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Where did YOU learn music theory?

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(@psyka)
New Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1
Topic starter  

I'm currently trying to understand music theory, but it doesnt seem that the information is organized in a concise mannor. Thats probably because I'm largely uninformed in the subject. I'm not confident in my knowledge, yet, nor can I apply my knowledge to the fretboard. I can form major, minor, seventh chords, and I know the two main scales. I know a little about the circle of fifths, and how to conform a chord progression to major and minor scale tonalities.

I've been playing for about 5 years, and now I'm getting serious. Enough noodling around on the guitar, I want to make it sing! I used to want to be the dude who does all the badass solo's but, now I'd rather prefer to be a rythm player. I have no background in music, and so I'm basically doing this from scratch. Tried a few teachers, but they didnt really help out very much... more annoying than helpful. I bought Tom's (NoteBoat) book, and it seems more like a helpful reference book than a step-by-step learning tool.

Enough rambling, I'm curious as to how you all learned music theory, so maybe I can get my momentum moving forward at a faster rate, cause I should be much better than I currently am :/

So...how did you do it?!


   
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(@321barf)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 133
 

Mostly from the internet,lol. :lol:
Enough noodling around on the guitar, I want to make it sing!

If you work alot at it then you'll get better at it.

Here's some suggestions...

Use primarily the notes in the chords.Other notes in the scale,and also chromatic notes,can then be added (where appropriate) to the chord tones to HELP the chord tones form a more complete or more solid melody,but should be selected carefully based on how they sound.Theoretically any note is up for grabs and can sound good depending on what note(s) come before it or after it,and how you phrase it.And also depending on how it sounds against the underlying chord at that moment in time.And then other considerations such as genre can play a part as well.

If you have good chord changes and the chords sound good when they move from one to another then the notes in those chords should sound pretty good too and can be used as sort of a melodic framework or skeleton.What other notes you put with them is entirely up to you and what sounds good to your ears.If you can match the notes in your melody to lyrics and the syllables in the words of your lyrics(note you can use totally madeup nonsense lyrics for this),then you can sing them and tweak around with it until you get it to sound like a melody that sings.Then once you've got it completely refined and have a melody that sings then you just find it on the guitar and play it with the same vocal quality and it should sing.

If you've got good chord changes then try arpeggiating the chords and then ocassionally try reaching for nearby non chord tones that sound okay to your ears.

Another important thing is that when you strum a chord the last thing that you'll hear is the top (highest sounding) note in the chord so that's the note your ear will remember and so that's where your ear will naturally want to hear the melody.Once written you can always transpose the melody into a different register later.

Generally melodies are written first and then later harmonized with chords afterwards.So this explanation has been working backwards,lol.So you may try messing with lyrics and singing to try and come up with a melody first and then select chord voicings which have the melody note as the highest note to harmonize a given melody note,etc.But not everybody writes the melody first.Some people sometimes work backwards to this,lol.

The thing about music theory is it's just a bunch of suggestions or guidelines.There are no real hard and fast rules that say YOU MUST DO IT THIS WAY EVERY TIME.Theres ideas and suggestions but theres not like a songwriting formula that you must follow or even one that's foolproof that you CAN follow.And if there was then that would sort of take the artisticness out of it I think.


   
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(@321barf)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 133
 

Here's a pretty good description of music theory I stumbled across on the internet:

http://www.studybass.com/lessons/basics/about-music-theory/


   
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(@demoetc)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2167
 

I enrolled as a music major in college.


   
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(@greybeard)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5840
 

Mostly off the internet and in creating my own site, Noteboat's book, Walter Piston's book and a few other, random places.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
My Articles & Reviews on GN


   
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(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

Open University course. I didn't take the course - my former mother-in-law found it on a street market complete with the long-playing records, but missing the Orchestration book.

A :-)

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
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(@musenfreund)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5108
 

There's no "did you learn" to it for me -- it's an ongoing process. But what I do know is wed to playing and trying to understand what's happening in a song or with a song as the band arranges it. My teacher also incorporates regular doses of theory into my guitar and bass lessons.
You might also try Tom Serb's book Music Theory for Guitarists. You can read The Guitarnoise Review of the book to learn more.

