Hello,
Most people start learning theory with something like "OK, the I chord is always major, the ii chord is always minor, ect...but they have no idea why. Not understanding some basic definitions and concepts will make learning (and more importantly applying) music theory needlessly complicated and frustrating - if not impossible.
A few questions...
Can you name the notes on your guitar up each string? (it doesn't matter at all how quickly you can)
Do you understand how every sharp could be renamed as a flat (for example, Db and C# represent the same note)
Do you understand how to construct a major scale from whole and half steps? Do you know what half and whole steps are?
Do you know how to build triads within a key?
Do you understand what intervals are? How they relate to major scales? How they relate to the structure of chords?
Do you know how to spell out the notes of a chord?
Do you know your chord formuals (there are specific definitions as to what makes a chord major, minor, major 7th, dominant 7th, minor 6th, etc......
Let me know....this is all very simple to learn if you go step by step. The payoff relative to the investment of effort is enormous!
"You learn something old everyday." Mister Rogers (Mister Rogers Neighborhood)
[This message has been edited by mapletrees (edited 01-23-2001).]
[ 03-08-2001: Message edited by: mapletrees ]
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