When playing an instrument, do you play using sheet music, or by ear?

By sheets or by ear? Which one?

  • I play by ear

    Votes: 6 26.1%

  • I use sheet music

    Votes: 9 39.1%

  • I don't play an instrument

    Votes: 4 17.4%

  • Depends

    Votes: 4 17.4%
  • Total voters
    23
S

Soundless Voice

Star Spirit
Banned User
When you play an instrument (Piano, flute, trumpet, etc.), do you use sheet music or by ear?

Playing by ear is when you teach yourself, by hearing other people play, or listening to the song you're trying to play.

Playing by sheet music is looking at a staff of notes and playing what you see.

I prefer playing the piano by ear because I have to look at the notes as I play so I can't look at the sheet music and it just comes naturally to me.
 
When I play an instrument Beethoven himself descends from the Heavens and plays with me
 
i only play with sheet music
 
Sheet music.
 
It depends on whether I just want to play a song for fun or if it's [school] band-related. If it's band-related, I'll play it off the sheets whenever I can. If it's just playing for fun, if I can find sheet music for the song and for the instrument I want to play it on, I'll play off of that, although I might fix it a bit if it sounds off to me. If I can't find the right sheets, then I just figure it out on my own.
 
By ear, for every instrument. I enjoy deciphering the notes myself.

Though I am capable of reading sheet music and tablature as well.
 
I play keyboard by ear. I used to use sheet music when I took piano lessons for several years, but when I stopped taking piano lessons, I forgot how to read sheet music, so I just learn by ear now, which isn't too hard really.

As for drums, I obviously don't read sheet music for drums (yes, drums do have sheet music) but I instead mainly improvise over CDs and music that I own. I'm not too shabby at it.
 
The times I've tried to play guitar or keyboard (which have been very poor attempts) I've done it by ear, but unlike Stooby I'm incapable of reading sheet music and tablature.
 
I have to use sheet music. I am very terrible by ear.
 
Besides Crash, am I literally the only one who can't read sheet music and plays by ear who's posted here?