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Old 07-31-2020, 09:10 AM
Quakeroatmeal Quakeroatmeal is offline
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Default Music Theory

Not sure if this is an acceptable spot to ask this question, but as a 32 year old with little to no music theory knowledge, it's a bit of a task for me to start picking up now.

It's seriously like learning a new language. I've picked up a book or two on music theory, and they all seem to assume you have some kind of basic understanding of simple stuff.

Are there any books that really start on the ground level of music theory? I was thinking maybe childrens book may help.

I'm at a point where I have a decent understanding of my guitar, but without the concepts, and most importantly the vocabulary, I feel like I'm floundering...

Any recommendations would be appreciated for the guitar novice interested in learning super basic music theory!
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:23 AM
mercy mercy is offline
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There are 12 notes in the musical alphabet. Three of every other one makes a major chord. All other chords are based on the major chord. You can add notes to this basic chord and you can take away notes. Any two of these are called an interval except in the case of power chords which are formed with only 2 notes and technically are not chords. There are different scale forms, the basic ones are major and minor. Most songs are the 1 chord plus the 4 and 5 seven chord. Thats a little confusing but simple: in the Key of C the chords are C, F and G seven which is written like G7.
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:29 AM
Yale C Yale C is offline
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This is my suggestion; get a keyboard (doesn’t have to be expensive) and learn scales, chords, and theory that way and translate it to guitar.

There are lots of piano resources and my reasoning is this: piano is a strictly linear instrument, whereas the guitar has many ways to play the same thing and it can get confusing to learn and see what’s really going on.

It is easier to see how scales and chords are built on the keyboard, visualizing the intervals, and how the notes “play together” with other chords.

That’s my $0.02 any way.
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:36 AM
Yale C Yale C is offline
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Also, learning the cage system and Circle of Fifths on the guitar goes a long way, and there are lots of resources

Last edited by Yale C; 07-31-2020 at 10:12 AM.
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  #5  
Old 07-31-2020, 09:38 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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The Basis of Music, by Horwood. $10. A small paperback. It assumes no prior knowledge of music. It gives just the facts, presented in a logical, traditional progressive sequence. Simple to follow but relies upon one's own motivation to progress through it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Basis-Music-Fr.../dp/0757912931

Music theory is independent of any instrument. Unless you want to learn to play a keyboard, don't buy a keyboard. For the purposes of understanding music theory, a keyboard can be helpful, but not necessary. These days, there are many aps for tablets and smartphones that give you a (sufficient) keyboard, as well as many that will help with ear training, such as intervals and triads (chords). Ear training should accompany theory so that you can learn to audibly recognize the things you are learning in theory.

The CAGED system is a mnemonic for using geometric patterns (fingerings) on a guitar fingerboard. It isn't music theory and neither adds to or is a replacement for music theory.

Last edited by charles Tauber; 07-31-2020 at 09:49 AM.
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:42 AM
MartinGibsonFan MartinGibsonFan is offline
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Once you get a good beginner book, maybe specifically to Guitar, here's a book I have in my Library that is still beyond my total comprehension, but provides lots of insight.

The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine

The nice thing is it's spiral bound so stays open nicely when practicing.

https://www.amazon.com/Jazz-Theory-B.../dp/1883217040

J
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:45 AM
Quakeroatmeal Quakeroatmeal is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
The Basis of Music, by Horwood. $10. A small paperback. It assumes no prior knowledge of music. It gives just the facts, presented in a logical, traditional progressive sequence. Simple to follow but relies upon one's own motivation to progress through it.

https://www.amazon.ca/Basis-Music-Fr.../dp/0757912931
Thanks, just picked up a copy on eBay!
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:49 AM
Earl49 Earl49 is offline
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PM sent with my email address. Reply and I will send you a PDF booklet that I developed for a week-long beginner guitar course at a camp years ago. It contains some discussion of "guerrilla music theory for guitar players". Start with the I-IV-V concept and work up from there.

Secondly The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer has good discussions of theory as it applies to guitar, and is a handy book to have on hand anyway. My copy from 1985 still gets looked at routinely.
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:55 AM
MartinGibsonFan MartinGibsonFan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49 View Post
PM sent with my email address. Reply and I will send you a PDF booklet that I developed for a week-long beginner guitar course at a camp years ago. It contains some discussion of "guerrilla music theory for guitar players". Start with the I-IV-V concept and work up from there.

Secondly The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer has good discussions of theory as it applies to guitar, and is a handy book to have on hand anyway. My copy from 1985 still gets looked at routinely.
Totally agree with the Guitar Handbook, i have it in my Library. It's got general acoustic guitar theory and lots of good information on types of guitar music.

J
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Old 07-31-2020, 09:57 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49 View Post
Start with the I-IV-V concept and work up from there.
Without intervals, one can't understand scales and key signatures. Without scales and key signatures, one can't understand (diatonic) chords. Without understanding chords, progressions like I-IV-V have no meaning.

