If I were to leave my house tomorrow morning and decide to walk to Austin, knowing it's roughly SSW from my house, I might get there, and I might not. I have a goal in mind, but not a framework for logically reaching it.
If I headed out to Austin with a map in hand, the odds of me getting there greatly improve - and that's true whether I decide on taking the straight line or the scenic route. Having the framework allows me to make choices, while still maintaining the original goal.
When I start an improvisational solo, I may have no idea where I'll go with it. If I get halfway through and find I'm totally lost, knowing theory will give me a decent chance of making something out of it that doesn't sound like total dreck. It's my map to make corrections if I find myself off course.
Knowing that theory doesn't mean I'll do well every time. If I stick to building the solo 'by theory', I won't be playing things most folks will find objectionable... but I probably won't be exciting them either. If I completely forget what I know about theory, it may be exciting (or not!)... and I may crash and burn.
Theory vs. emotion is not an either/or question. You can wring every drop of emotion from a phrase and still have it conform to the 'rules'. You can break all the 'rules' and still have it sound flat and expressionless.
Music theory is simply a system of organization. Knowing that the scale root occurs in both the I and IV chords means I can repeat a phrase centered on the root over both, and it'll sound ok. Whether that phrase sounds great or not depends on what I do with it... timing, expression, accents, phrasing, dynamics, technique, etc.
Knowing theory doesnt mean you're using it as a crutch to replace emotion or creativity (although for some players, that might be true). It simply means you're aware of how what you're doing fits - or doesn't fit - the typical practices of past musicians. It means your departures from that past practice may be deliberate ones, whether they work or not. And - in my opinion, this is the most important part - you can look at things that players do that excite you, and come to some general conclusions as to why it drew that response from you... and then you can try those things out yourself.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
If I were to leave my house tomorrow morning and decide to walk to Austin, knowing it's roughly SSW from my house, I might get there, and I might not. I have a goal in mind, but not a framework for logically reaching it.
If I headed out to Austin with a map in hand, the odds of me getting there greatly improve - and that's true whether I decide on taking the straight line or the scenic route. Having the framework allows me to make choices, while still maintaining the original goal.
Great analogy! :lol:
Stairway to Freebird!
