Theory Courses
Theory Courses
Theory Courses
THE SHORT VERSION
This Is What Happens When You Learn Music Theory The Right Way
This Is What Happens When You Learn Music Theory The Right Way
Studying music theory does not destroy your creativity.
After all, we would like to know what we are going to gain by studying Music Theory BEFORE we invest the energy to learn it, right?
You Will Be Able To Write Your Songs (And Finish All Of Them)
Studying music theory will make you MORE creative!
A big part of music theory is dedicated to the problem of going from a simple idea to a complete song.
You Will Imagine A Melody And Play It On Your Guitar – Automatically
Playing while you sings the same melody is an excellent training aid
You Will Be Able To Play On Any Chord Progression
There are two ways to play over a chord progression: by “ear” and by “patterns”
Playing by ear and playing by patterns are really the same thing
Theory teaches you know how a pattern sounds in advance
For any sound you can hear, you know to what pattern it corresponds
Theory will give you a complete connection between your heart and your fingers
Conclusion
If you want to be able to do these three things and more, then you should begin to study your music theory. While there are many resources on the web, I shamelessly recommend this site where you can find, among other things, a guide for beginners on Music Theory and a map of Music Theory so that you will know what the next steps are.
THE LONG VERSION
<a id=”theory#a></a>This Is What Happens When You Learn Music Theory The Right Way
Some people tell you that you must study music theory and others tell you that theory will destroy your creativity. Who is right? And hey learning theory looks hard… Is it worth it? What can you gain from learning theory? Let me show you.
The internet is full of articles about Music Theory tricks and tips, and in any forum you will find at least one person saying, “you have to learn your theory” and at least one that answers: “what ‘evs, man, just play from the heart”. But there is one thing that few people have talked about, and that is, what are the advantages of studying music theory?
After all, we would like to know what we are going to gain by studying Music Theory BEFORE we invest the energy to learn it, right?
Turns out that opinions on the benefits of Music Theory diverge. And there is a very simple reason for that: some people have been taught a “fake” version of music theory. How do you know if you are studying the genuine music theory – the one that works, that is? A good starting point would be this article about Real vs fake Music Theory, and of course you should always make sure that you LISTEN to how every theory concept sounds in practice.
At any rate, if you study Music Theory the “right” way, then quite soon you will gain these skills (these are just the basic ones…):
You Will Be Able To Write Your Songs (And Finish All Of Them)
Ever happened to you to have a GREAT musical idea, like a melody or a riff or a chord progression, and not being able to “do anything” with that? It’s a common problem… and it’s because your creativity and sense of composition has not been stimulated properly yet.
YES, I am saying that studying music theory will make you MORE creative! That is because, as we have seen already, music theory is not a set of rules, but a toolbox of concepts that you can use in different situations.
In fact, a big part of music theory is dedicated precisely to the problem of going from a simple idea to a complete song. Of course, there is NOT only one way to do that… you still have full creative control.
Hey, just think about the fact that Elton John will not work on a song more than 30m because he realized that if it takes “so long” then the song is “no good”… Can YOU compose a song at Elton-John-level in 30m? Would you like to? Start studying music theory and you’ll get there sooner than you think.
You Will Imagine A Melody And Play It On Your Guitar – Automatically
Have you ever seen Steve Vai playing his guitar while he sings the same melody? He is literally transcribing music on the fly… and it’s not actually as difficult as it seems: with a little bit of exercise you will be able to do it too even if you are a beginner.
Impossible, you say? Well, you can check this video at 8:55 to see how it works, and how you can start doing it immediately:
Just spend some quality time with this idea, and then let me know if it wasn’t easier than you thought.
You Will Be Able To Play On Any Chord Progression
Beginner players seem to think that there are two ways to play over a chord progression: by “ear” and by “patterns”, that is by listening to the notes that sound good (supposedly a better way to create melodies) or by knowing what patterns to play (supposedly better for complex progressions and for fast passages)
This distinction is wrong, plain and simple. If you learn music theory correctly, playing by ear and playing by patterns are the same thing because:
- You know how a pattern sounds in advance
- For any sound you can hear, you know to what pattern it corresponds
In fact, the two things will become one and the same in your mind IF you learn your theory correctly. Yes, you will have complete connection between your heart and your fingers, even when you are given a complex chord progression.
Again, it is easier than it seems – but you must get started studying to get there.
Conclusion
If you want to be able to do these three things and more, then you should begin to study your music theory. While there are many resources on the web, I shamelessly recommend this site where you can find, among other things, a guide for beginners on Music Theory and a map of Music Theory so that you will know what the next steps are.
Included for every student
…COMPLIMENTARY first lesson and assessment;
…UNLIMITED MUSIC of any style and genre: classical, jazz, popular, blues, sacred and Taylor Swift to Royal Conservatory
…EXAM PREPARATION for The Royal Conservatory of Toronto as well as the other major music schools of North America and Europe;
…EXAM FEES for The Royal Conservatory of Toronto
…ALL theory subjects;
…UNLIMITED access to our listening database:
…UNLIMITED consultations with your teacher between lessons;
…UNLIMITED access to our “Ask an Expert” research database;
…UNLIMITED access to our substantial video library covering numerous topics related to music lessons and music in general.
Our Mission
…to create teacher-student relationships that cultivate the highest order of achievement and enjoyment in all aspects of music and pre-university academics, to establish a foundation for life-long student growth, and to offer pleasurable self-interest programs and exam preparation to students of all ages and levels that are tradition based but future oriented. Our teachers strive to be inspiring as well as musical and intellectual leaders. Further, we endeavor to expand the opportunities available to all students and to enhance the quality of our community’s musical life.
The Mental Benefit
An important benefit of taking music lessons is the development of mental health. When students begin to play a musical instrument, different areas of the brain are stimulated. Instruments require a student to coordinate multiple parts of the body for the proper execution of one complicated task. Playing an instrument requires a student to read notes while moving fingers very precisely. As all pieces and musical tones are played differently, learning an instrument sharpens the brain as each hand receives different instructions from multiple parts of the brain simultaneously.
The Physical Benefit
Nothing soothes the mind better than music especially classical music. When students begin to play an instrument, they are better able to express their emotions through performance/practice. Playing out emotions through an instrument helps relieve stress in the mind and the body while achieving a state of healthy relaxation. Once students begin to play, we witness an increase in self-confidence coupled with a sense of accomplishment which raises morale and self-esteem.