Start with intervals, then scales and key signatures, then triads (chords). Only then, work on progressions (movements) of chords. I-IV-V is starting in the middle and assumes all kinds of background knowledge of music.
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Old 07-31-2020, 10:11 AM
MartinGibsonFan MartinGibsonFan is offline
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Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge and F A C E is a good start

Seriously though, starting in the middle isn't a bad thing, but it's a limiting thing. I did fine with I IV V or what not. If you start in the middle though, you need to be curious about how it ends or how it began, so I agree with Charles.

But starting in the middle isn't a bad thing if you know enough theory to be dangerous, if you don't have enough knowledge to be dangerous, i agree with Charles, to start from the beginning.

But then again, this is only my opinion, starting from the middle might be just the thing for someone else.

J
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Old 07-31-2020, 10:20 AM
DWKitt DWKitt is offline
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I have this book:

https://www.amazon.com/Guitarists-Mu...dDbGljaz10cnVl

I've found it quite helpful.
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Old 07-31-2020, 12:23 PM
canehorn canehorn is offline
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I haven’t used it (or perhaps won’t admit it) but there are both Guitar Theory and Music Theory for Dummies books with vids and if like others of the series, should start from basics and use fairly plain speak. Good luck!
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Old 07-31-2020, 12:56 PM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Quakeroatmeal View Post
…Any recommendations would be appreciated for the guitar novice interested in learning super basic music theory!
Hi Qom…

There are different levels of music theory, and advanced theory is not necessary for average players. In fact even though I have a degree in both music theory and education, I think theory is mostly useless for average players.

I still advocate for players who think they want to know if theory is important to them…Take a semester of basic piano at a community college or from a private teacher. Theory makes more sense on keys than on other instruments. It will tell you if it's going to fit with you and your playing, and you may learn things about piano…like why it's easier to learn scales on keys than on a solo instrument.

Theory as it applies to guitars is likely to be helpful when used to describe what we are doing, not for teaching us how to read notes on a staff, or playing from scores, etc.

Music theory is to music what grammar is to language.
If you like thinking about nouns, verbs and adverbs, punctuation, pronunciation, writing form, then you may be a theory candidate.

If you just want to carry on basic conversations then it's not likely you want to be a grammarian.

In language we have letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters etc. In music we have notes, scales, chords, passages, songs, verses, bridges, etc.

When we chat, we don't think of letters, sentences, grammar nor paragraphs before we talk. We have ideas and talk about them. And we didn't learn to chat at school. Most of us knew how to speak well by age 4-5.

Same with music
From my viewpoint, (and I have a college degree in applied music theory and music education) theory gives understanding of the music-language you've often already played. But it's not something that shows up outside forums like this…unless you are a classical musician who studied formally, or jazz musician who went to a jazz school.

So if the sax player needs specific 'notes', I can transpose the notes he needs in my head, and since he's playing either an 'Eb' or 'Bb' instrument and the rest of the band is playing 'C' instruments, I can scrawl out a makeshift staff and toss the notes on it for him/her.

If the keys player needs the proper inversions for an organ progression, I can do the same for them. If the bass player keeps missing the same note, I can 'feed' the right one verbally. As one who understands theory well, the only practical outlets for it is knowing which musical language a group I'm playing with is speaking in, so we can make music faster.

How many theory experts do you want or need in a band?



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Last edited by ljguitar; 07-31-2020 at 12:59 PM. Reason: clarity needed
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Old 07-31-2020, 12:57 PM
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birdsong birdsong is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl49 View Post
PM sent with my email address. Reply and I will send you a PDF booklet that I developed for a week-long beginner guitar course at a camp years ago. It contains some discussion of "guerrilla music theory for guitar players". Start with the I-IV-V concept and work up from there.

Secondly The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer has good discussions of theory as it applies to guitar, and is a handy book to have on hand anyway. My copy from 1985 still gets looked at routinely.
I have a copy of the Handbook I no longer reference (different reasons but no matter it's not being used anymore). So to the OP, if you'd like it, send me a PM, + address. I'm not on this site but once a week (fortunate enough to still have a job; unfortunate that it's over 40hr/week but I'm not complaining!). I have my PM set to send me an email so I'll know if you do so.

Also there is a LOT of music theory for beginners on that world wide web. Because it's "beginner" I don't think a person can get into much trouble by looking. I see you have ordered a book but just in case......

For my part, I've been delving into complex stuff and have enjoyed browsing (wait, it's crazy) Pinterest. I never thought I would do such a thing (I'm kind of a luddite in this regard and this first happened by accident but now I enjoy it LOL). I can search for various topics and up pops quite an array of offerings. Some good, some not so much. Much of it free of charge, a handful trying to get you to sign up and pay, etc. Typical story. I don't mind the clicking around until I find something useful. I see a lot of decent beginner theory stuff posted and much of it looks fine.

John
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