Theoretical mussings on Theory

reiver
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Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:37 am

I think there is no question that learning theory can do both: help one to enjoy music more *and* make one a better player. As has been previously mentioned: one obvious example is soloing/leading/jamming -- the best players I've ever heard all know how to effectively apply theory to make rippin' sounding leads -- by crossing modes and keys, substituting and fleshing out chords, breaking rules at just the right time -- all using applied theory. Making nice sounding arrangements: gotta have theory, or at least it'll be much much easier, and likely better. Personally, I think even knowing theory when just playing songs is helpful -- good players impart their own 'voices' to songs, and theory helps inform how.

Don't get me wrong: there are the prodigies out there who know this stuff in their souls, or whatever. But the Bachs and the Mozarts are beyond rare. For the rest of us, the systematic, organized body of knowledge that is music theory give us access to same info, to practice and learn, if not intuitively (though, I hope that with time it will get closer to being intuitive than not).

I've also seen a few posts along the lines of "... will theory make me better, or just enjoy playing more?". What could be more important than enjoying your playing more?


My 2 cents.


BigBear
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Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:40 pm

Another way to look at this is "owning a guitar doesn't make you a guitarist" anymore than "playing a guitar doesn't make you a musician". You can play the guitar without any theory at all. But you can't be musician without understanding music, which is all about theory.

It's all about what you want to do with your guitar! :cheer:


frybaby
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Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:54 pm

I find that for a while theory kind of bogged me down. I spent hours figuring thing out playing scales and basic theory, and drove my wife nuts. But I really wanted to know why certain chords fit together and some do not. I was interested in what made a chord a major, a minor, a major/minor, a 5th, 7th, 9th, 13th ect. I really find theory (basic stuff) very interesting and fun to play around with. So I took a new approach spending maybe 15-30 minutes of my guitar time with basic theory then play away. I started simple learning chord formulas and how to build them. Learning how inversions and voicing are built and work in a song. Time with intervals has been helpful in learning where the notes are on the neck and in relation to other notes in the scale. Some of the theory has helped me embellish on song for which I have only a simple tab. Hope that helps. If you go for spending time on theory there are lot of web sights, pick something about theory that interest you, keep it simple and above all have fun.


quincy451
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Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:03 pm

frybaby wrote:
I find that for a while theory kind of bogged me down. I spent hours figuring thing out playing scales and basic theory, and drove my wife nuts. But I really wanted to know why certain chords fit together and some do not. I was interested in what made a chord a major, a minor, a major/minor, a 5th, 7th, 9th, 13th ect. I really find theory (basic stuff) very interesting and fun to play around with. So I took a new approach spending maybe 15-30 minutes of my guitar time with basic theory then play away. I started simple learning chord formulas and how to build them. Learning how inversions and voicing are built and work in a song. Time with intervals has been helpful in learning where the notes are on the neck and in relation to other notes in the scale. Some of the theory has helped me embellish on song for which I have only a simple tab. Hope that helps. If you go for spending time on theory there are lot of web sights, pick something about theory that interest you, keep it simple and above all have fun.
I do think there needs to be a definite order to the way you learn the guitar. One that balances successful music making with learning and holds frustration off from killing the effort.

I know when I learned the order was (very folk music based)
1) open cords first.
2) Then some strumming patterns.
3) Then bar chords.
4) Then learning what chords go together most often. I-IV-V7.
5) Learning how to build those chords yourself.
6) Then we learned blues scales and scales in general.
7) Then we got into improvisation a bit.

And that was as far as I got first pass. But I think the order is important and can be brutal on the self learner. I have definitely felt that.


rcsnydley
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Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:12 pm

I'm coming in late on this one, but I'm going to throw in my 2 copper colored coins anyway.

I see and read a lot of forum questions that ask "why are those chords/notes played here and not these others?" or "how do I figure out what to play in this instance/situation?".

This is where a little theory can go along way. By knowing how chords are constructed, how keys works, what scales are and what notes are in what scales, etc., it can go along way helping you figure out all of those things. It will ultimately make you a better player and musician.

And if you still find the concept kind of murky, please, feel free to pick our brains. Remember, we're all in this together and the more we help each other the better we will all be.


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