On Mar 1, 2:01=EF=BF=BDpm, max.agin...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:
> Hi everyone!
>
> I am an adult beginner in all things musical, in what concerns both
> playing an instrument as well as knowing theory. It would be great if
> you could help me
>
> (i) pick an alternative book to replace the one I am currently using
> and
>
> (ii) tell me how I can get out of the situation I currently find
> myself in (in terms of being minimally "musically competent").
>
> From searching the newsgroup, I have identified the following titles
> as being often suggested for those who are NOT looking for an academic
> textbook:
>
> - the Master Theory series
> - AB Guide to Music Theory
> - What Makes Music Work (Seyer et al)
> - Harmony and Theory: A Comprehensive Source for All Musicians (Wyatt
> and Schroeder)
>
> What I know, don't know and what (I think) I need [I am sorry this is
> not clearer]:
>
> - My goal is to be able to functionally play an instrument (the bass
> guitar) as an amateur while understanding what I am doing.
>
> - My high school education had one big hole, and that hole was music.
> Until last year, all I knew was the sequence of the notes in the C
> major scale.
>
> - I am generally quite competent with "abstract systems" (math,
> programming), and had thought that learning basic music theory would
> be a breeze compared with getting basic skills in playing an
> instrument -- wrong! Actually, I am completely stuck on the theory
> side. As I mention again further below, is the answer to this "rote"?
> (It is fine with me if the answer is affirmative; I just don't know!)
>
> - Using a book ("Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory" -- I know
> many abhor series of books of this kind, but the Amazon reviews
> actually suggested it was helpful for adult beginners and I hadn't
> thought of checking Usenet before choosing one), by now I have learnt
> about =EF=BF=BDconcepts such as notes, different types of scales and
> intervals. I know these "in theory"; I can neither listen to them in
> my mind nor I am able to tell you what are the notes of the G major
> scale without first writing down the C major scale, seeing where the
> half-step intervals are (I know they are between E-F and B-C) and
> proceeding from there by "****fting" the sequence of intervals so that
> it starts on G... Is this just a question of rote? [If the answer is
> yes, then I will =EF=BF=BDpractice it over and over again. I simply
don't =
know
> if I am lacking understanding or if the way is to simply "mechanize"
> it. Please point the way! : )]
>
> - I also have fruitfully read stuff online (including some excellent
> threads in this newsgroup), but I need something more structured --
> not in the "intense hand-holding" sense, but rather "here is how all
> these things fit together".
>
> - I am having a hard time following the discussion of chords in my
> current book because I have to stop and think every time I see a
> reference to an interval ("go up a major third from E" -- hmm, what is
> that? Let us see, a major third is 4 half-steps, and the transition E-
> to-F is one of those two exceptions which is just one half-step away,
> so that makes [counts mental fingers]... G#!").
>
> - Using the Hal Leonard method book for my instrument, I am happy with
> the little technical progress I have made until now. But, in my
> current situation, I could just as well be a trained monkey or a
> robot!
>
> It would be great if you could suggest either one or more books from
> the list above or some other title that escaped me.
>
> Also, and perhaps most im****tantly, how does one get over this
> situation where any reference to a scale or an interval requires lots
> of arithmetic to figure out "what the next note is"? I *will* memorize
> all of them if you tell me that is the way to do it. : )
>
> Any help would be great. I love music, go to live concerts
> independently of being able to get friends to come with me on that
> particular night and remain utterly clueless. I can (and do) devote
> time to learning it, but both the average hours as well as the
> vagaries of my work schedule are not conducive to fruitfully engaging
> an instructor.
>
> Thank you so much for any time you devote to this.
>
> Peace,
>
> Max
You say you want to play the bass guitar and want a firm foundation in
theory. Even though many chapters in my book, including those on
theory, are of a general enough nature to be applicable to any
instrument, it still is geared toward pianists. It would be better for
you to find a comprehensive book on learning to play the bass guitar
-- if it's truly comprehensive, it will cover all the theory you want
and will be relating it to your instrument. I'll do this for you,
though -- Reply to author and I'll attach to an email a pdf file of
the chapter on Major Scales. Use it, then email me about how it
worked, and if you desire I'll email you with the next chapter, and so
on as to what you can use.
Neil Miller, author of THE PIANO LESSONS BOOK
Enter in Amazon.com search: Neil Miller Piano Lessons Book
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