Charlotte Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 My little Marcus is having a busy time. But I'm beginning to feel that in order to learn to play it proper, I need to know some musical theory. So therefore this simple question: Are there any books you would recommend? Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 My little Marcus is having a busy time. But I'm beginning to feel that in order to learn to play it proper, I need to know some musical theory. What sort of things do you expect "musical theory" to teach you? I.e., what aspects of music do you think you need to develop? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted February 12, 2006 Author Share Posted February 12, 2006 My little Marcus is having a busy time. But I'm beginning to feel that in order to learn to play it proper, I need to know some musical theory. What sort of things do you expect "musical theory" to teach you? I.e., what aspects of music do you think you need to develop? Hmmm. Where I am at the moment I guess I need to develop everything For now it's just the basic stuff. Things like how to build scales, how are minor scales related to major scales (the only thing I know about minor scales, is that there are several!!! And some with funny names... "aeolian"????? "Mixolydian"?????(Where do these names come from????.) ) , how do you build chords?. But... Musical theory (in my mind, but then again, what do I know?) must be some kind of "toolkit", or some common knowledge built up by generations of clever musicians, that can help people like me to "understand" music a little better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Mitchell Posted February 12, 2006 Share Posted February 12, 2006 My little Marcus is having a busy time. But I'm beginning to feel that in order to learn to play it proper, I need to know some musical theory. Hmmm. Where I am at the moment I guess I need to develop everything For now it's just the basic stuff. Things like how to build scales, how are minor scales related to major scales (the only thing I know about minor scales, is that there are several!!! And some with funny names... "aeolian"????? "Mixolydian"?????(Where do these names come from????.) ) , how do you build chords?. But... Musical theory (in my mind, but then again, what do I know?) must be some kind of "toolkit", or some common knowledge built up by generations of clever musicians, that can help people like me to "understand" music a little better... Charlotte, Have a look at http://www.smu.edu/totw/ which is an on-line guide to music theory. It may at least help you to identify the areas where you need to find more information. Howard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted February 12, 2006 Author Share Posted February 12, 2006 My little Marcus is having a busy time. But I'm beginning to feel that in order to learn to play it proper, I need to know some musical theory. Hmmm. Where I am at the moment I guess I need to develop everything For now it's just the basic stuff. Things like how to build scales, how are minor scales related to major scales (the only thing I know about minor scales, is that there are several!!! And some with funny names... "aeolian"????? "Mixolydian"?????(Where do these names come from????.) ) , how do you build chords?. But... Musical theory (in my mind, but then again, what do I know?) must be some kind of "toolkit", or some common knowledge built up by generations of clever musicians, that can help people like me to "understand" music a little better... Charlotte, Have a look at http://www.smu.edu/totw/ which is an on-line guide to music theory. It may at least help you to identify the areas where you need to find more information. Howard Looks great!!! Wow! I don't have time for work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henk van Aalten Posted February 13, 2006 Share Posted February 13, 2006 Charlotte, A lot of information on modes and scales can be found here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeper Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I strongly recommend the Associated Board (red) theory book that teaches in progressive stages that coincide with their own graded music exams. Any music shop will know it and be able to get it. In particular, at the higher grades, it introduces cadences; the harmonies that underpin standard endings to phrases. I regret to say that I have seen much nonsense written about how harmonies can be mutilated in the name of 'free expression' when just about every style of music has a legitimate vocabulary that needs to be assimilated before it can be rejected or embellished. People often get fixated on scales, which are abstract, theoretical and machanical, but understanding how real music actually works is much more useful and this book soon gets on to that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I strongly recommend the Associated Board (red) theory book that teaches in progressive stages that coincide with their own graded music exams. Any music shop will know it and be able to get it. Maybe true in the UK, but definitely not in the US, and I seriously doubt that it's readily available in Denmark, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 I strongly recommend the Associated Board (red) theory book that teaches in progressive stages that coincide with their own graded music exams. Any music shop will know it and be able to get it. Maybe true in the UK, but definitely not in the US, and I seriously doubt that it's readily available in Denmark, either. Hi. Are you referring to "Music Theory in practice" (grades 1-6) from Associated Board of the Royal School of Music?. I saw them on Amazon.co.uk.... Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I strongly recommend the Associated Board (red) theory book that teaches in progressive stages that coincide with their own graded music exams. Any music shop will know it and be able to get it.Maybe true in the UK, but definitely not in the US, and I seriously doubt that it's readily available in Denmark, either.Are you referring to "Music Theory in practice" (grades 1-6) from Associated Board of the Royal School of Music?. I saw them on Amazon.co.uk.... I guess "readily available" comes in many different forms these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 3, 2006 Author Share Posted March 3, 2006 I strongly recommend the Associated Board (red) theory book that teaches in progressive stages that coincide with their own graded music exams. Any music shop will know it and be able to get it.Maybe true in the UK, but definitely not in the US, and I seriously doubt that it's readily available in Denmark, either.Are you referring to "Music Theory in practice" (grades 1-6) from Associated Board of the Royal School of Music?. I saw them on Amazon.co.uk.... I guess "readily available" comes in many different forms these days. I love these days Makes it possible for a Dane to buy a concertina!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeper Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I am very sorry to be so late in responding but I have been off this site for some time. I mean the 'First Steps in Music Theory Grades 1 to 5' edited by Eric Taylor. Here is the Amazon page. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search...1541586-1445500 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samantha Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I am very sorry to be so late in responding but I have been off this site for some time. I mean the 'First Steps in Music Theory Grades 1 to 5' edited by Eric Taylor. Here is the Amazon page. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search...1541586-1445500 The above link takes me to a search page for music theory books. This link should take you to the actual page for the book in question. Samantha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 19, 2006 Author Share Posted March 19, 2006 Thanks for your suggestions! Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterT Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Charlotte, Just a word of caution. I would not discourage anyone from learning more about music, and the theory behind music. Indeed, if you wish to play classical music, it will be essential. However, if you wish to play traditional music, do not get too bogged down with the theory and neglect practice and experimentation on the instrument. Do some of both. I know very little regarding the theory behind music, and all of what I do on the concertina has resulted from experimentation, with much trial and error. When what I play sounds "right", I know that it is right, even if I don't know why. Perhaps, if I could have understood the theory, my progress would have been faster, but in traditional music, the "rules" which work for one tune, in a given key, will work for many others. Regards, Peter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted March 20, 2006 Author Share Posted March 20, 2006 (edited) do not get too bogged down with the theory and neglect practice and experimentation on the instrument. Do some of both. Oh, I won't! Playing, practice and experimentation is just much more fun than studying theory, so I'm spending most of the time with the instrument. I just feel that it never hurts with a little knowledge. I seem to have fallen into a rhythm where I spend 10-20 minutes a day with some theory (at this stage it's note reading, scale building and such very basic stuff.), 10-20 minutes practicing scales on the concertina, and an hour or so playing, i.e. practising a few tunes, experimenting with different fingerings, and trying to pick up speed (I've found the virtual session on BBC and by now I can play along with "Planxty Irwin" and the slow reels "Rakes of Mallow" and "Peg Ryans".) So, it's a tiny bit of theory and lots of plain enjoyment for me! And thanks again for the help. Edited March 20, 2006 by Charlotte Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Charlotte, Just a word of caution. I would not discourage anyone from learning more about music, and the theory behind music. Indeed, if you wish to play classical music, it will be essential. However, if you wish to play traditional music, do not get too bogged down with the theory and neglect practice and experimentation on the instrument. Do some of both. Everyone has a different perspective, I guess. I know a great deal about music theory, having studied it seriously in college as a classical musician, and I find that it helps me enormously when I play folk music, even more than when I play classical music, because in folk music you tend to improvise chord patterns and counter melodies, while in classical you play what's on the page. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 ...in folk music you tend to improvise chord patterns and counter melodies,... Yep. But I do that with little or no background in "music theory". What I do is experiment to discover things that sound good and things that sound bad, then try to reuse the former and avoid the latter. In fact, it starts out being exactly that simple. Accumulated experience lets me gradually develop distinctions that are more subtle, sophisticated, and complex, as well as learn to "feel" where they are on the instrument without thinking about them. Is that necessarily slower than learning a set of rules from an authority? Depends on who's doing the learning, I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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