[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1003972' date='Oct 28 2010, 04:11 PM']In an originals scenario, I find being able to [i]write[/i] music down incredibly useful, especially if we've failed to record a rehearsal. If we jam out something pretty complicated, there's no danger of forgetting it because I can scribble it down in a few seconds.
And obviously it then helps to be able to read it again afterwards. [/quote]
This is a good point. The ability to write parts down has been enormously helpful at times.
In 35 years of playing in "bands" though, I have rarely been presented with a score, the most recent was on a small tour this summer when I had no time to rehearse. It was very useful to be able to read then.
If I was doing shows, or as someone else said, the rest of a band communicated as a whole with score, then not reading could be a handicap.
Although Nigel gets away with it!
Despite what I hear some people say.....reading music does NOT stifle your creativity maaaan...in my experience it enhances your vocabulary, and after all, are we not all trying to communicate......oooh, that was pretentious...get me!