A quick look through my records finds that I've only taught two 5 string players and one four string player in the last 4 years, among the scores of guitarists, many bass players and a few mandolinists. Nonetheless, my approach has been the same for every instrument.

I fail to understand why banjo should be taught differently than any other instrument. (Btw, I've heard this about bass too, but I currently have two bassists learning to read after discovering their abilities were arrested by their inability.) Based on what? Repertoire? Technique? Style? Feel? Heritage? As far as I can see/hear/imagine there isn't a single good reason not to learn as much about creating music as possible, and the quickest, most thorough way is to learn to read. At the very least the most common roadsigns of music need to be understood, eg how to determine key and where to find the scale patterns for that key, rests, time signatures, chord construction, and whatever tools are needed for "your" music. Fluent ability to sight read isn't necessary, though it's an advantage, but knowing the language allows you to communicate your ideas effectively. So why be deliberately illiterate?

Knowing where to put your fingers in a particular key, and where not to put your fingers; recognizing (by name) groups of chords which work well together and being able to find them; understanding intervals; how can this stuff not be useful? Knowing it doesn't stifle but enhances other approaches to music. It should go hand in hand with ear training.

Many players discover all this stuff on their own, intuitively and by ear, but it has to be faster to book learn it. Besides, it's easier to communicate musical ideas when we're working with a common language.

Anyway, do drummers need to read music? It would help!

My 2 cents Cdn (not adjusted to inflation),

Mooh.