Guitar Theory

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Mandobart

I think I agree....ignorance is simply not knowing about something. Sometimes we don't even know a thing or piece of knowledge exists. Sometime we know something exists, but don't know anything else about it. There are libraries full of things I'm ignorant about. There is nothing wrong with this. It has nothing to do with intelligence or vice/virtue. To say "I don't speak Japanese because I've never needed to do so" is a perfectly honest and non-judgmental admission of ignorance that applies to me.

Then there's willful (and often arrogant) ignorance. When a fact or body of knowledge is plainly evident but one chooses not only not to know it, but also to deride those who are knowledgeable about it. If one says "I don't speak Japanese and have no use for anyone who does because my native language is far superior" - that's an example of arrogant ignorance and what those anecdotes about classically trained musicians remind me of.

Finally there are smug elitists who believe their specific knowledge/training/experience makes them superior people than those ignorant of said knowledge/training/experience. No better at all than the second group.

For me, musically, I approach it like tools in a box. There are lots of tools I don't have because I haven't needed them (yet). There are still tools I'm unaware of. There are tools I really ought to learn but laziness, or familiarity with a different tool have kept me (so far) from sharpening these. But I've never felt the need to dismiss them as useless tools or dismiss those users of such tools as less of a musician than me.

Of course to all of the above, and above that is father time and his hourglass.

[phydaux]

True. "Great" is the enemy of "Good Enough." There's certainly nothing wrong wanting to do nothing more than sit around with your friends, sip high balls, and strum cowboy chords. I aspire to more, but living in abject talent poverty I'm painfully aware of all the things I'd like to be able to do but currently can't.

But this week I learned something that I didn't know last week. So long as I can say that every week then the journey continues.

[Brent Hutto]

Originally Posted by phydaux

True. "Great" is the enemy of "Good Enough." There's certainly nothing wrong wanting to do nothing more than sit around with your friends, sip high balls, and strum cowboy chords. I aspire to more, but living in abject talent poverty I'm painfully aware of all the things I'd like to be able to do but currently can't.

But this week I learned something that I didn't know last week. So long as I can say that every week then the journey continues.

Most weeks I take a guitar lesson. He usually shows me at least two or three things I didn't know. My goal each week is to move one thing from my "didn't know that" stack over to my "yeah, I know that" stack.

If I can do that plus learn one more fiddle tune it was a good week. If not, well I still got to play the guitar some anyway.

[AugustWest72]

I just joined this forum and I think I'm off to a bad start. I didn't really mean to diss knowledge, training and expertise. It's just that I have a mild form of Asperger's and I really struggled with lessons when I was young. I found it really hard to get into the kind of material my teacher was presenting struggled to practice.

Then when I just started hanging around and teaching myself, I really got into it. I had some friends who played a bit(one of whom had a beautiful white Strat when he was about 15.) So I just hung around and picked things up.

Anyway it turned out I was actually pretty good at following a rhythm and picking out notes once I figured out scales and more complex chords.

I stopped playing for years but started again about 15 years ago. The last 2 or three years I've been getting really excited about my progress and getting more and more into the theory I missed. I've even started to play with people a bit again.

So I didn't mean to sound ignorant or shrill. I realize I am very intermediate compared to most of the people on this forum. I didn't know that when I joined.

Speaking of theory, does anyone know a site that teaches Grateful Dead rhythm and lead in a slow understandable way? I've been learning so much teaching myself chucks of their catalogue and I just love how tight Bob And Jerry are at jamming and improv. I've seen Jerry blow a vocal but never a note no matter what condition. I've been using Stitchmethod and a couple of others but would love to learn more theory.

If anyone knows a site that teaches Dead lessons for an intermediate with an emphasis on theory that would be much appreciated.

Thanks. Hope I didn't derail the thread.

[Kerbie]

AW72... you're fine and I hope you enjoy the forum. Some topics elicit strong feelings and sometimes music theory can do that. But it's OK... we just try to keep it polite while we disagree.

Hope you continue to ask your questions because there is a wealth of knowledge here and you can soak up a lot very quickly!

[AugustWest72]

Lol, thanks - just having a newbie moment.

