Learn Music Theory
Hi everyone,
As I sat down to write this review I pulled out my old music theory book from college. I flipped to the Preface hoping to find some inspiration for those of you wanting some words of encouragement as you think of taking on the topic of how to learn music theory. I was met with “the exercises to write and exercises to perform at the end of each chapter accelerate the assimilation of factual information and development of proficiency in the pedagogic evaluation of and dissection of musical anthology.”
Say What? Am I supposed to understand that? While I remember the course as being a decent course for a college music major your average person just wants to learn what they need in order to play well will not likely be impressed with such a ‘professorial’ sounding approach. What are the chances that someone not FORCED to take this course in order to learn music theory would complete it or enjoy it? The answer is likely slim to none. Let’s face it, people want it to be FUN.
Click here to see how Rocket Piano makes it fun.
Often people avoid learning music theory like the plague but there are valid reasons why we should make the attempt to learn theory. The trick or secret, if you will, is making it possible for the student to learn music theory in an understandable and semi-painless way. A big part of that is making it fun.
The theory lessons in Rocket Piano are designed to help with the ‘fun’ part.
You’re here because you have some interest in how to learn music theory. Or maybe you’re looking to see if you REALLY need to learn about it. Well, hopefully we can help you with that question.
I’ve been teaching a long time and it is not unusual to run into folks who are just impatient and want to learn to play without being bothered with all that technical ‘stuff’.
When the topic, learn music theory, is brought up the response sometimes goes something like this:
Theory? “I don’t need no stinking theory!”
But before we get the proverbial cart before the horse we need to understand WHY it is important to learn theory. Music theory presents us with a study of music practices and principles used by some of the masters of western music. Often these come from three eras: Baroque, Classic and Romantic. Composers such as Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart perfected the practices that the modern music of today is based on. Once you get involved in learning where things came from, and what they sound like, music becomes even more enjoyable and you understand why it IS important to learn music theory.
Songs follow certain prescribed chord progression patterns that ‘sound right’ when heard. Every chord in the scale of a given key, say “C”, naturally flows to certain other chords in the key of “C”. If you break the traditional patterns the resulting music doesn’t ‘sound right’. Knowing which progressions work together to produce that ‘right sound’ to the ‘mind’s ear’ of the listener is critical in being successful as a performer. Keep in mind, even though your listener doesn’t have to learn music theory to know what sounds ‘right’ they nevertheless KNOW what sounds good. If you don’t understand this your music will often seem disorganized or chaotic and not very pleasing to the mind’s ear no matter how good your technical skills of performance are. Musicians who internalize the concepts emphasized in music theory will stand head and shoulders above those who play randomly without understanding what’s behind the music.
For example, if you’ve ever heard a choir sing in unison an ‘amen’ at the end of a song, you have heard a chord progression known as a plagal cadence. What that means is that the tune ends with the 4th note of the scale transitioning to the first note in the scale….which give you the well known Ahhh-Men sound and you don’t have to learn music theory to recognize it!
If you go to the piano and play an “F” (the 4th note of a “C” scale) then a “C”, (the first note in a “C” scale) you will hear the familiar sound.
Playing this sequence of notes also signals the end of a song. It is such a popular theory practice that when people hear that combination of notes they intuitively know that the music is ‘finding or moving toward’ its home base and all is well….the end . Many popular tunes today end with that cadence or one of another type. A musician who knows these is equipped with a powerful tool indeed!
While it’s important to understand some theory basics not everyone wants to be a music theory major and learn music theory in the same way. The key here is to find a good balance between the ‘deep theory’ and ‘practical theory’ that a performer needs to know for good musicianship. Rocket Piano is designed to do just that. And the learning is integrated with the playing which makes it painless!
Click here for the Rocket Piano Course and learn music theory the fun way.