Some deaf musicians can listen better than most of us.

Evelynn Glennie has made a career as a solo percussionist and she is deaf.   She has played with musicians including  Bela Fleck, Bjork, Bobby McFerrin, and Sting.

Out of all the musical elements, they are meaningless if you don’t listen.  You must listen to yourself, the other musicians, your environment, and the interactions.

Victor Wooten also believes that listening is the most important element.

It enables you to develop all the other musical elements- sound, rhythm, phrasing, etc.

In this TED presentation, she speaks about reading music, and other elements of music.