Music Theory vs Playing by ear

I-AM

New member
Hi all,

I was going to do a post, but I think they kind of annoy people to a certain extent. Anyways....
I was wondering who knows music theory and what their views on it were as far as advancing in creating songs and etc. Do you believe in it or do you pass it to the side and say "Just play"?
For a long time I have dibbled and dabbled in playing the guitar and piano with no theory background. Funny because after much time of practice you begin to know the instrument and what chords or sound you are looking for.
Hopefully in time I will reach a comfortable balance between a good "sounding" song, and a good "sounding mix".
But I would love to hear some of the views from members of this site.
 
I'm studying music theory at brussels conservatory right now... Music theory is just a way to learn music. Just a way to make you understand what's happening, and in my eyes, it'll just speed up the proces of learning to play 'by ear'. It just makes you realize what it is you hear and why you hear it that way...

Music is only 'by ear' to me. Theory is a way to get it there more quickly. Learn the changes, then forget about them.... (As charlie parker once said, and all the jazz-teachers after him too I guess....)
 
I studied music theory a while back. I went to music school for a couple years. I barely remember anything I learned.

There's all kinds of areas to develop in music. Creativity, technique, theory, feel, understanding of the physics, etc.

It all depends on what interests you most. I was amazed by the composition majors who could write pieces on paper knowing exactly what they would sound like when performed by an ensemble. If that is what you are interested in - learn theory.

I bet that most people who can improv over complex changes have a good grasp on theory.

If you are new to theory, I'd advise to be prepared for the payoff to not be immediate. They'll also tell you to avoid using parallel fifths. Every heavy metal guitarist would flunk. :D
 
Theory will teach you how to "build chords", what chords will sound pleasing to the ear in what key etc. It does help in the long run for the non classicly trained guitarist by helping them to get down what they want by ear a little quicker with less stumbling blocks. Yet, its only a theory and all rules are made to be broken.
 
dragonworks said:
Yet, its only a theory and all rules are made to be broken.

I agree. Often it's best to learn the rules and break them. Other times it's better to break them due to ignorance.

I'll swear my professors felt that "rules are made to be followed". Maybe that was just the attitude they conveyed in order to get us to learn.
 
Technically, learning to play by ear (aka ear training) is an important part of learning music theory. The first thing many theory classes teach you is how to recognize intervals by ear, because knowing the intervals makes understanding the theoretical concepts that music is built upon much easier.

I never use theory for composing, preferring first to reach the destination on my own intuition. Later, I look at the map to determine how I got there in the first place.

Cy
 
I just started Theory classes.....been playing by ear for 27 years........

It helps..............................a lot...


sort of like math....it just makes sense....ya know?
 
They're all tools, and the more tools you have at your disposal the better. Every little thing helps, maybe not right now, but somewhere down the road you may need some little piece of something you thought you might never use.
 
I agree; you should take advantage of whatever tools might help you write a better song. All of my theory has been learned bits and pieces at a time, but it has been ongoing for many years. When I write it's still mostly by ear, but when I hit a rough spot or am stymied composition-wise, the theory is useful.
 
I'm primarily a self taught, play by ear kind of musician. I have taught myself to sight read, but I can pick a song off a record much faster than trying to read a score. I've also tried to learn some theory along the way to gain a better understanding of the art of music.

I have recently been trying to really study and understand modal application of the various scales and in during so I realized I "knew the scales and modes" (from years of jamming and improv) - I just didn't know which scales were which.

I do feel learning some theory can be useful in understanding why certain notes work with other. It is a tool and it can help communications between musicians (ie: the song is a I, VIm, IV, V progression). However - your ears, hands, heart and soul are what really make music.
 
