Musical Education/theory

[Drunken funkster]

Just a question that's been on my mind...who many of you can read music and/or have been musically trained? It seems that less and less people consider it to be important when learning an instrument these days.

Myself, I was taught music from and early age, but I never really paid attention until a few years back when I started to teach myself theory. I've had various teachers/tutors to help me along the way as well. I consider it to be a fundamental part of playing an instrument, and taking what you play seriously. I only realised how important it is a few years back.

Liam :cheesy:

[Superdave]

I can read...it's definately useful analyzing how the piece was written. I also know my theory, but there is still a lot of stuff I need to dig into.

But theory is a very important part of writing and playing music, especially if playing in a group, and you don't want to be playing root notes all day.

[Alfred Jazz Punker]

I can read and that's truly one of the best things I've learned...

It's not the whole thing of being an academic musiscian, is more than that, because, when you understand music theory, you have it done...

Theory can be boaring... but can also be a passion, like for me...

[Big T]

I can read music, but I was afraid it might "cage" my way of playing. To take away the freedom of NOT knowing scales and such, to just play whatever thats sounds good. I find that the truth sometimes, but that just challenges and inspires me to dig deeper into the theory. and to know when to stop thinking about it, hehe..

[apache]

i think you can go a long way without knowing anything about theory. but at some point you won't cross many boarders anymore... that's when your brain is asked. it is vital to know the different scales, chords, progressions, etc. you have to practice until it becomes natural and it's in your ears and hands.
i had a classical music education on guitar (classical music, spanish flamenco, blues) and switched to the bass when i was 16. i had private lessons on bass in a jazz school for 2 years. i haven't read 1 site since then... i see the arrangement before my eyes, know and hear where i am. like this you are really able to solo.

[Simon]

[plug on]

You music readers might want to buy a copy of my book? An in depth analysis of Jamiroquai bass lines - http://www.simonmerrick.co.uk/jamiroquai_book.html

[plug off]

The shame :lol:

[Superdave]

Looks good, did you transcribe the entire book? I've been working on doing a few J-Quai songs by ear, Alright, EoPE, High Times.

I'm guessing you can read/write music well? How long have you been playing?

By the way, your avatar makes we want to pick up a white Jazz 5.

[Delime]

I taught myself the bass without a single lesson (must have picked some bad habits along the way) and i can play most jamiroquai tracks (well at least I think i can!!). It`s weird cos I don`t even know the notes still on the bass which is not good really....I play purely by ear and feeling. Anybody else like me?

I think i should take time out to learn the notes....should help me improve even more

[Simon]

Looks good, did you transcribe the entire book? I've been working on doing a few J-Quai songs by ear, Alright, EoPE, High Times.

I'm guessing you can read/write music well? How long have you been playing?

By the way, your avatar makes we want to pick up a white Jazz 5.

Hey Dave,

Yeh I transcribed the whole book in Notation and TAB (there are some examples of my tanscriptions on my site). So yeh, I can read music and Ive been playing for around 6 years now.

Haha, yeh! That is a picture of my newly accquired Overwater custom Jazz :P .

[Superdave]

How much did that run you? Looks great.

[Simon]

Straight swap for a 2002 stage II 5...

It has a J-Retro preamp which is the dogs... every amp I plug-in to now has a redundant EQ :cheesy:

[Alfred Jazz Punker]

I used to think that theory could lock the freedom of your soul at the moment of making music... But now I wonder the opposite...

I think that, almost, everybody it's beeing hardly influenced by music that have listened to it... I've seen tons and tons of análisis of muscicians that have done it without learning a single note, and those things are truly not chalenging (in most of the cases)... Almost everybody likes to do the same, it's curious, but after all: sound is something you can't manage with your soul... I prefeer to see it the opposite, let the sound manage your soul... You will only get a reflexion, never the pure image of it...

(what the hlll is happening with my english... somebdy help me, he he he)

[Ian]

I play bass for about 2 years, but I cannot read... of course i can read a tab (who can't? :cheesy: )...

but I feel that this is a great lack not to know how to read...


I mean, i dunno how to read, but i also don't know my scales.... and this is really useful to jam and to write music...

in my band, my guitarist writes everything, but if i would have to write some music, i would be totally lost....

so yes, i have good skills, technically... but I lack a lot of theory....

[Alfred Jazz Punker]

Hey! but it's not that hard to know the basics of music...

You don't have to do a proffesional test in composicional skills to be a good theory known muscician... Just look for it a little... It will appear to you when you had never expected...

[Superdave]

I think a very challenging thing in music, is making it with someone with no knowledge of theory at all. They could make the most beautiful music, but if you don't have any knowledge of their instrument, then you could be lost.

I've been in situations where this keyboardist/multi instrumentalist has this great progression, and when I ask for the chords (7th, minor 7th/flat 5, whatever) he says "it's this chord" and drops down seven keys on a Hammond. So, I'd end up having to 'feel' it out.

So, yes you can know as much about theory as I do about cars, and get by fine, but you will have trouble communicating with other musicians, and limit your musical opportunities.

[Simon M]

interesting topic. I have this good/evil battle with theory all the time. It depresses me to think how boring i find it (not to mention difficult) yet at the same time i know i must. Yet i cant seem to knuckle down and learn useful stuff. I do know an ok-ish amount but i have absolutely no idea how to apply it. I hate theory with a passion but i know that if i want to improve, at some point i must do so. Ive been in a useless state of limbo for about 6 months now.
If anyone has any helpful tips on what i should do to make it fun (or any good books etc that are clear concise and easy to understand,)then please share all!!!!
thanks

[Alfred Jazz Punker]

personaly, I think there's not a good way or a bad way...

Maybe you should try searching for any doubt that you could have probably had for many years or time...You can go for this beginning and then more doubts will come out and make you get interested in knowing more and more...

There are tons and tons of theory books... And I have see them all and I can say that there's not even one good book... It's just the way you take them...