• can teach very complex songs – especially very long or structurally difficult ones
• helps visual learners – although it’s good to exercise ears more than eyes
• have a back up – the written music can remind us of our parts and/ or we can rehearse on our own at home
• egalitarian – musical director doesn’t have all the power or act as gatekeeper, everyone is in the same position with the music in front of them
• easy to disseminate music (but we now have recording devices, so not so relevant)
• creates ‘product’ – a composition or arrangement that can be sold