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 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Music Teachers are saying Nooo!


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/383895

5B-Ranch - Posted - 06/16/2022:  06:42:08


m.youtube.com/watch?v=PHdo1qWNWI4



This guy is probably making music teachers pull their hair out.



But I agree with his philosophy.


Edited by - 5B-Ranch on 06/16/2022 06:47:15

RB3 - Posted - 06/16/2022:  07:04:12


I've always thought that the operative word in the phrase "music theory" is theory.

rcc56 - Posted - 06/16/2022:  10:04:26


"Music teachers are saying Nooo! . . . "

That depends on the teacher. We're not all saying "noooo" to Mr. Wooten's lesson. I agree with most of what he is saying, although I might say some of it a bit differently.

I have a master's degree in music, and am qualified to teach theory in any conservatory in the US. I also have over 30 years of teaching experience. Mostly private lessons, but I have taught some guitar-oriented theory courses at a private school.

When I teach theory, I introduce the subject by saying that theory does not tell us what we must play, it only tells us some of what we might play. I add that not everything that is "theoretically correct" sounds good, and things that are not "theoretically correct" might sound very good.

My primary teacher at the conservatory usually taught only senior and graduate level theory. But I know of one time when he did teach a freshman course, and confused the heck out of the new students by opening the first day's lecture with the question "What is music?"

I like that, but I might instead ask "What is the difference between music and noise?"

As far as "wrong notes" are concerned, the same teacher opened a lecture on ornamentation by saying that "Ornamentation is the art of making wrong notes sound right."

I find theory to be very useful to enable a student to gain some understanding about music. I mostly use it off-stage, but I've been known to use it on-stage too. It is one of several wells that I can draw water from.

Music is an art. Theory by itself is not an art, it is merely a tool. And it's a very useful tool. We can use theory to help explain the art, and to give us ideas which can help us to create the art. But it is not art by itself.

And by the way, some of us do teach that the accompanist's job is to make the soloist sound good.


Edited by - rcc56 on 06/16/2022 10:11:41

chuckv97 - Posted - 06/16/2022:  11:55:25


“You use theory but you don’t think about it” Victor said. True,, like speaking - we don’t think about the alphabet or grammar any although we use it automatically because we’ve learned it previously. Uneducated people can of course also learn to speak, as can a musician play without having learned any theory. But knowing theory can help in many instances “when you’re stuck”. For instance, I have people asking me now and then at what fret to place the capo for certain keys where they want to play out of G or C position. Just one example.

steve davis - Posted - 06/16/2022:  16:44:49


I enjoy capoing a guitar at 7 and playing C for G to offer a different texture to the open guitar.
Lazy of me I suppose.

chuckv97 - Posted - 06/16/2022:  16:47:21


I think Earl did that a few times

Dan Gellert - Posted - 06/16/2022:  18:11:52


Any music teacher who says "no" to that needs to quit teaching until they learn some of it.

rcc56 - Posted - 06/16/2022:  21:25:31


quote:

Originally posted by chuckv97

I think Earl did that a few times






And Maybelle Carter.  And Carter Stanley.  And Norman Blake.  Maybe Doc also, but I disremember for sure.  And George Harrison [though he liked to finger in D position-- "Here Comes the Sun," ya know].  And "a host of others," including me.

TN Time - Posted - 06/16/2022:  21:54:28


quote:

Originally posted by steve davis

I enjoy capoing a guitar at 7 and playing C for G to offer a different texture to the open guitar.

Lazy of me I suppose.






Lyle Lovette does it all the time.



Robert

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