"Most rock musicians play by ear -- if it sounds good we do it."
Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) Guitar Legends magazine, 2008
"I can't read or write music...I visualize things."
Stevie Ray Vaughan Guitar Legends magazine, 2008
"Because he was unable to read or write music..."
Jimi Hendrix memorial project website
Q: "Did the piano training transfer itself to the guitar?" A: "Oh, definitely, but in a very subliminal way. Because I never learned how to read, really; I used to fool the teacher. I did it all by ear."
Eddie Van Halen Guitar World magazine, 7/85
"I felt so nervous, because I couldn't read music, and they were all playing from music sheets on stands."
Eric Clapton on guest session with Aretha Franklin from his autobiography "Slowhand"
"...I'm searching for new chords and shapes and things. I don't just sit down and play scales...I can't play a scale. You think I'm kidding but I'm not. I can't. Well I can, I can play the notes but it's true though."
Jimmy Page Modern Guitars magazine, 1986
"The foundation of (my teaching approach) is the way I view the fretboard -- which is the way a lot of people view it -- and that's in shapes. You end up learning the same stuff you'd learn from notation or tablature, but it's a much easier way to understand it."
George Lynch Guitar Player magazine, 10/07
Q: "Do you think in terms of scales and conventional harmony, or are you playing more intuitively?" A: "I have no idea about scales.... I'm not trying to sound like an idiot savant -- I know my stuff -- but I don't know all the names of the different scales."
David Gilmour Guitar Player magazine, 1/09
"I try to keep it simple, because I'm not the world's fastest or anything, and I've never practiced scales in my life."
Paul McCartney Guitar Player magazine, 7/90
"I'm not heavy on theory or reading music books... (and) I only know two or three scales."
"Dimebag" Darrell from his book "Riffer Madness"
Q: "Do you know what you're doing in musical terms?" A: "I haven't a clue."
Angus Young Guitar Player magazine, 2/84 http://www.guitarviz.com/play-by-ear.php
Or this:
http://guitarinternational.com/2011/07/20/how-does-jimmy-page-practice-he-doesnt/