If we had to learn to read music before learning to play the guitar there'd be far fewer guitarists - and the missing ones would include a lot of brilliant musicians.

And there are plenty of people who can read music fluently, but who have allowed themselves to be so dependant on it they can't play without having dots in front of their eyes, and they can't begin to cope with playing in an informal session.

It's a great skill to have, and I wish I had it. But don't wait on acquiring it before you start learning to play.