MUSICIANS: How important is it to be able to read sheet music?

Written music notation is how musicians communicate with each other. If you can't communicate with other musicians, how will you get your ideas across? You will make music alone for the rest of your life. Not knowing how to read/write music is like trying to write a novel without being able to spell. Saying that you can recite the novel to your editor instead is ridiculous.

As a musician, it's a good thing to be able to hear a song and repeat it effortlessly on a given instrument. However, sightreading is also an important skill, and if you plan to follow your music into a career you will eventually play with an ensemble and cannnot just improvise or guess at how a part written 200 years ago will go. Albeit, when it comes to piano it can be relativley easily played by ear. But it can also be EXTREMLEY difficult. My answer would be to practice both methods, and get very good at both.

It's extremely important. You're not a real musician if you can't read sheet music.

Learning how to read music is definitely a major tool to have if you want to play an instrument. However, there have been many great musicians who don't read music and have a fantastic ear. Paul McCartney, Scott Joplin and i think Mark Knopfler didn't read, yet they produced great music. So I don't think there is a definitive answer to this question. If you don't have a great ear, then learning how to read notation is a good idea. With that knowledge, depending on your technical level, you can play any piece of music you like. I believe it'll make you a more complete musician.

If your friend intends to depend on his teacher to teach him everything he wants to play for the rest of his life he doesn't need to read music. Most musicians eventually want to be able to pick up a piece of sheet music and play it. Besides, paying gigs are for people who can sight read the music that's put in front of them.

Reading music is an essential skill for any musician, regardless of the style or genre they play. There is not earthly reason to deny yourslef any skills that contribute to your success - but there are LAZY and self-absorbed people all over. You need to find smarter friends, before you get sucked into their black hole of stupidity and opinionated ignorance.

I know someone who lost a HUGE opportunity only because he couldn't read music.

Guitar, bass and maybe drums are the only musicians who can safely learn how to play their instruments (as far as I know), without knowing how to read sheet music, and that is because they have TAB's to help them learn. However, even guitar players will need to know how to read sheet music if they choose to become studio musicians. If your plan is to be in a rock band, then there isn't much need to learn to read sheet music, however, when you get older and progress as a musician, you'll wish that you had spent a few days learning it.

Some people are naturally gifted with playing instruments by ear. I am a Music Major and I take Music Theory and it helps but I find that a good musician does not depend on the fact if you can read sheet music. I am a singer and I have been playing the piano and guitar since I was three by ear and I have only improved and I still sight read, not great but it is decent. It is not an essential to learn how to read sheet music in my opinion but it would not hurt to do so. So, being able to read sheet music does not define a musician, the way he or she is able to play is what matters. : )