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HI SAXYSAI . Going to try and explain this the best I can and hope it makes sense .
My parents always wanted me to be musically inclined and enrolled me for violin lessons when I was in primary school. Something just didn't connect when I was trying to read sheet music, however playing by ear the difference was noticed straight away. I believe to this day that the method of teaching us read sheet music was not explained as well as it might have been considering our age,
the violin and I parted company at the end of the first year, a never to be repeated duet !
I was more interested in a guitar or a wind instrument. The Beatles were making it big in the uk at that time and nearly everyone in our street had a guitar, not me.That was pay back for not getting on with the violin.
A neighbour had a flute on which I could more than happily turn out a recognisable tune without sheet music, but no instruments were forthcoming during my childhood.
In my late 40's I bought a second hand flute and quite impressed myself with the sound I was producing, doing a fair impersonation of Jethro Tull, and decided to spend out on lessons and learn properly.
Reading sheet music proved to be a problem at first unntil I stopped associating it with music. I taught myself to read dots as key positions and no more. It worked and nobody knew any different. My teacher was pleased with my progress and even thought I should be playing in a local orchestra but to pass my grade one exam first.
OH DEAR that word EXAM hit me like a ton of bricks for some reason and come the day I think I would have done better playing a kazoo !
My method of reading music flew out the window and I was playing the set pieces from memory. Yes the examiners did spot it.
What instruments do I play now ?
flute , and clarinet ,and I also play guitar and bass.which I prefer playing in a jazz/ blues style. Its all played by ear although I can read the music.I play for my owm pleasure but have sat in on a few gigs with a mates band.