And welcome to the asylum for the musically insane!

Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon


   
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(@maxrumble)
Honorable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 441
 

My two cents

Well I am pretty much in the same spot you are. I probably understand a little more theory than you but I have been going at it the same way. Ive read tons on the Internet, Tom's book and a couple of others. Ive been playing for four years.

I think it takes years of studying (not just reading) and applying the stuff you learn to get a handle on theory. If you tried to learn any complex subject, you could not become an expert after reading one book. The more books and articles you read the more it comes together. The books that I do have, I've read at least three times each and will do so again. Each time I find I understand a few more concepts.

So I think you are going about it correctly, just realize that it will take a while.

Cheers,

Max


   
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(@tommy-guns)
Honorable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 314
 

I've been taking lessons with a teacher I found through a music studio in town. I called the studio and they forwarded me his name. He charges $15/half hr but it's well worth it. I started taking lessons at a guitar store for a year and just felt like I was getting no where. Now after being with him for a year I've learned more and I feel much more confident in my playing ability. I would suggest finding a teacher that you work well with. It DOES make a difference.

Ambition is the path to success...persistence is the vehicle you arrive in!!!


   
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 Bish
(@bish)
Famed Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 3636
 

Mostly from the chit-chat around here.

I have an instructor but we aren't that far along yet. Currently working on open, bar and power chords. I can play every chord but learning the notes and memorizing the fret board is taking a little longer. I think I suffer from the same illness Wes has. (but I can't remember what it is. :D ) Also, learning the directions on a sheet of music, ie..coda, etc.

The biggest thing I learned here was GAS and it has gotten the best of me I must admit. :oops: Shame on all of you! (My wife says that. She thinks it costs too much to hang out here. I like it here.)

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"


   
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(@banre)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 414
 

The biggest thing I learned here was GAS and it has gotten the best of me I must admit. :oops: Shame on all of you! (My wife says that. She thinks it costs too much to hang out here. I like it here.)

Oh, hello pot. This is the kettle.

Everytime I see a post of yours with that gorgeous Schecter I'm ready to go drop $600 at the shop. Between that and the link to Willie's in the other thread, you guys are really hurtin' me.

As for theory, I played in high school and college band for years, so reading music and all that goes with it came from there. I have a guitar teacher now that I am learning a ton of chord theory from. A big +1 on the teacher post above.

Unseen Evidence
UE Reverb Nation Page


   
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 Bish
(@bish)
Famed Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 3636
 

The biggest thing I learned here was GAS and it has gotten the best of me I must admit. :oops: Shame on all of you! (My wife says that. She thinks it costs too much to hang out here. I like it here.)

Oh, hello pot. This is the kettle.

Everytime I see a post of yours with that gorgeous Schecter I'm ready to go drop $600 at the shop. Between that and the link to Willie's in the other thread, you guys are really hurtin' me.

Oh man that is funny.... :D

Bish

"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"


   
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(@holycrapitsacheesemonger)
Active Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 3
 

If you really want to understand Music Theory, Learn the Piano. Its Similar to the guitar in the way that the notes are layed out in front of you, unlike the trumpet for example. But with the piano the notes are layed out much more simply. When you are trying to understand Music Theory, you can just imagine a piano in your head. It really does help, especially with the theory of harmony and chords.


   
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(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

I started learning theory through regular private music lessons - you pick up a bit by osmosis that way.

Then I went to college and studied theory under Dr. Hans Gross - a very lively old German guy who started his professional music career playing piano for silent movies. If he's still alive, he must be over 100 now.

After college I kept on studying on my own, but with a better sense of direction, and a decent set of fundamentals.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@mikemc)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 39
 

I currently have an insructor who is very patient and doesn't mind my endless e-mails I send him with questions after our lesson is over. When i first started with my instructor I remember telling him that I wasn't interested in theory and I just wanted to learn how to play songs. That changed after a while and I started becoming curious about how all this works together and what makes a song sound good. It amazes me how someone can write lyrics and compose a song and then put it all together. I feel that is so far out of my reach right now that it almost feels unattainable. But each day I read an article or learn something from my instructor and one thing clicks and I say "I see!", but it has been a slow process.


   
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