Was this perhaps the same interview in the Experience's Monterrey Pop Festival DVD? I seem to recall that tidbit being in there. It's a great DVD by the way.

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I tried to think of something clever to put here but- OH! Something shiny!!!

See synesthesia.

Indeed. Many of us have a touch of that. For me numbers have colors, and chords (but not notes) do too. Am is a kind of mid-green and E major and minor are different shades of dark blue, for example.

And honestly, no drugs involved!

- C

Jimi...before 'The Experience' (and obviously the Strat) :

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

That makes sense, I just imagined a guy like you knew that
I believe it's been said quite a few times on here lately

Wouldn't it be fun to make a list of well accomplished musiscians that CAN read and write music? I'm not really sure I can name any

Edit: I don't think Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles could read music either

I remember hearing Ray Charles could read music in braille.

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

That's not true, he asked Eddie Kramer if he could make a track 'sound like the ocean'. Kramer used this effect on Axis: Bold as Love , a phased stereo sound.

In fact Jimi knew a lot of fretboard theory, I've seen his handwritten lyrics http://tinyurl.com/maxll4 where he writes the chord over the song's segment.

Ok, here's s factoid, 'The Wind Cries Mary' lyric line:
"and the clowns have all gone to bed,", refers to the clown test pattern that the BBC would show when they ended the day's broadcasting.

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Tony Houston

I didn't know whether Jimi read music or not either, so thanks for the info. He was James Brown's guitarist for a while and for that matter, a lot of the early rock legends had more formal training than many people realize. So I always supposed it was possible that he read/wrote, if not something that came into play when he was on his own.

In jazz, same deal ... not all the greats could/can read or write music while others have a high degree of technical mastery. Are those less creative than the artists who play by ear or feeling? I don't know ... a blind study to determine that might be an interesting project for someone considering a Ph.D. in Music. But for me, I'll just sit back and enjoy whether the person reads or not.

When people at work as me if it's really important that their son or daughter learn to read and some theory, I always hedge. If they're just going to be in a band with friends or maybe have a terrifc ear and their career goals have nothing to do with music, probably not.

But if your goal is a career in music and you're not banking everything on becoming a rock star or that rare first call studio player with such a good ear that you don't need to read ... it's a useful skill. There is studio work (mostly in rock) for non-readers, but most such work as well as in orchestras, formal bands, etc. requires reading.

He would look like a nerd with a music stand on stage holding his sheet music anyway, good thing he could play by ear.

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Scott Johnson
09 Fender Telecaster JA-90 Ebony
97 Gibson 1960 Les Paul Classic Gold Top
95 Fender 62 reissue Jaguar (Antiquity humbuckers/LesPaul Bridge Mod)
94 Fender Strat Mexico-(Mini Humbucker Mod)
2000's Fender Twin Amp
?? Fender Blues Deville

.

Jimi never played for James Brown, JB would have fired him after one show. I know Bootsy Collins and he told me that JB was a hard bandmaster.

I took la few lessons for George Benson, we talked about reading music, he could, but he also mentioned that his idol, Wes Montgomery couldn't read music, he could learn complex melodies and riffs by ear.

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Tony Houston

Paratrooper in the Army. Mike

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Well, do you know? I was wondering about that. But a quick glance at Wikipedia to check appeared to suggest it was Hendrix from the start, so that was what I put.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimi_Hendrix

I have no doubt at all that you are right and Wiki is wrong - again!

Cheers - C

PS Also, might philip602 have written James Brown (above) when he meant Little Richard? That's a pretty understandable mistake - if mistake it was.

Although Jimi played left-handed, he was ambidextrous, able to play equally left or right handed.

One of his first guitar was a Danelectro.



Claude.