"It is not one or the other"

Of course it's obvious that learning from books has to be done along with listening to the music and playing with others. i.e. one and the other. However, you have to remember that "the other" on its own is more than adequate.

If you have the books, you also "need" to be listening to the music and playing with others.

But if you are listening to the music and playing with others, you do not "need" the books.

I think it's a sad thing to say that if you didn't have the books you'd never have got started.