I have been playing guitar now for 50 years. I was tuck in rock barre chords and pentatonic scales ( from memorization) forever. I decided to learn some basic music theory in hopes it would unlock some progression in my playing. I truly think that all guitar players should have basic music theory understanding. What are the keys. What chords reside in each key. Circle of 5ths. Triads. Extension ans and inversions eventually. It is really like learning a second language, which it is. This way whether communicating with other musicians, themselves or there notes (sheet music, lead sheets, chord diagrams, etc), the message and intent it much more clear. Going deep int theory can be daunting and even useless for many. However, the basics can really open up the mind and hands to the fuller power of music.
100% agree! It's a language, and learning that language makes it easier to communicate with others. I'm with you. It was just time to start going deeper.
What is the make and model of that guitar you're playing? I can't quite read the headstock. The body is Tele-esque, while the neck is Gibsonish, but the tone is wow!
Yeah! It's a Harmony Jupiter. Love these guitars. They're kinda "thin" compared to a LP. They have a LP-like shape (single cutaway). The pickups are gold foil humbuckers. It's a lovely axe. I have several of them - different colors. Here's the one in my video (I bought mine maybe 3 years ago; so the price was lower then): www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JuptRPW--harmony-jupiter-electric-guitar-pearl-white-with-rosewood-fingerboard
Just so you know, board games have moved on a hell of a lot and you should look back into them - a lot of people clearly agreed that a lot of rules were stupid; so many good games now! Great video overall, cheers!
Music theory was never easy for me. Nor math. That's because of my learning style. Abstractions came easy. Formulas eluded me. I could not remember formulas to save my life, in part because I needed to understand the philosophical underpinnings of the formula. I.e., "But *why* is this true?" Like trying to grasp boardgame rules (which I never could). And there are many guitarists who can relate! However, I can read music. I spent my formative years as first chair clarinetist. I was good. You can imagine my band teacher's disappointment when I later decided guitar was more interesting, and quit woodwind. I don't regret that decision. However, I do regret not taking music reading into my guitar learning. I was so good at learning by ear that it didn't seem relevant (in fact, it seemed superfluous). And now I'm catching up! My music theory aversion has lifted, and I now see it as just a rich language, full of wonder and possibility. That's what this video is about, because I know many guitars who believe music theory is some old crusty irrelevant "system" not worth exploring. In fact, they already know music theory! They just don't realize it. I want to help them expand upon what they already know, and dispel any aversion. "Come in the water! It's awesome." Figuratively.
No one said they were rules, ffs. It's not weird. If you can read music, you can make an actual living playing guitar. If you can't, be able to compose a hit song or play shit bars for the rest of your life. No one is hiring anyone to shred in A minor. Can you read a score? Can you look at it and see the whole progression? That's all theory, or as I call it, knowing what the heck you are doing. it's not a mystery. Again, write a hit song and you get a pass. Otherwise, be able to spell the V7 chord in A major or minor You should at least understand chordal movement in fourths and how chords are stacked diatonically in thirds so you can spell chords. Be able to spell all triads in all keys, then extensions. This stuff is super important and basic.
Perhaps you didn't get far into the video. I explain that music theory is a language that is very helpful, once you understand its long history and how music theory was developed over many centuries. It's "weird" because of its long, long development. Its internal logic is anything but intuitive to the uninitiated. Similar to how English is obtuse and wacky to the uninitiated. Once you allow that music theory, as a "language", merely helps facilitate communication between musicians, the light bulb can brighten and the doom can lift. So the point is: "Music theory is weird. And that's okay. Embrace the weirdness! Come into the water, because it's awesome. Learn to communicate with other musicians. And, while you're at it, learn new concept and expand your horizons!" The goal here is to reduce trepidation and ease acceptance, especially for music theory-averse guitarists, which is probably most Rock guitarists in the world. By the way, I can read music. I was a first chair clarinetist the entire time I played clarinet back in school. I eventually quit because guitar was more interesting. However, (and I regard this as a mistake) I didn't see my reading ability as relevant to guitar, because I was so good at learning guitar by ear. Now, many years later, I am catching up and wanting/craving all of that. This video is partially borne of my emergence out of music theory aversion into the light. I want to learn, and I am but a padawan. I wish I'd started much earlier in life, but there's no time like the present to learn.
![ARGENTINA vs. CHILE [3-0] | RESUMEN | ELIMINATORIAS SUDAMERICANAS | FECHA 7](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/De3AWmXzhuA/mqdefault.jpg)
Really liked your dictionary illustration about publishing what already exists.
