Where did you learn your theory

[walterh]

Hello,

I am new to the forum. I was wondering how many of you are classically trained musicians? How many of you learned theory from a teacher, school, or from books?

thanks

[B3Wannabe]

books

[JayZee]

First from books then from friends with music majors and degrees


God Bless You,

jayzee

www.gospelmusictrain.com

[DMusicMan87]

Taught myself theory, I would look at sheet music, and listen to the track, and when it got to a repeat or D.C al Coda or something, it would go back to some point or whatever. I counted the notes on a keyboard in half and whole steps. That't how a found out about, WWHWWWH, which is the formula for a major scale. It's better to teach yourself, but if there is something that you don't understand, ask someone.

[bug]

I am self taught in Music Theory.  I did go to school and was taught all kinds of theories for many years.  Some of it is useless.  I took what I needed from school and used common sense in applying it to what I wanted to play.  I passed my tests and got my certificates, that say I am qualified to do different things in music, however music itself teaches you theory.  If you can read music, you can learn a lot from just reading it.

Music Theory is the flunk out course for many institutions of higher learning. That course has destroyed more lives than any other course I can think of, except maybe anatomy for pre-med students.  They always have to test you with something to see how bad you want the degree.

Music Theory has helped me and hurt me in many ways.  I wish my ear was as strong as my theory skills are.  My ear is good but, it is not as good as I would like for it to be.

The rumors about Wolfgang Mozarts prodigeous tonal memory are legend.
One story was he went to an opera and heard the music and went home and wrote it out by memory.  Several hours worth of music were retained in his head and he reproduced it.

I am not a big fan of his music though.  Its runny and its silly.  He writes scale passages and chords that use the divided and subdivided beat too much for my taste.  He does not come across as serious enough for my tastes. I saw the movie Amadeus and got a picture of the man and his music.  I realize Hollywood has to distort reality, so I take it as not being totally accurate.

He wrote some Masses.  All the classical composers did, but he didn't write anything of real lasting value in the serious religious catalog.  He was a Mason.  But I don't know his religious affiliation.  He was dead at 29.  That's not much time. I have lived almost double his years.

I still prefer Johann Bach and his Lutheran Church Job.  He was a church musician his entire life, and he experimented with many theoretical techniques.  Thanks to him we have the present system of tuning.  Bach was  busy making babies and working with music.  He was very prolific and fruitful.  Bach lived a long life. I need about 20 more years to catch him. I only have one son, so I can forget about catching him with the off-spring.


brother scott

[BBoy]

Basically from reading and self-study. Now, however, I sure do wish I would have applied myself more when I was in my teens.  

Be Blessed  

[jonesl78]

piano lessons, high school marching band, orchestra, books, LGM.

[NeOnGrL_MMBC]

Books, teachers and some of it was self taught! I think my learning stretched alittle more by teaching myself, but was better acquianted with knowledge by my teachers and by the books.   Good luck with everything!!

reputable websites

[monique201284]

I learned my music theory from the books and the piano teacher that I had in the past.

Senorita Monique

[playhear]

Many sources - at first, I picked up tips from a friend in college who traded me piano lessons for pizza and beer. He gave me some beginner books, which I studied probably more than I studied some of my classes. Around that period, everything just clicked. I could then effectively talk to other musicians, pick up random books and search the internet for knowledge from here and there. I found that different sources had different things to offer in the musical puzzle.

I realize that most advanced players leave stuff out when they try to explain theory. They sometimes forget what it was like to be a beginner. If you're a beginner, hang in there. I never took formal lessons, yet consider myself fundamentally sound in theory.

[louieII]

well while I was in school I would go and visit the one of the musicians at the church who was a music teacher he taught me the basics of the theory other things I learned on my own

[T-Block]

Lake Region hHgh School and Polk Community College.

[bug]

I think a teacher who can actually play well is the best method to learn from.

A teacher can help you avoid trial and error.

Most of the time we have to teach ourselves.

A teacher will get you to where you want to be faster than on your own if the teacher can play well and understands what you need to learn as a gospel musician.

I had a teacher while I was in highschool who had a PHD from Julliard.  He knew all of the stuff I needed to learn but wouldn't teach me.  He was strictly a classical teacher.

My high school band teacher, who was a trombonist actually started me out on learning theory with a blank manuscript book.  I learned how to write out all my scales and intervals in a blank book.  He was very inspiring.  My classical piano teacher told me that he didn't like my band teacher.  He felt that I didn't need to know chords and intervals.

You have to use your own intelligence.  Realize that if one person won't show you what you want to learn go to someone who will teach you what you need to know.

After I had declared my major in college and was in my sophomore year in college, the old high school classical teacher started to work with me on counterpoint and began to help me, however it was too late.

The classical music teacher died  before my junior year began.  I never liked his method of teaching.  He was a very selfish man, and although a fine musician himself was never a really good teacher.

brother scott

[diverse379]

the contemporary keyboardist by John Novello  very comprehensive
thew jazz improvisation series volumes 1-4 very good
jazz theory by mark levine            great explanations on all subjects
jazz piano by mark levine              great to get you started on playin jazz
the pop piano book by somebody butr it is a real thick book and has all the genres pop country new age gospel fast and slow funk and R&B

Mastering jazz keyboard by noah baerman  get it with the cd great substitutions
and all the other books in the this alfred series get the blues methods too
 bach chorales
 the evolving bassist by rufus reid EXcellent for understanding bass lines
the improvisors bass method by chuck sher

[B3Organist_007]

diverse379 what is the difference between the Jazz Theory and the Jazz Piano books by Mark Levine??

[walterh]

The jazz piano book specializes on voicings, styles of piano like stride or bebop. The jazz Theory book is more on progressions and universal theory that can be applied to all instruments. But they do overlap. I have both and would recconmend getting both.

[Davelong]

First, tons of books - I've got most of the books that "Diverse379" mentioned.  I've got lots more, too - can't get enough of this learning thing - it's like chocolate to me - can never get enough, and it's so much fun, too!

I also studied theory at university, but I found the books more helpful.
(I'm not sure how useful my course in "Shenkerian Analysis" would ever be)

[ApostolicFemale]

From Mozart. He's got alotta patience yanno.

[Muziqmann]

Books.  If you play by hear pretty well theory only explains what you are doing.