I'm learning a lot

[Fred_Garvin]

Get this songbook:

https://gdsongbooks.com/products/the...-dead-songbook

Hit YT and JDarks still has ALOT of stuff.

2 best sources IMHO.

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by nweekes

I have played guitar faithfully for 30 years. I primarily play fingerstyle from artists such as Leo Kottke, Adrian Legg, Pete Huttlinger, etc. I am a good player. The problem is that I can only read tablature. I have tried really hard for two decades to read music notation, and increase my guitar knowledge but I really struggle. Does any one have advice?

Thank you.

Which aspect of reading music do you struggle with? Note identification, key signatures , timing etc?

[AugustWest72]

Originally Posted by Fred_Garvin

Get this songbook:

https://gdsongbooks.com/products/the...-dead-songbook

Hit YT and JDarks still has ALOT of stuff.

2 best sources IMHO.

Looks good.

[Social Exodus]

Originally Posted by phydaux

Music Principles For The Skeptical Guitarist Vol I: The Big Picture

Music Principles For The Skeptical Guitarist Vol II: The Fretboard


by Bruce Emory, available on Amazon

To this excellent suggestion, I would also add:

Fretboard Logic by Bill Edwards (Excellent CAGED theory primer)

Edly's Music Theory for Practical People (this one is quite entertaining as is Skeptical Guitarist)

And if you want to go blind with fretboard diagrams, check out the Guitar Grimoire series. Not for the faint of heart or semi blind people but it does have some great info in there.

[Banter Shack]

This is something that I plan to tackle in due course. However, I am thankful for tab.

[Golffishny]

I learned to read music at 10 years old taking trumpet lessons. I taught myself accordion and guitar and learned to play by ear. I learned the circles of 5ths without realizing it while I played accordion. I believe the easiest way to learn sight or ear playing is to practice childrens' songs. The relationship of notes is easier for me on a keyboard. Don't be overwhelmed by the learning process. Smaller bites are easier to chew. Good luck.

[Nymuso]

Originally Posted by nweekes

The problem is that I can only read tablature. I have tried really hard for two decades to read music notation, and increase my guitar knowledge but I really struggle. Does any one have advice?

We are in the business of creating sounds, hopefully pleasing ones. Yet we seem to believe the secret to creating and combining those sounds is locked in ink on paper. I believe it is in the mind of the creator and the ear of the beholder. Toward that end what I do, all I have ever done can be summed up as: Tune, Listen, Imitate, Repeat

[Brent Hutto]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

We are in the business of creating sounds, hopefully pleasing ones. Yet we seem to believe the secret to creating and combining those sounds is locked in ink on paper. I believe it is in the mind of the creator and the ear of the beholder. Toward that end what I do, all I have ever done can be summed up as: Tune, Listen, Imitate, Repeat

Some of us are not blessed with the ability to create original tunes or the knack of hearing something and learning it by ear. Fortunately we can make pleasing music by referring to the ink on paper, even if it is no use to some people.

I took my mandolin to a two-day traditional Irish music workshop once. From many hours of classes, tune demonstrations and performances I managed to learn one fiddle tune well enough to actually play along with the group. A week later I could no longer remember the B part melody and had to go look it up online.

If that were the only way to make music, I would not make music. Just too much time required to get even a simple tune learned.

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by Brent Hutto

Some of us are not blessed with the ability to create original tunes or the knack of hearing something and learning it by ear. Fortunately we can make pleasing music by referring to the ink on paper, even if it is no use to some people.

I took my mandolin to a two-day traditional Irish music workshop once. From many hours of classes, tune demonstrations and performances I managed to learn one fiddle tune well enough to actually play along with the group. A week later I could no longer remember the B part melody and had to go look it up online.

If that were the only way to make music, I would not make music. Just too much time required to get even a simple tune learned.

This is why/how the years of formal training and studying and practicing to gain an understanding of song structure pays off. I was not born with the natural ability or knack to figure out songs by ear. I can do it easily now, because I've been working on it for years.

I know how the majority of western songs (classical, folk, Irish trad, blues, bluegrass, show tunes, rock, country) are structured. When you know the key of the song you're playing, you pretty much know what the next chord is going to be. It's not a question of talent, knack, natural gifts, etc. It's work and time.