While everyone wants to be excellent at one thing, sometimes we need to branch out and be just pretty good at a lot of things if we want to catch paying gigs.
For instance, being a pretty good transcriber, arranger, band organizer, or being able to play percussion are crucial. Knowing how to conduct a choir, teach your instrument, record an ensemble with minimal equipment are all skills that will come in handy.
I often tell my guitar friends that I prefer an all around guitarist who can use the pentatonic scale well in every genre. This kind of player can handle any chart and make it sound correct.
As far as music reading goes, I think learning to read a jazz chart ( melody with chord symbols) is far more useful than being able to read a full piano score, though I think four part hymn reading is a must.
On the percussion front, if you’re not a drummer, being able to do a variety of grooves on simple hand percussion could get you an accompianment gig at a coffee house or pub.
What I’m trying to say is, being versatile will prepare you for opportunities when they come along. Opportunities unprepared for are opportunities missed.
randy lin guitar 