I really don't understand the term "critical" in this context.
 
An example of "rote" as far as I understand it would be the memorization of a song key using the exact letters/symbols or nomenclature. This memorization process would be exact and specific and may even take place in the absence of familiarity of the sounds the nomenclature describes.
 
It includes memorizing song key symbols on a staff and it also includes things like memorizing "Every Good Boy Does Fine".
 
That's my impression of what "by rote" means.
 
I see a lot of merit to learning that way... I just never had the ability to do it myself. I was too busy tapping my toes to stuff I heard on the radio and around the house etc.
 
 
all the best,
mike
 
 

Maybe;
 
Rote= a process such as; Play this chord ( from somebody showing one how to make it and tellin one , "it is a X chord".)
Critical= explain how that type chord is built.
 
Rote= "play this" ( from somebody showing one how to play a major or pentatonic scale)
Critical= learning how a major or pentatonic scale is built.
 
If we agree I can see going into deeper waters LOL.

I think I see what you are getting at.

Well you got me beat then!
 
Then what is next?
 
Would it be "symbolism" ? ( reading music)
 
 
 
If you're interested in kicking this around Mike...PM me.
 

I just meant that I thought I understood your explanation of a difference between rote and critical.
 
My brain is scattered today. I would like to consider this further when it gets back to normal.
 
 
best regards,
mike 

 I have never heard the term "rote" before.
 
 If rote is a less complex way to pick up music I'm all for it. If rote means one learns from broad concepts and is allowed some personal flexibility. I love the concept. Chord charts, number systems etc. I guess these would all fall into that category.
 
 If this is true then, critical must be mostly the opposite. Diatonics, chord inversions, what things mesh well with other things musically.
 
 If you're asking for examples on critical, probably almost anything classical, and this kind of thing lends itself well to midi. Maybe the composer feels there is an emotional element in their music but it is all distilled down into notes on a page and parts in exact keys and placements. Learning from this persuasion is all about learning your scales, chords, keys and musical relationships on paper.Lots of emphasis on technique. How things are supposed to sound by the rules.
 
 OTOH an example of rote might be a few pickers sitting on a porch in West Virginia somewhere. Neither of them had any "trainin". Other than maybe someone in the family said that this is how you do this and that and they picked it up. No one would say these guys can't play, but if a classical piano player on vacation came along and wanted to join in he had better be a pretty good ear player too.
 
 Years ago when I took trumpet I was told how I was supposed to hold the instrument. Then I saw Miles Davis breaking every rule in the book but he was famous and holding the trumpet the wrong way.He could hit notes I never dreamed of. 
 
 I certainly fall into the rote direction. I don't like all those rules. I have had some formal training but I seldom use it. I played a special number on piano this past week that I didn't really know what I was going to do until I did it. I played with something for about a half hour before I went on. I took something structured and added some stuff to it here and there. It went off without a hitch. I took a song written in a major key and I made an intro in the same format in a minor key, then I merged it into the major key and added some other stuff to that. It all seemed to fit together. The week before that I played  a song using a looper and an acoustic guitar. I added a rhythm guitar part, a bass part and some vocal backups on the looper. I switched certain parts on and off and added a harmonica part. I learned guitar by "rote". Still have a lot to learn but it's fun. We had a pretty full house that day and I got a standing O. One of the few I have ever gotten. I really wish I could concentrate long enough to let someone teach me, but I usually end up learning what I can and learning the rest by trial and error.
 
 If I'm not playing right that's ok. I'm having a lot of fun doing it the wrong way.

To throw a wrench into things: I find that a lot of people seem to learn theory by rote. 

drewfx1
To throw a wrench into things: I find that a lot of people seem to learn theory by rote. 

So true. I was working towards this in that other thread.

Both learning methods have advantages. Learning by rote is much faster than building on theory. You can be up and running in a short period and play something recognizable. This gives you some immediate success and probably the encouragement to learn more. I would imagine most players start this way regardless of the instrument.
 
Understanding theory and music construction seems to be the next step that people move to, but most don't stick with it. Theory is very dry and doesn't usually provide a reward right away but it does seem to be an essential diversion if you really want to explore an instrument. Even people that claim to be musically illiterate can usually figure out 3 chords for any given key.
 
For me it's always been a mix of both and sometimes rote and theory collide. For example, a bunch of guys doing a blues jam in the usual 1-4-5 type arrangement. Somebody says what key and everyone prepares to play, except the person with a sound theory background. That person is shaking their head and explaining that in the chosen key the 4 chord isn't right because the note is actually a sharp or flat in the scale for that key. They think that it should be 1-#4-5 and they are likely right, except this is the blues.
 
Not sure if I'm communicating this correctly but hopefully the point is made.

I believe most try to learn and use most any method they can get satisfaction from. Some just
don't get anything from some methods.
 
One method that hasn't been mentioned- mocking. Well, one may think learning by ear is the same
and I won't dispute it but I think of it differently.
I really enjoyed it years ago when I had a friend that I picked quite a bit with.
The way we worked it in the beginning....we would limit the selection of notes to one scale.
One would play a lick, keeping the other from seeing what was played, and the other would try to "mock" it.
 
I later learned that it was (or maybe still is) a common way for parents to teach their children in Africa.
I'm not sure today- maybe it's common practice everywhere.
I do know that it was fun and I believe it helped us become better players.
Of course the most important thing IMO was that we had fun so it kept guitars in our hands.