Theory 101

As we have more members pouring in, we're likely to get a few aspiring musicians here and there. So, I'd like to get this thread going for anyone who might have questions regarding music theory. I'll gladly answer any questions I have the answers to, and if not, surely someone else here is qualified to do so.

Despite occasional slightly off-topic comic relief, feel free to ask any questions, and you'll receive an honest response.

Here is a simple music theory chart posted on /mu/ occasionally, if anyone is interested.



Personally, most of the musicians I listen to have little knowledge of music theory, and I have little music theory knowledge as well. But I know for some genres it is imperative to know music theory.

... is this now an info thread? because i have a lot of those pics.. love em too.

clutch wrote:

... is this now an info thread? because i have a lot of those pics.. love em too.

I don't know, I was just trying to contribute.

+1 to you and I would like to say the following-

I am first and foremost a singer. Been singing all my life. I have been in multiple church choirs and in chorus in high school. Also, was in elementary and middle school band in the percussion section. My family always had some sort of keyboard in the house. Started out with an organ form the '60s. Then was a foot pump organ from the turn of the century(1900 for you young whipper snappers). Then had a Kurzweil electronic baby grand piano. It was very nice. A saxophone playing friend taught me the intro to Kenny G's Songbird in about 20 minutes back in the late .80s. Wish I had done a woodwind or brass instead of percussion. I took a handful of classical guitar lessons. Enjoyed them immensely...

ANYWAY...

MY STRONG ADVICE to anyone learning any instrument is to take care when choosing a teacher. Shop around. Take a single or short series of lessons with 2 or 3 teachers at the same time. Your teacher can start you on a wonderful path of learning. OR, your teacher can completely kill your desire to learn. And, of course, there are teachers that fall somewhere in the middle.

Learn whatever you can on the internet. Learn in school if you are able. But, take care in choosing a one on one teacher.

ENJOY! Music is wonderful!

christchin910 wrote:

clutch wrote:

... is this now an info thread? because i have a lot of those pics.. love em too.

I don't know, I was just trying to contribute.

i think i should too. it's on the same topic, just a little different.

Awesome. I could definitely see that chart being helpful for beginners. Thanks And yeah, you really don't need to know much about theory to be a successful musician, for the most part. I just love the science behind it, and it really just makes everything a hell of a lot easier when you know how everything works.

clutch wrote:

christchin910 wrote:

clutch wrote:

... is this now an info thread? because i have a lot of those pics.. love em too.

I don't know, I was just trying to contribute.

i think i should too. it's on the same topic, just a little different.

Wow, I know musicians get little of the money from record sales, but dang.
Besides, with the advent of piracy, it has given so much opportunities to musicians that would never be considered "canon" by the record company-ran Hollywood that so desperately tries to saturate the market with generic pop.

Sorry for getting off topic though.

clutch wrote:

christchin910 wrote:

clutch wrote:

... is this now an info thread? because i have a lot of those pics.. love em too.

I don't know, I was just trying to contribute.

i think i should too. it's on the same topic, just a little different.

lol, that's helpful as well.

I can tell this thread isn't going to go quite as planned, lol...

HeyVanity wrote:

I can tell this thread isn't going to go quite as planned, lol...

Yeah. Whatever his name is thoroughly hijacked it. But, not so much in a bad way.

You should start a new thread and title it your theory thread and post some rules. Seriously.

MOTOKO wrote:

HeyVanity wrote:

I can tell this thread isn't going to go quite as planned, lol...

Yeah. Whatever his name is thoroughly hijacked it. But, not so much in a bad way.

You should start a new thread and title it your theory thread and post some rules. Seriously.

lol, it's cool. I may do that somewhere down the road if we get enough people who are interested, but for now this will do just fine. Besides, I'm pretty sure I helped jack one of Clutch's threads the other day, lol.

You should retitle this thread to "Music Charts and Graphs" and make a new one for music theory questions

Protoid wrote:

You should retitle this thread to "Music Charts and Graphs" and make a new one for music theory questions

Well, considering you're the second person to suggest that, I may do so, lmao.