Listening to a lot of music, does not make one a musician, nor does it make one an authority on how to learn to be one.
 
I eat food, but that doesn't make me a chef.

But if you cook food, it does!
 
btw, when listening to music I am a museician.

soens
But if you cook food, it does!
 
btw, when listening to music I am a museician.

Will you be my muse? :D  Most of the pioneers of guitar playing had to learn the fretboard without theory, unless they studied classical based on 19th century methods.  Wes Montgomery for instance learned by rote.   It's all good.  I really encourage y'all to find a classical player in your area and study.  The repertoire is really amazing and hardly ever heard.  If you mention clapton, virtually everyone knows who you're talking about...Segovia..not as much. (George Harrison once said *segovia, he's the grand daddy of us all!* When segovia heard this he said *they're not even my illegitimate grandchildren.*)
 
Soens and Pedro bring up a good point, in that theory can *get in the way* of expressing one self. Improvising is like writing a melody on the spot...the Berklee Series isn't very good in this respect.  That method teaches you to think theory first and *melody* later.  There are better methods than that. IMVHO.

eph221
 
Soens and Pedro bring up a good point, in that theory can *get in the way* of expressing one self. 

Hogwash. Absolute hogwash. If someone who knows theory is unable to effectively express themselves musically, chances are that person was also unable to express themselves effectively before learning theory. And if that's the case, it isn't the theory that's getting in the way, its the lack of ability.
 
The suggestion in the above statement is that gaining new knowledge somehow forces one to completely forget old knowledge. And as I said, that notion is absolute hogwash. You don't forget how to walk when you learn how to drive.

JohanSebatianGremlin

eph221
 
Soens and Pedro bring up a good point, in that theory can *get in the way* of expressing one self. 

Hogwash. Absolute hogwash. If someone who knows theory is unable to effectively express themselves musically, chances are that person was also unable to express themselves effectively before learning theory. And if that's the case, it isn't the theory that's getting in the way, its the lack of ability.
 
The suggestion in the above statement is that gaining new knowledge somehow forces one to completely forget old knowledge. And as I said, that notion is absolute hogwash. You don't forget how to walk when you learn how to drive.

Spot on.

Is that microwave popcorn?
 
I think my "points" were intended for a different audience or maybe I was posting in another level of the multiverse while participating in a completely different conversation. Clearly they have been taken out of context here.

JohanSebatianGremlin

eph221
 
Soens and Pedro bring up a good point, in that theory can *get in the way* of expressing one self. 

Hogwash. Absolute hogwash. If someone who knows theory is unable to effectively express themselves musically, chances are that person was also unable to express themselves effectively before learning theory. And if that's the case, it isn't the theory that's getting in the way, its the lack of ability.
 
The suggestion in the above statement is that gaining new knowledge somehow forces one to completely forget old knowledge. And as I said, that notion is absolute hogwash. You don't forget how to walk when you learn how to drive.

 
I say hogwash to you as well.  There are indeed people where their theory gets in the way.  In fact YOUR attitude is precisely the problem with a lot of academia, the inability to see other learning styles.  Please, please, please don't teach, your position needs to be filled by a real teacher.

JohanSebatianGremlin
Anytime one produces more than one pitch simultaneously (or even not so much simultaneously), one is using some sort of chord structure whether one knows about it or not. Having knowledge of theory does not in and of itself prevent one from experimenting. Just because you understand theory and chord structure etc, there is nothing that prevents you from getting the sounds you like out of your instrument just by playing it without paying the least amount of attention to what chords you're actually playing or what tonality you're playing in. In other words, you can still play using just your fingers and your ears if you want. I experiment all the time without giving any thought to what I'm actually playing. 
 
In short, just because you know the rules, doesn't mean you have to follow them. 

how ridiculous.  Learn the rules to forget them.  you must be a poly tickian.

Randy P
I'm afraid that my skills in procuring hookers and blow have deteriorated to the point that I can't even remember the basics.

 
Didint you keep your old "Black Book" -- Locate that then  dial the numbers in there - It will  come back to you - like riding a bike!   ;)