New Student Has ZERO Musical Knowlede. The Norm?

[kevteop]

Most of the people I've been in bands with have had zero musical knowledge.

 

[Bard2dbone]

I have a buddy who I remembered played trumpet in the school bands for years, so after I started playing bass and just starting to learn theory, I thought maybe why not pick his brain a little bit. I figured with his 4-5 years of playing trumpet, he'd be pretty informative on the topic and could help me out a little.

I came to find that that little bit of knowledge I had already learned on the topic had already surpassed him. I think at first I brought up something about modes and got a completely blank stare as a response. Then I tried something on scale degrees, and all I got was a drawn out "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..." Then finally just the major scale which almost seemed to ring a bell, but he ultimately drew a blank. In his defense I don't think he ever had any passion for music at that point, mostly playing cause his dad played trumpet.

I played just about everything made of brass in school. I started on trumpet in sixth grade and every year they'd hand me a bigger horn. It was a plot. They wanted me trapped under a sousaphone for high school marching band. But I got a guitar for Christmas in sixth grade, too. And started playing DB in orchestra in seventh grade. I bought my first bass guitar in ninth grade and was recruited to be in the jazz band because I had a bass guitar and could read music.

For the first couple of weeks of jazz band class we never played a note. All that time was spent on the basics of music theory that we had never been exposed to at all. Everyone in the band was competent at their instrument. But none had ever done any improv at all. None. We couldn't comp with a progression because we'd never been told any of the most basic concepts to do so.

So it's not strange that your friend had no clue. He had never needed to learn one.

 

[SurferJoe46]

Leopold, you're very fortunate to find a diamond in the rough like that.

I've been trying (try is the operative here) to teach a guitarist something called 'meter' and 'lyrical progression'.

But the biggest problem is that he doesn't want to play the chorus, since "that's boring and I don't like to play it so I'll skip it and just keep on playing anyway"; never learned it, don't see where he needs it. Yeah.

I'm about ready to take my cattle prod with me to teach him to play things IN ORDER!

I feel like Willie Nelson's bassist - he never knows where Willie will go next ---- or at all, even!

Watch that bass player of Willie's some time - he's nervous as a constipated cat.

 

[matante]

Look at those people who can't dance and say they just don't have rhythm. It's because they don't know the 1-2-3-4... 1-2-3-4... Some people just feel it. Others have to be taught.

 

[SurferJoe46]

I can only dance after a few beers. See? Bud makes me wiser!

 

[EricF]

Most schools have deemed music and art as nonessential. My kids school has zero music classes at all thru grade 12. We have killer graphics on our football stuff though. I'm told by many parents that's what's important.

Thankfully, my kids go to (public) schools where music and art is considered an important part of the cirriculum. My younger daughter's school has put a larger emphasis on music, performing arts, and visual arts than any other elementary or middle school in the District. Every year, I continue to be stunned at how high a percentage of the middle school students (6th-8th grade) choose to participate in the school's elective arts and music programs. I'm equally stunned at how high a percentage of the students make honor role (3.0+ GPA) every semester. Also, every year, the school's API scores (state standardized tests) are the highest in the District. Is there a connection between music/art and acedemics? Hell, yes. It's too bad more school administrators ignore that fact.

 

[notverygood]

Thankfully, my kids go to (public) schools where music and art is considered an important part of the cirriculum. My younger daughter's school has put a larger emphasis on music, performing arts, and visual arts than any other elementary or middle school in the District. Every year, I continue to be stunned at how high a percentage of the middle school students (6th-8th grade) choose to participate in the school's elective arts and music programs. I'm equally stunned at how high a percentage of the students make honor role (3.0+ GPA) every semester. Also, every year, the school's API scores (state standardized tests) are the highest in the District. Is there a connection between music/art and acedemics? Hell, yes. It's too bad more school administrators ignore that fact.

What magical state is that in? I'll be moving shortly and from what I'm told our new school district is much better. So my fingers are crossed.