I've always played music based on just what I hear but I started out just reading guitar tablature which I found out myself that you read the lines upside down for you to be able to get the right notes.\ \ When Pandemic started where musicians are locked inside to stay protected from the viruses of the outside world, I took the privelege to start reading sheet music. It was a freaking pain!! I was reading like a Kindgarten student and what's worse is the struggle to actually memorize where the actual notes are located. My first read was on my violin using a Suzuki Book volume 1. \ \ After I graduated in the first book, I went ahead and purchased Book 2. All I can say that when it becomes a habit and you constantly read everyday, it becomes easier to navigate through your violin fretboard and I also got to understand the Guitar fretboard a bit better.\ \ But all I can say that it is a great experience and this is a useful skill. When Pandemic was almost over, I was invited to play violin for a wedding. I was given a couple songs to be practiced with the group, instead of practicing by ear, I went ahead and searched for sheet music, which became easier. \ \ These are just one of those skills that are really hard at first, but you'll get the hang of it