Are there any musicians on this board?

Back onto my question regarding your opinion on literature. How at 15 years of age can you tell what is and what is not "Pulp" for heavens sake you haven't lived! none of the examples you gave are pulp, a significant book doesn't have to change your life, what's good in the eyes of some could be bad in the eyes of others and I think its a tad pretentious of you to say what is and what isn't pulp.


Music theory, yes you are partially correct there. A balance of theory, practice and enjoyment is needed.

 

This is what I have always found important. Firstly, get the technical stuff out of the way. Learn your scales, then your chords. Learn to read sheet music and tablatures. study chords and begin listening to them and noticing what notes make what chords and the sounds and qualities they have.Then try out alternate tunings and capos if you play guitar. This will make things so much easier so that you can in fact broaden yourself musically and let your soul fly and experiment in many ways when you create music that comes directly from you.

I have studied theories and stuff, but when I write, I never think about theories, I in turn use the theories to enhance the chords and combinations that I make and so forth, but I never write music by theories or concepts, rather sometimes use them as aids. I sit with my acoustic guitar, and maybe capo on the second or third fret, and I just try out different chords and phrases to find the sounds that really express the sentiment of the song and then I go from there with the lyrics and other parts or vice-versa.

Peace,
Ben.

 

Back in "Secondary Modern" school in 1960's in the UK we were taught Music..

It was a nice class (beat Maths hands down)...We were taught to read and write music, played different musical instruments and were taught local folk music from our own and other countries, AND given the choice to take optional Violin/Guitar/Piano lessons if we chose...

Now I look back, it was a good education. We were taught cooking (including vitamins and cleanliness, sewing (including how to fix your sewing machine), Woodworking, Pottery and Technical drawing....

At the time I was too busy scribbling doodles on my textbooks, and my brother was too busy letting off the most (yet to be beaten) STINKBOMBS....ever (Yeah they had to evacuate the school, they were that bad..)

Point is: I can read and compose music now at it's basic level, pluck a few chords on a guitar and am gratefull for that early education....

BUT........that does not make me a musician....MUSIC comes from the heart, long may it be so.........

(I hate the way they manipulate your mind with the JINGLE music that is marketed in the top charts at the moment....Sure the songs and video's are good, very polished, but heck..is there not one ugly, overwieght, spotty incredibly talented individual that can make it on their own anymore.....WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE ARE MISSING....AND WE ONLY HAVE OURSELVES TO BLAME....)

Amen

Strawpuppy

PS: I know my kids raved about a guy in a UK council estate (father guitar playing herion addict) who's music was the best they ever heard....I tried to get him introduced to a close friend of mine who had a lot of close friends in the (WOW way up there..! Music industry..) but it all fizzled out....

Wonder what happened to him ?

Think I will start my first topic.....Talented buskers..!

 

Then, what would make a book significant? King writes entertaining pieces, and so does Rowling, but neither or them are really important or revolutionary. King won't be one to revolutionize the way people write, and Rowling doesn't bring us a new and original style...

And, 15 or no, I've lived quite a bit. Are there things I haven't experienced? Most certainly, but to say I haven't lived is just stupid.

Cloud - It is most likely that you ARE using that theory when you write, it's just at a subconcious level. That's the end point of theory. To compose more expressively and fluently without having to stop and think so much.

 

i like to read, i play a number of instruments, and write and record my own songs, and i dont find it hard to call myself a musician, just because i dont know all the music theory there is to know doesnt mean im not a musician-- what if i want to create something original? CREATE MY OWN MUSIC? make up my own guitar chords--(which i do most often) i dont really care if you think us lesser mortals are not musicians, most of the rock stars out there with true talent taught themselves everything they know anyway (the beatles for one), they didnt have to follow a guidebook, they just went by what sounds right--thats what i do and if im not a musician than what is?

 

I don't write music. I don't read music.
I do write music by heart to some extent.

I could learn to read music... I could write it physically. I just don't need to.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/1/georgesnowmusic.htm