I totally agree with all who have posted their comments.
I began wanting to learn theory about 2 years ago. I love creating Hard and Heavy metal (distortion freak!!!!) and also I love creating Hardcore Hip Hop (Like they used to do from about 92-98).
Not putting down any music genre or artist, but I saw how easy it was for me to simply sample something, (or if anyone used a multitrack midi program-simply take the drum part you created and switch it to an instrument part), add a beat and I could have a hit. Or I could down tune my guitar, and throw in a couple of power chords and I would be playing heavy. Almost at no thought. I must admit, it is fun at times when I am brain dead or just want to goof around.
When I started to really play, I started wanting a balance to those hardcore sounds, a melodic sound which in my opinion balances the heaviness of the song,a nd also sets a mood, a story for the song.
My friend, who plays guitar exteremely well, knows not much about scales and progressions and chords and kinda downs me in a sense for wanting to learn theory. Makes me feel sort of like a snob of music....Well dammit that's what I am. Because every time (or in the past) I record a musician and they play out of scale it urks the crap out of me. It's like having a dream about Halle Berry in lingerie and being interrupted by Fat Bastard from Austin Powers.
Granted I am no control freak, because sometimes things sound the way they do~ just because, and even there is some musical thought into that.
Of course theory has almost limitless possibilities, and I dare not go too deep, just enough to get a grip, and possibly compose my own *unique* pieces.
My 2 cents.
 
I'm totally self taught. I'd love to study theory and composition and such. I just don't have the time.
 
The Rooksby book is a very good book. Probably one of the more user friendly books I've seen. It is well written for a "rock guitarist" who wants to write songs. Certainly more "fun" to read than most theory books. I highly recommend this book!!!

Two other books that I thought were very user friendly (but rather dry - in a textbook kind of way) are:
Fundamentals Of Music Theory, The author's last name is Howard

Elementary Musician, An Introduction To Music Theory , The author's are Steel & McDowell.

These books aren't geared toward songwriting , however, they have a "self test" question and answer section for each chapter which is a good learning tool.

I agree with Track Rat, there just ain't enough time to learn all there is. Between trying to improve my chops on keys, guitar, drums and vocals plus trying to improve my arranging, producing and recording chops, while trying to keep up with all the new gear (not to mention gigging and working in a music store) - oh yeah, and that pesky day job - I find too little time to work on my theory and reading chops.

Oh yeah, and spending way too much time on this site!!!
 
music should always sound good first obviously... but when ur stuck and we ALL know that happens, and what were trying to create isn't sounding good then u break out the theory and usually with the help out the music 'laws and rules'. its always good to know the inner working of music and anything for that matter because it helps you exploit yoour full potential
 
I was self-taught, play by ear type for many years, but found that after studying theory, I was able to move ahead a lot faster without spending as much time "re-inventing the wheel" so to speak. I encourage everyone to take the time to learn as much theory as you can. It'll save you lots of time later and let you enjoy what you do a whole lot more. Plus!!!you'll be able to communicate with other players better 'cause you'll know how to talk the talk
as well as walk the walk.

writeon...chazba
 
Theory is an invaluable tool that everybody should at least have a passing familiarity with. If nothing else, you've got to at least know that you can wail in E pentatonic minor over a IV V I in E.

I equate it to words and grammar. You've got to at least know a language to express yourself. That's your ticket in. We can all talk, though there are thousands of words we don't usually use and may not even know the meanings of. Most of us at least know what nouns and verbs are. Dig a little deeper into sentance construction and you have adjectives and adverbs, prounouns. Dig even deeper and you have things like conjunctions and participles. Getting right down to individual sounds and you have fricitives and plosives and nasals. Then you have other considerations like tense and person. Then you have artful considerations like simile and metaphor. Do you need to know all that stuff talk? No. But if you do you can express yourself in a depth that you otherwise could not.
Then again, not everyone wants to express themselves in great depth, and that's fine too.

That's why you've got both jazz and country.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
I just started writing a song. The bridge proggression is:
Bminor- G- Gb5- D. After playing it through a few times I realized that if I played an A in the bass of the Gb5 it became an A9 chord, which resolves nicely to the D. I don't think I would have realized that without having some knowledge of theory.

That said-- harmonic theory is the rationalized intellectualizing of what our brains do via our ears without us ever knowing it.

I think that makes sense.

Jon
 
dyuob said:
They're all tools, and the more tools you have at your disposal the better. Every little thing helps, maybe not right now, but somewhere down the road you may need some little piece of something you thought you might never use.

That's a great quote. From my own experiences (being more of an 'ear' person myself) I've learned that your ear can take you more places than your knowledge can. It's a left brain vs. right brain thing.

I've always been great at soloing over chord progressions, but I rarely follow a strict chart. Normally I'll sense a change before I need to read one.

But the bottom line is, you are only limited by your own limitations. Theory is priceless, especially in song writing and breaking through that 'writers block'!
 
Back
Top