The most confusing thing for me is not learning the theory, but what to do with it. What works best for me is if I know where the theory comes from, so I've started researching into some history too.
As for standard notation, I have played clarinet and trumpet using it but could never process what note was which fast enough. If you gave me sheet music say for an audition for a band or something and said "learn this and play it for us in a week" I could read the notes, play them over and over then come back and play the song for the audition. I wouldn't be playing from standard notation but by that time, either my brain or muscles will have memorized the song. If you gave me the sheet music and wanted me to play it right then and there...............well I'm screwed.
I did have an interesting insight about taking lessons though. While at work, I was drilling and one of my co-workers noticed it was taking me a while to punch through, so he showed me how to hold the drill and I punched through a lot faster. I got to thinking, taking lessons is a lot like that, isn't it? The teacher shows you techniques, the correct way to do them and a few tricks to make it faster and/or easier. Or is taking lessons nothing like drilling holes?
Nope - taking lessons is exactly like that.
A good teacher will give you the tools you need to succeed faster than if you were to try and discover them yourself.
Good teachers are worth their weight in gold.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
I am working 10-12 hours day 6 days a week so I can afford lessons the only problem is........I am working 10-12 hours day 6 days a week, I'm having trouble finding time to practice on my own, let alone take lessons.
Another possibility I am considering is going to school full time to learn music. Tons of resources to draw from, tons of musicians to draw from as well. Only issue is it's really really expensive.
So I have three options:
1) Self-study
2) Private Lessons
3) School
All of them have their advantages and disadvantages. But I'll have to weigh the choices long and hard.............*comes back with a quarter* Anyone know what heads means?
Heads means good luck.
I would go for classes, as you will learn in an environment you need to learn in from an "overall" musical stand point.
But please, don't aggravate the teacher. That person is there to help you learn. They are not there to help you get your rocks off by pissin' them off.
Theory is a gathering of past information to help you with future decisions. Take it or leave it, but the information is there for you when ever you want it.
I'm guessing your questioning doesn't come through so well in text - that the "prove it" is really "how come?" or "why?"
It's a rare student that's really antagonistic... maybe one in a thousand (so far, all males in their mid-teens for some reason). With them, I just put my foot down, and if they keep the attitude, they lose me as a teacher. Life's too short for dealing with that.
On the other hand, a student who asks "why" ten thousand times is always welcome - in fact, we should all do that more. I think students of Zen call that approach "the beginner's mind" - that you only learn if you first accept that you don't understand; if you just absorb instruction without asking questions, you're acquiring information... if you ask and understand the whys, you're acquiring knowledge.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
I don't think music theory is like any other 'theory' really. (I have scientific theories in mind here). General theories tend to try and give some reasoning to some behaviour that is noticed.
Music theory is more like: We've noticed these patterns that sound good. Why don't we name them for easy reference?
It does other things that are theory-like as in make predictions like if you play the root, fourth and fifth chords in a key it will sound 'good'. But although it does these things it doesn't really try to explain the 'why?'.
The proof or not of music theory is experimental. When I first started to learn I-V-VI, I 'tested' it. I wasn't as antagonistic as to say 'why?' to the teacher but I did go and try it, in fact try and break it to check it really did work.
Although I'm sure I've seen the odd post from noteboat that hint toward certian ratios of frequencies being pleasant to the ear. And that's probably the closest I've seen to 'why' as it goes with music theory.
I think music is also a bit like comedy. Sure, certain sorts of jokes are funny, but then you can play about and change one tiny aspect and it's so much better. And one of the reasons it's better is because it's like that familiar thing but with a twist.
Usually if I question something, say in music, it's either because I want to increase my understanding of it, or I'm curious. I can't see any teacher having a problem with that, and if they do, well I can't change that.
I'm still deciding though. I'm enjoying teaching myself. Especially since I started going into the history of theory and music. I've learned why power chords don't sound bad with distortion. What voice leading is. And I'm starting to slightly understand why certain chords sound good together and why keys have principal chords. Its because they contain some of the same notes isn't it?
