even to write all that thing. I know just some classic things related to sy tunings thanks to my uncle that is a autochthonous musician.
I really dont like that cold language.

I understand standard notation, but I have to stare at the page for about 20 minutes, play it out, and memorize it. I cannot sight read at all.

My final for Music Theory 1 consisted of reading and playing some song, and I just had to sit down with it at home and memorize it. The teacher was impressed, but in reality it was simply because looking at the notes made me too dizzy to play.

However, I can read rythm and drum notation quite well. I wouldn't say by sight, but very close.

And of course tablature.

I can read and write music, or I once could. I haven't in such a long time. I'm sure I could still do it, I just haven't had any reason to.

Oh yeah, tablature for me... sorry. I can read musical notation, but am really slow at it. Definitely far from sight reading.

Yeah tabs all the way! I use them alot actually. I've tried learning songs by ear, but I can never get it perfect, and when I play a song, I want it to be perfect. (I know tablature is sometimes lacking in the perfection department, but it's closer then I can get).

Actually learning by ear is the best, except that for songs in alternate tuning, i.e.; non-standard tuning; it can get tricky. You'd have to listen for natural harmonics and figure out which strings they are on and tune your instrument accordingly.

i can only play guitar by ear. even when i fuck around with songs with alternate tunings, i still have to do it by ear, b/c i just don't understand how guitar is written out.

That's good, your music certainly doesn't bear the mark of amateurism... :) Playing by ear means your basic musical aptitude doesn't get rusty. You tend to have more listening prowess when you play by ear. You can distinguish and appreciate more tones and textures that way. :) It's kinda simple actually to learn tablature, I'm sure anyone here will agree...

ah yes, that's so true. but not just classical, whoever adhers to strict theory and composing, whther they play jazz, prog, fusion, etc. the worst improvisers, they can't play a single note and they get worked up over improvised music, whether they are taking part in it or not. that's another reason i admire yoshida tatsuya, all of ruins music is charted, written down and composed from the very beginning, it's fucking rigid, but then you listen to yoshida's work with sanhedolin or painkiller or seikazoku and he's a terrific improviser. it takes a great skill to be that way.

i can read music notation, can write it but it takes me a while to read or write notes, mainly because i never do it. i know some harmony (intervals) theory, i know a bit of engineering basics (frequency handling, etc.)

writing your music in notation is great, it makes you look at it in a whole different way, but it's not good to rely on it being written down in stone, it takes away the looseness of rock n' roll.