Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Luck is much more important in the music business than theory.
Also loading up on theory cannot compensate for a lack of talent.
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Is music theory important?
- Thread starter Dbt25677
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Luck is much more important in the music business than theory.
Also loading up on theory cannot compensate for a lack of talent.
FWIW, I've been playing for almost 25 years and just within the last couple of them I started becoming interested in theory. The worst that can happen is you end up with a better understanding of how music works.
What I have learned from my limited music theory education can be compared to a mechanic having a toolbox filled with all kinds of specialized tools. That's great, but learning how and when to use them frees you up to explore and invent. You can turn the nut using a whole bunch of different tools - still get's the nut off, one way may be better than another, but not if you don't know that there is a different way!
Let me illustrate the difference by way of humorous analogy.
Two men enter a restaurant and the waiter asks for their order.
One says, "Ah yes, I'll have the roast duck with apple dressing and a glass of imported ale, thank you."
The other says "Ug! Me. Want. Duck. Beer!"
Both men receive the exact same thing. Which guy do you want to be more like?
Two men enter a restaurant and the waiter asks for their order.
One says, "Ah yes, I'll have the roast duck with apple dressing and a glass of imported ale, thank you."
The other says "Ug! Me. Want. Duck. Beer!"
Both men receive the exact same thing. Which guy do you want to be more like?
:
I kind of have an opposite experience. I started playing 27 years ago with a great instructor. He focused on basic theory and I learned a bit for the first two years. Nothing too in depth, I had to learn to physically play at the same time.
However, i found that I felt handcuffed for lack of a better word, as I would overthink everything and if it was "right" theory-wise. It really hampered my development at the time. Once I quit the lessons and just played, I grew by leaps and bounds. I wouldnt necessarily recommend not learning theory mind you, but for me at that time it was better for me to just play. Nowadays I would love to learn everything I didnt back then.
However, i found that I felt handcuffed for lack of a better word, as I would overthink everything and if it was "right" theory-wise. It really hampered my development at the time. Once I quit the lessons and just played, I grew by leaps and bounds. I wouldnt necessarily recommend not learning theory mind you, but for me at that time it was better for me to just play. Nowadays I would love to learn everything I didnt back then.
- Jan 12, 2011
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I'm working my way through Harmony and Theory by MI (only $14.00 Amazon) in prep for a year long Theory course I'm starting in Oct. 2013. As you move up and start to play with more serious musicians having the knowledge will make communication, and practices etc go easier and a lot faster. It will allow you to become a better more efficient communicator and open things up for you.
I always encourage other musicians to learn the theory behind their favorite songs to play. I'm more of a 'do, then analyze' guy myself, and it was a real A-HA! moment for me the first time I realized the song I had been playing was in the key of G major and how many other songs I knew just in that key. And because I was dealing with tunes I was very competent playing, I really felt fulfilled.
YMMV
YMMV
If you are handcuffed by theory, the problem is that you don't know how to apply it, not that you know it.
To the OP - use the search feature, this has been discussed ad nauseum. Not that there anything wrong with this thread, but try to bring someone new to the topic. This is just a rehash of the same tired arguments. The arts may be one of the only fields where some people think ignorance is an advantage.
I jam with a guitarist who knows NO theory, and I always hear him say the same things about playing with feel, etc. Man, knowing basic theory makes a huge difference. It's important to understand what is going on. And lemme say to those of you who think theory is irrelevant that all music is based on theory. I mean, even if someone who doesn't know any says, "It's in A," they are talking theory right there. And even if they don't know how to say what key, if they even name the chords, that's theory. How hard would it be to learn songs together with no terminology at all? Pretty hard. "What chord is that?" "Chord? What is that? Oh, it looks like this."
Also, learning theory in no way takes away from playing with "feel."
Also, learning theory in no way takes away from playing with "feel."
I have spent a lot of time studying music theory. My experience has been that theory has done almost nothing for my ability to write original music. I know the theory behind most of what I'm writing now but I don't think about the notes I play from a music theory perspective. I just play until something cool comes out. Sometimes it is very theoretically simple other times it is beyond my understanding of theory.
In my case, theory has done nothing that would help me play great original music or be a "spunky rock star". what it has done is make it much, much easier to jump in and play with people I've never played with, doing music I've never heard before. It has also made learning other peoples song much easier. None of that helps me when writing original music or putting on a great rock show but it does make me a better musician.
I would suggest that you learn theory if you want to. It isn't required to be a good musician. If you want to play in a cover band or write original tunes and aren't interested in improv music theory could be completely useless to you (other than the fact that you will have more knowledge you dont use).
I learned theory because it was the easiest way to play the way I wanted in certain musical situations. Everybody is different.
My general experience has been that I enjoy the playing of those with little or no theory knowledge better than the playing of those who know lots of theory.
"Hey, what are we going to play?"
"It's a quick four shuffle in A with a two five one turn around, down from the five"
"Huh?"
A little bit of theory will get you though this and you can have fun at the same time.
Check out my TB Wiki link below.
Good luck.
"It's a quick four shuffle in A with a two five one turn around, down from the five"
"Huh?"
A little bit of theory will get you though this and you can have fun at the same time.
Check out my TB Wiki link below.
Good luck.
For my part, I struggled along for years on guitar just playing chords to songs that I liked, and never got any further. In the last year I started learning some theory, and started playing bass as well, and my playing has come on in leaps and bounds to be honest. On the bass, I have learned how to apply the circle of 5ths (4ths), scales, triads etc; nothing too horrendous!
There are famous musicians/bands who just play 4 or 5 guitar chords most of the time, and the bass player plays root notes. If that's as far as you want to go, and you are lucky enough to be popular, then it's fine. There are country bass players who make a living playing roots and 5ths all the time and are very happy to do so. Also fine.
If you want to audition for King Crimson however, you probably need to learn some theory
There are famous musicians/bands who just play 4 or 5 guitar chords most of the time, and the bass player plays root notes. If that's as far as you want to go, and you are lucky enough to be popular, then it's fine. There are country bass players who make a living playing roots and 5ths all the time and are very happy to do so. Also fine.
If you want to audition for King Crimson however, you probably need to learn some theory
That situation is not likely to be encountered by someone who is focusing on writing original music for performing rock shows. It is also not a situation that will be encountered by a bass player who is starting a working cover band.
Theory is VERY important if you are trying to jam with people or you are doing improvisational music but not everybody wants to do that.
BTW, I could have figured out the song you mentioned in one turn around before I knew any theory at all.
