> I can play along to a song I like, play a song that is a certain memory, jam with friends at a whim
You can do any of those things without learning to read music. Ask me how I know
Let me guess, you self taught on some instrument?
You can do any of those things without learning to read music. Ask me how I know
The fruits are reaped when they (me!) get older. Like I mentioned in another comment, I can play along to a song I like, play a song that is a certain memory, jam with friends at a whim.
Those are not things I necessarily wanted to do when I was a kid. But the "forced" practice was required as a foundation to do what I want to today.