How much music theory do you know? How much of it winds up in your songwriting?

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Yeah, I think there are a lot of "principles" (rather than "rules") that can help you figure out why something you hear sounds good or bad and how to get out of ruts. Like learning a thing or two about chord voicings and harmonic motion helps you break out of that "same chord shape, different position" or "random chord shape until I find one that sounds good" box.

― Abbadabba Berman (Hurting), Friday, 2 December 2005 17:55 (eighteen years ago) link

one month passes...

I desperately want to learn theory. I have managed, somehow, to play saxophone for nearly 15 years and not pick up a LICK of theory (no music classes whatsoever). I'm trying now to learn, on the piano, just to be conversant/rudimentally able to solo (I've always just winged it).

Any texts you could recommend?

also, Hurting: I think it's a bit easier to undervalue theory once you've already learned it. Like, "you can't break the rules until you know them." Etc.

― gbx (skowly), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 22:56 (eighteen years ago) link

They're more practical than theory-heavy, but Rikki Rooksby's books have served me well... [here]

― Confounded (Confounded), Monday, 9 January 2006 22:42 (eighteen years ago) link

Spelled that wrong: Rikky Rooksby

― Confounded (Confounded), Monday, 9 January 2006 22:43 (eighteen years ago) link

software is good way to drill the stuff into your head as well, this stuff gave me a good edge on memorizing chords, scales etc. That's old software though, someone else probably knows a more modern app.

― Pablo (Pablo A), Monday, 9 January 2006 23:13 (eighteen years ago) link

Ha! I was wondering who was going to be the first to admit to owning a Rikki Rooksby book.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 00:08 (eighteen years ago) link

Um, I have one of those books around here somewhere too. Heheheh.

― martin m. (mushrush), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 02:05 (eighteen years ago) link

Hey, I got no pride issues. Rikky's a fine time!

― Confounded (Confounded), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 18:24 (eighteen years ago) link

yeah, Rikky Rooksby is good. this one is also good:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/063400638X/qid=1136927760/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-0254997-0415904?n=507846&s=books&v=glance

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 21:16 (eighteen years ago) link

Actually, I've got a few of his books myself, and yeah, he's got a good approach.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 22:42 (eighteen years ago) link

The guitar is actually a great tool for learing music theory, I think, because intervals work in such a systematic way (one fret = half step, 2 = whole, etc.)

I think George Van Eps (jazz guy) has a good book on harmonic motion on the guitar. I don't know what it's called but a teacher used to xerox stuff for me. Helps you break out of that "move the chord shape from here to there" box.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 01:24 (eighteen years ago) link

the guitar hurts my hands.

― Pablo (Pablo A), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 02:20 (eighteen years ago) link

The guitar makes my hands bleed sometimes, but that is fucken ROCK.

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 11 January 2006 02:29 (eighteen years ago) link

Some of the Amazon reviews seem to think ol' Rikky was pulling his punches in his Riffs book.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 20 January 2006 03:10 (eighteen years ago) link

I think one of the best ways to improve your songwriting is to learn to think in terms of harmony and voice leading instead of "chords." Don't learn "new chords" learn how chords work.

― Abbadavid Berman (Hurting), Saturday, 21 January 2006 01:12 (eighteen years ago) link

three months pass...

[spam]

― ***, Thursday, 27 April 2006 20:52 (eighteen years ago) link

spam'd

― pablo (Pablo A), Friday, 28 April 2006 03:48 (eighteen years ago) link

i can't read music. i know scales.

sometimes i download modal scales off the internet just to break my fingers out of old habits...but i'm terrible w/theory.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 28 April 2006 17:08 (eighteen years ago) link

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