guest - I have been *trying* to learn to read music for over 40 years. I suffered through frustration in company with many excellent teachers. The best I can do is a painful count the lines & recite the mnemonics. For every note. On a good day, every other note. Unless I already know the tune - then I can just watch for ups and downs. If someone will give me the note.

The various transcription and notation programs have been a godsend for me. 10 years ago if I saw a "new" song I had to find someone to play it or sing it for me. Now I can plug it into the computer myself.

It's not totally gibberish to me - but close to it. Yes, my "ear" is reasonably good. [for relative pitch. As far as absolute pitch I have not ever been able to match note names to what they sound like - in either direction] I would say I am an "adaquate" singer. (would be *much* better if I could hold a tempo - or consistantly hit my opening note.) But I can COPY music; I can take a midi and (with reasonable frequency) pull the melody line out of it. I can usually tell if the lyric "fits" a tune - and make minor adjustments.

As far as becoming able to keyboard - I still have difficulty chewing gum and walking at the same time - and my friends frequently plead with me NOT to try and clap along with *anything*. Eyehand coordination sucks. My typing skills dropped by 75% when I went from pure "hunt and peck" to touch typing (a required course) and it has taken me close to thirty years to regain them.

I realize that this *is* not a normal situation. But I can assure you it is not from lack of trying.

For me - working with sheet music is the equivilant of an illiterate who can copy the letters from a book. But I haven't the foggiest what it "says" until I get it to play over the speakers.

But I am willing to bet there are others out there in the same boat I am.