This is a question I have always wondered. I am curious to know because I also cannot read music and have successfully written songs, but am wondering if knowing how to read music and names of chords would be helpful to write and/;or translate a song from the piano to the guitar.

 

Here are videos of Chris descibing the songwriting process

 

 

 

- around the 5 minute mark

 

Both describe Chris as not knowing what he is doing when he is writing and just randmoly trying things, does anybody have an opinion on what he really knows? Any music theory, such as chords, or really nothing?

 

Any knowledge/opinion is really appreciated and will give me confidence in my own songwriting process! thanks

I'm assuming he can read music because his mum is a music teacher ;-)

 

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in the beginning of the first video from South Bank Show, Chris does say that he can't read music. of course, that video is about 8 years old at this point, but i would guess he hasn't bothered to learn since then :P

in the beginning of the first video from South Bank Show, Chris does say that he can't read music. of course, that video is about 8 years old at this point, but i would guess he hasn't bothered to learn since then :P

Wow for someone who does great music but can't read music. Whoa so much respect for Chris. Haha how awkward it must have been for Chris being asked this question while his mum teaches music for a living. [emoji12]

 

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Wow for someone who does great music but can't read music. Whoa so much respect for Chris. Haha how awkward it must have been for Chris being asked this question while his mum teaches music for a living. [emoji12]

 

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honestly, that probably helps him. so he most likely has a good foundation of how to play music, just not how to read it :P

I know a few great musicians who can't read music.

I don't think it's an obstacle, but it might be useful.

Read that he took piano lessons for a couple years as a kid. They require you to read music but some people stop reading after they finish lessons. It's easy to forget how to read sheet music if you never feel the need to do so. You won't forgot completely but will have a lot of remembering to do lol.

No. Chris can neither read or write music. He has stated in the past this also helps him break thorough the limitations of constructing music in an old fashioned way. It's also why him and Jonny come up with chords and rhythms not tried or heard before, GPASUYF being an example.

Chris' mom is a music therapist, not a music teacher..a subtle difference, but it likely explains why she never taught him music theory as she was used to applying it practically.

Didn't he state in one interview that he's actually learning it now (or is already done with it?). Or was it Will..? Ahh, my brain is like a sieve!

The Oracle stated in late 2013 that he can't, so I doubt it - http://www.coldplay.com/oracledetail_pop.php?id=4757&page=0&iframe=true

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id=UpLXEIJ_6V0;t=28

 

In this interview from 2005, he talks about this "weird chord thing that's too geeky to go on about" in What If..anyone know what he's alluding to?

It is so easy to forget to read music. I played clarinet for 7 years and had forgotten by the first year after I quit. I still have muscle memory for some songs we played all the time 20 years later though. Weird!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id=UpLXEIJ_6V0;t=28

 

In this interview from 2005, he talks about this "weird chord thing that's too geeky to go on about" in What If..anyone know what he's alluding to?

Chris is so mysterious in the things he says...

I feel like Chris must know some music theory just from singing and writing songs for so many years. Perhaps he just doesn't see it in the same way your average musician would, because he never had formal training.

Not being able to read SHEET MUSIC does ofcourse not mean you don't understand any theory. He knows notes, chords, everything. What are you people on about?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id=UpLXEIJ_6V0;t=28

 

In this interview from 2005, he talks about this "weird chord thing that's too geeky to go on about" in What If..anyone know what he's alluding to?

 

I believe he's alluding to the very end, where the strings do this chromatic (note-by-note) ascending thing, which is pretty unusual. In fact, it's the exact kind of thing someone would come up with if they can't read music because if you don't know what you're doing sometimes all you can do is go to the next note on the piano. GPASUYF is the same sort of chromatic thing, except instead it's descending instead of ascending.

 

Or Guy came up with it. :p