Theory

[Number One]

1) How old are you?
2) Do you study music theory?
3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?
4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?
5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)
6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?

Thanx to those who answer.

 

[BornToShred]

Re: Theory

1) How old are you?
2) Do you study music theory?
3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?
4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?
5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)
6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?

Thanx to those who answer.

1) 18 years.
2) Yes.
3) 5. It helps, but a good ear and "feel" are more important IMO.
4) I study some.
5) I think i was something like 15-16-ish... I wanted to expand my playing.
6) I've been playing for 8 years and i still consider myself a beginner.

 

[nuntius]

Re: Theory

1) 16
2) I did yeah, i'd only say i have knowledge of about grade 4 though.
3) 9 on my compositions, 3 - 5 on guitar (coz a lot of it is just feeling, i like to improvise everything, with a lose structure to play around from, unless im gonna double track a rhythm track)
4) I took music GCSE so i did quite a bit i suppose
5) um from about 8 - 12 on piano, but i quit and forgot a lot, so i had to revise it all in music GCSE (14 - 16)
6) no coz im quite limited in what i do (i need to expand a little before i become "good")

 

[JammerMatt]

Re: Theory

1) 38
2) I did while taking lessons for 2 years.
3) 7-8, it's become ingrained now.
4) Somewhere between. I would call it "applied music theory"
5) 34-36
6) Sometimes.

 

[HetfieldRules]

Re: Theory

-16
-i recently started it, i have a very basic understanging of it
-it's about a 8 for my solo's, i mean knowing what subsitutions and scales to fit ur riffs is very imprtant, but other than solos only like a 4, but i dont know enough to make a very good decision w/ that
-i am going to start studying theory in school next year, but i hope to have it grainded into me as soon as possible
-about 2 months ago, and then a little from my old guitar teach from last year
-not at all, i've been playing for 2 years, the 1st 6th months were self taught, i have A LOT ahead of me, and i dont intend on stopping ne time soon

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Theory

1) How old are you?
34.

2) Do you study music theory?
Yes.

3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?
10.

4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?
Lots.

5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)
I started studying jazz and classical guitar at age 14. I picked up the instrument at age 13. I still take lessons when I can.

6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?
I can get the job done. I guess I'm better than some, and worse than others. For my genre, I'm good, I suppose. Always trying to get better!!

 

[Sly_D]

Re: Theory

1) How old are you?
2) Do you study music theory?
3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?
4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?
5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)
6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?

Thanx to those who answer.

1) 37

2) Sometimes, never enough.

3) 3

4) More than merely dab, but not enough.

5) I started playing the guitar at 14 (1981) and learned some theory for 6 months, then started to learn licks and chops on my own. Had piano lessons for a year or so in 1987 and got another level of theory there.

6) To answer your question honestly, no, I'm not a good musician, because I am not a musician I'm a good weekend guitar player.

 

[Lee]

Re: Theory

I'm a good weekend guitar player.

....and better than many so-called pros out there.

 

[Mike M.]

Re: Theory

My knowledge of theory is very, very limited. When I'm jamming I have a basic idea of what notes fit over what but thats about it. Same thing when I write. I don't "think" theory-wise at all. I tell myself either I hear it or I don't. I don't view myself as a musician at all. Just some guy whose trying to learn to play guitar and to be as good as I possibly can. I'm definatley not as good as some of the folks here, but I don't think I'm terrible either. Some people have told me that I underestimate myself but I don't want to B.S. myself either.

 

[Sly_D]

Re: Theory

... you bet Lee You're one of my favourite player here!

Not beign a pro musician doesn't not having talent... it just means not having the time to be on top because of a damn 9-5 job

 

[Sly_D]

Re: Theory

And if this was a compliment, thanks Lee... I'm sometimes too modest and slow to recognize it

 

[\m/(00)\m/]

Re: Theory

1) How old are you?
2) Do you study music theory?
3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?
4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?
5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)
6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?

Thanx to those who answer.

1) How old are you?
15

2) Do you study music theory?
yes

3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?
10 all the way, for certain chord progressions i need to be able to know "whta" to play. sometimes pentatonics and major/minor scales do the job. this is where chord tones come in.

4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?
as much as freakin possible, i love learning different stuff. it just so interesting to me, i love music!!!

5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)
well when i started playing again, that was about 4 years ago(i was 11), and at that point i started out on the basic theory. so to answer your question... i started studdying ti when i got lessons again, and got really into theory when i got my new teacher.

6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?
I would say that im at that point of distinguishing myself from being just a "guitar player" and becoming a "musician".

 

[Lee]

Re: Theory

And if this was a compliment, thanks Lee... I'm sometimes too modest and slow to recognize it

It was a compliment. I'm very impressed with a number of players in here. Even those that are still beginners have huge talent.

They put the 'gear collectors' to shame.



Lee

 

[nuntius]

Re: Theory

lol lee stop sniping man.

i believe its what you put in, not what you got to put on

sly D, your solo on that last jam was awesome man,

 

[Sly_D]

Re: Theory

Well, thanks Lee and nuntius. I'm also impressed by the talent of many "occasional players" on this board.

I completely stopped playing for more than 10 years (all the 90s) and got back to it 2 years ago. I now have the same passion for the guitar I had in the early 80s... and I promise myself never to stop playing again

 

[just_me_really]

Re: Theory

1) 16
2) i used to have lessons
3) 6
4) i got my grade 5 2 years ago
5) i started about a year after i had started playing piano. But i've quit both now.
6) I think im probably a fairly competant average level.
When soloing/improvising, theory can be useful with knowledge of scales and what notes are gonna sound wrong/right. Its also really useful when it comes to writing stuff down in score/tab.
But writing/playing music's all about individuality and expression, so i dont think that to be a good musician you have to know theory. but it helps.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Theory

1) How old are you?36
2) Do you study music theory?no
3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?could probally know more, but I just play and worry very little about it
4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?Well I had to in school, like above^
5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)Musictheory....I have discovered the relatively speed of musicmatter.... :duh: have played since 78-80, my dad said that I used to pick up my uncles guitar when I was a kid, got my own in 80, had lessons from 84.....dunno when I started with all the music "grammar" stuff.
6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?Dunno I just like to play, and I can stand my own stuff, and I have fun, do not care much about good or bad, all that matter is that you have something to say.
But all this is just....er theory

 

[yes-fan]

Re: Theory

1) How old are you?
2) Do you study music theory?
3) On a scale of 1-10, how important would u say that music theory is to your own playing?
4) Do you study lots of music theory or do you merely dab in it?
5) When did you start studying music theory? (the age and how long you had been playing your instrument)
6) Do u consider yourself to be a good musician?

Thanx to those who answer.

15
yes
9
somewhat lots
i started studying when i was playing piano but then i switched to guitar and kept with it.
i consider my self a satisfied with my own playing musician.