I have been playing guitar now for 50 years. I was tuck in rock barre chords and pentatonic scales ( from memorization) forever. I decided to learn some basic music theory in hopes it would unlock some progression in my playing. I truly think that all guitar players should have basic music theory understanding. What are the keys. What chords reside in each key. Circle of 5ths. Triads. Extension ans and inversions eventually. It is really like learning a second language, which it is. This way whether communicating with other musicians, themselves or there notes (sheet music, lead sheets, chord diagrams, etc), the message and intent it much more clear. Going deep int theory can be daunting and even useless for many. However, the basics can really open up the mind and hands to the fuller power of music.
100% agree! It's a language, and learning that language makes it easier to communicate with others. I'm with you. It was just time to start going deeper.
What is the make and model of that guitar you're playing? I can't quite read the headstock. The body is Tele-esque, while the neck is Gibsonish, but the tone is wow!
Yeah! It's a Harmony Jupiter. Love these guitars. They're kinda "thin" compared to a LP. They have a LP-like shape (single cutaway). The pickups are gold foil humbuckers. It's a lovely axe. I have several of them - different colors. Here's the one in my video (I bought mine maybe 3 years ago; so the price was lower then): www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/JuptRPW--harmony-jupiter-electric-guitar-pearl-white-with-rosewood-fingerboard
Just so you know, board games have moved on a hell of a lot and you should look back into them - a lot of people clearly agreed that a lot of rules were stupid; so many good games now! Great video overall, cheers!
Hey, thank you! And good advice. It has been a very long time since I played a board game. Well, one of my own choosing, anyway.
learning music theory is very very easy - its all simple math
Music theory was never easy for me. Nor math. That's because of my learning style. Abstractions came easy. Formulas eluded me. I could not remember formulas to save my life, in part because I needed to understand the philosophical underpinnings of the formula. I.e., "But *why* is this true?" Like trying to grasp boardgame rules (which I never could). And there are many guitarists who can relate!
However, I can read music. I spent my formative years as first chair clarinetist. I was good. You can imagine my band teacher's disappointment when I later decided guitar was more interesting, and quit woodwind. I don't regret that decision. However, I do regret not taking music reading into my guitar learning. I was so good at learning by ear that it didn't seem relevant (in fact, it seemed superfluous).
And now I'm catching up! My music theory aversion has lifted, and I now see it as just a rich language, full of wonder and possibility. That's what this video is about, because I know many guitars who believe music theory is some old crusty irrelevant "system" not worth exploring. In fact, they already know music theory! They just don't realize it. I want to help them expand upon what they already know, and dispel any aversion. "Come in the water! It's awesome." Figuratively.
No one said they were rules, ffs. It's not weird.
If you can read music, you can make an actual living playing guitar. If you can't, be able to compose a hit song or play shit bars for the rest of your life. No one is hiring anyone to shred in A minor. Can you read a score? Can you look at it and see the whole progression? That's all theory, or as I call it, knowing what the heck you are doing. it's not a mystery. Again, write a hit song and you get a pass. Otherwise, be able to spell the V7 chord in A major or minor
You should at least understand chordal movement in fourths and how chords are stacked diatonically in thirds so you can spell chords. Be able to spell all triads in all keys, then extensions. This stuff is super important and basic.
Perhaps you didn't get far into the video.
I explain that music theory is a language that is very helpful, once you understand its long history and how music theory was developed over many centuries. It's "weird" because of its long, long development. Its internal logic is anything but intuitive to the uninitiated. Similar to how English is obtuse and wacky to the uninitiated.
Once you allow that music theory, as a "language", merely helps facilitate communication between musicians, the light bulb can brighten and the doom can lift.
So the point is: "Music theory is weird. And that's okay. Embrace the weirdness! Come into the water, because it's awesome. Learn to communicate with other musicians. And, while you're at it, learn new concept and expand your horizons!"
The goal here is to reduce trepidation and ease acceptance, especially for music theory-averse guitarists, which is probably most Rock guitarists in the world.
By the way, I can read music. I was a first chair clarinetist the entire time I played clarinet back in school. I eventually quit because guitar was more interesting. However, (and I regard this as a mistake) I didn't see my reading ability as relevant to guitar, because I was so good at learning guitar by ear. Now, many years later, I am catching up and wanting/craving all of that.
This video is partially borne of my emergence out of music theory aversion into the light. I want to learn, and I am but a padawan. I wish I'd started much earlier in life, but there's no time like the present to learn.