Keys: Knowledge and power, or restrictions?

Jagon

i suk at guitar but for some strange reason it aint hard for me to get the sound i want when i write a song, it comes naturally to me.

SillyBilly

knowledge is power

😎

StevieK

iluvblackfrancis said: Reading sheet can help you get perfect pitch, if you ever want it. Perfect pitch, I hear, makes you a much better player, and it definatly makes you more efficiant at learning new songs. I wish so much that I had it.

Go to one of the ealier topics I made here, it has a program thats really helpful in developing perfect pitch.

JJLipton

I saw this interview with stevie ray vaughn where he said that when he looked at a video tape of him playing he had no idea what he was doing in terms of chords and scales. I think a little theory couldnt hurt anyone, and helps those of us who arent geniuses unlike srv.

BobArsecake

Christ how did I not see this before, who're the 5 morons? If you don't know the rules, how are you to break them to become an even better player? that's how to get famous as guitarist, not 'cause you can play like somone else, obviously, why do you think there is such thing as a "Clapton" sound? etc...

Ffs, grow up and stop thinking you can blag it like that and be good.

Otherwise you'll never know "how" to lpay the guitar, you'll just be copying what you hear, thus be invalid, to everything in the world.

StevieK

Theories all about what you do with it. When you first begin to learn theory, you spend time focusing on following the rules and are forced to concentrate more on being precise then really being 'musical'. But after a while, the scales and progressions are just programmed in your head so you can manipulate them randomly and emotively at will without thinking. Its at that point that you really begin to grow as a musician, then you can play anything you want by ear or off of sheet music and tabs because you can hear whether somethings minor, major, augmented, or diminished, and pretty soon you're used to hearing the same keys over and over again and it gets ever simpler.

What I work on now is trying to transfer what I hear in my head to the guitar. A lot of times this can be hard since you're playing from your mind and what you're hearing in your mind often doesn't sound as good once you've figured it out in the real world. So its hard, and no matter how good you get there's always more to learn. Always.

Doog

The only time I ever really use theory in my writing is when I'm putting vocal harmonies together, all other times I just tool around with parts 'til I dig the outcome.

That said, I reckon theory is important- you gotta know the rules if you're gonna break them, yo.

ekwatts

BobArsecake said: Ffs, grow up and stop thinking you can blag it like that and be good.

I've been blagging playing guitar for 9 years now. I'm really, really good at it.

element062

I'm a little confused as to what blagging is..... But, anyways I think that by knowing my scales and my theory it greatly helps me to know what sounds good together, especially in solos.

ekwatts

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=blag

johnniespring

knowing theory doesn't make your solos sound good.

Gavin

I bet Grohl knows a lot more theory than Cobain ever did, doesn't stop his music being boring as piss.

BobArsecake

haha, I understand that theory isn't everything, but it just seems like it gets over looked way too much. I have a friend, who's easily one of the best young guitarists in the North East, and his theory is terrible, but he can get the sounds he wants, and needs 'cause he's been playing so long and know's what's what, so I'm not denying that, but he'd be even better with some more theory in his pocket.

StevieK

Gavin said: I bet Grohl knows a lot more theory than Cobain ever did, doesn't stop his music being boring as piss.

Yeah but I bet if Cobain knew more theory his music would have been that much more badass. Talented people will always be talented, regardless.

ciadonkey

zach12 said: ... im sorry what???

mumblyjoe

I agree ilovebf.

Since I started learning some proper scales and atm trying to learn note association, I found I can wipe out some songs really fast and my improv has gone through the roof.

My other band member though, he has been "lead" for a while but he has set himself into this idea that he will only and ever play grunge. The stupidest thing he said is "I've never used my pinky finger and never plan on doing. Barre chords are the hardest i do, and i dont use my pinky"

It's rediculous, for a "lead" guitarist, he doesnt even use all his fingers and doesnt even know the name of the chords he plays. And worst of all, he has the ego of "i dont need to know that". He also preached about being "all alternative" then I put on a bit of radiohead and he's like "thats too out there man".

Similar story with an emo band I saw at a party lastnite, except they were also gay.

Doog

I used to be in the "maaan, i do whatevah i waaaant maaan" school of playing guitar about 5 years ago. Then I saw a few guitarists locally that made me want to take my playing more "seriously". Not like, go to BIMM or something, just learn more and be a better player.

And I still do whatever I want, but I'm a better player now. Theory and technique won't neccessarily make your solos "better" but they'll make you a better musician. Like mumblyjoe's co-guitarist; he farts around and can get by in their band, but would be totally lost in a different situation. And it sounds like he's got the mental age of a 15 year old (if he isn't actually a 15 year old).. GRUNGE & NUTHING ELSE 4EVAR! Yeah, I got over that at about 17..

BobArsecake

As my old guitar teacher said, you learn the scale, and "express yourself" through how you "randomise" it in a solo or riff, anyone can learn notes and a scale and that, but not everyone can make a cracking riff and solo.

hurbet

i know nothing 😕

nietz

Isn't this thread old enough?

« Previous Page Next Page »