The other point I'm making is that knowing the theory lets you cut to the chase...and for anyone who just pokes around looking to find something that works, they are simply taking the long road...but there's no additional "creativity" in doing that, though I'm sure it feels like it is to the person just poking around.
I suppose, but there's no less "creativity" than someone who knows theory, either. Creativity is creativity, regardless of whether someone knows any theory.
I get all that...I was simply saying that I don't waste my time analyzing modes individually, since they are only small parts of a scale.
This is my whole point about modes. They're not just "part of a scale." Each mode is
a unique scale in its own right. For some reason, some people like to say "modes aren't scales," but that's kind of silly. There are two "modes" ---
Ionian and
Aeolian --- that go by two other common names: the
major scale and the
minor scale. And no one's going to deny that those are scales.
What I'm saying is that each of the seven modes is a scale all its own. And, IMO, as I said, this is best viewed from a parallel relationship---i.e., play C Ionian, C Dorian, C Phrygian, etc. instead of C Ionian, D Dorian, E Phrygian, etc. (which is all going to sound like the C major scale).
That said...some of the great, older blues players had no idea what key or scale or mode, or even what notes they were playing...and yet, managed to "converse" quite well with other musicians...but I agree with you that sometimes being able to speak basic theory helps the conversation.
Absolutely. You don't need to know the names of things to express yourself musically. You just need to know the sounds. Knowing the labels just helps speed up the communication process sometimes.
I'd also argue that there are probably just as many players who know theory but haven't developed their ear very much, and those people are lacking in another form of communication.
In other words, there are two different ways musicians can communicate with each other: one can
play something for the other one, or one can
say something to the other.
What are you playing there?
I'm just doing this: (plays a I-IV-ii-V in G)
or
What are you playing there?
I'm playing G6-E7-Am7-D9
Assuming he's not helped by looking at the fretboard or something, the person with knowledge of theory but a poor ear isn't going to be helped much by the first example, but he would be fine with the second example.
The person with a great ear, though, would be fine with the first example, whereas he wouldn't likely glean much at all from the second.
Someone who knows theory
and has a developed ear would be fine either way.
However, since music is an auditory art, I think having a developed ear is
much more important than knowing theory. In other words, if you know what a I-IV-ii-V
sounds like, and/or you can play back a melody you hear once without hunting and pecking on your instrument, you're much more likely to be sought out by other players than if you can tell them the names of a bunch of chords/scales but can't recognize them when you hear them.
Of course, knowing theory is great too, but if I had to pick one, a great ear will always trump theoretical knowledge in my book. (The best is to have both, of course!)
I remember seeing a video clips (or was it a story I read somewhere?)...where BB King was playing with some more modern players (might have been someone from the Stones or similar), and talk of chords came up, and BB simply said something like, "you guys just play, I don't bother with that stuff" or something like that...and it made me realize that he really didn't use that language, and that he was primarily a single note, lead player. Like I don't think you saw him strumming rhythm too often, he just would play the single notes, probably following set patterns he was familiar with.
I imagine B.B. could play a few more chords than he claimed to, but it's no doubt that single-note playing was his bag for sure.
I also get a kick of the players/strummers who can't play without a capo...I mean, maybe some songs they can, but it seems they know a handful of chord forms and/or a few licks within the first few frets...and the capo lets them get around without needing to know more.
I always see Jimmy Vaughn playing with a capo. Granted, he plays what he knows well...but without that capo, I don't know how easily he could free-jam with other players given the key of a song...?
I don't know whether Jimmy Vaughan can play well without a capo or not. He certainly loves playing out of the E shape, and that's why he uses the capo so much.
As for strummers or other players "not being able to play without a capo," I don't know that I would go that far. I think most of the time, people use a capo to allow them to achieve a certain sound in a different key. For example, someone may have a song that suits their voice in Bb major. They may be perfectly able to play lots of barre chords all over the neck, but that won't sound the same as strumming open chord shapes. In other words, if they put a capo on fret 3 and play out of G on the guitar, that's going to have a very different sound than if they played without a capo and used barre chords for everything.
I think it would be even more pronounced when you talk about fingerpicking and bluegrass-style flatpicking. Sure, you could pick songs like "Black Mountain Rag" without a capo in different keys, but they would sound totally different without those open strings ringing. And that's a huge part of that bluegrass sound.
I guess what I'm saying is that I think the number of players who use a capo because they don't know/can't play any barre chords and/or can't play any scale shapes outside of open position is probably in the minority. I'm sure there are some people, but I think most do it because it allows them to achieve the sound they want.
And even if they do use one because they're limited, well then ... who cares? It didn't seem to hinder John Lee Hooker much.
All players have limitations in one form or another. Some can sight read on the guitar really well; most guitar players can't. Some know tons of chords and scales; lots of players only know/use a few. Some can play really fast; others can't or choose not to try. In the end, it doesn't really matter. If a player is able to communicate effectively and touch others with their playing, then they're doing their job I guess, right?