I thought this was a FOLK music forum...

I'm not one of those "opposed" to musical literacy ~ I recognize that additional knowledge is just about always a positive thing ~ but I do contend that most music (including ALL folk music, and virtually all vocal music) comes first from the heart and the imagination, and that transcription of musical creations in written form is secondary ~ it occurs afterwards.

Hell, I feel pretty sure that even orchestral arrangements are "heard" in the composer's mind before (s)he writes the "dots" down on paper.

I feel ambivalent about posting my comment, about participating in this discussion at all, because too much time and thought has already been wasted upon an utterly meaningless argument. Couldn't resist the temptation, sad to say...