Music Theory
Hi, Dave. I'm on LOA 3. I have started Accompaniment Playing Study 3, and am having a real hard time with what might be called music theory, but involves root notes, chords, positions and things like that. When you lecture I can follow you but I cannot follow through on, or build on, what I have learned. So, here is my question: is there a source I can use to learn about music theory, or the basics, which I can apply to my harmonica studies? Thanks, David.
It's frustrating. My dad was a tromonist in the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera Orchestras, simultaneously. A Julliard graduate. He brags about his perfect pitch. Unintentionally, he set the bar high. I seem to have inherited none of his innate talent.
It's frustrating. My dad was a tromonist in the New York Philharmonic and Metropolitan Opera Orchestras, simultaneously. A Julliard graduate. He brags about his perfect pitch. Unintentionally, he set the bar high. I seem to have inherited none of his innate talent.
Hah. It does take work. The thing to keep in mind is that music theory is just one tool of many to help make you a better harmonica player and musician. Don't worry about (or expect) immediate results. The vail of understanding will lift over time.
dmenken, there is a young man that teaches on youtube that you might like to check out along with your studies here. I was away from music a long time and searched for a good course for review. He teaches all the way from the very basics to university level in the most enjoyable and relaxed way. He's quite personable and very easy to understand. It's all free and it can help you go from baby steps to your father's level. I actually doubt that your father has perfect pitch as that is extremely rare and only can be developed before the age of 7 (it's a brain development window kind of thing that has to do with language development in humans). He probably only has ability with relative pitch. People like to brag that way, but in reality, learning theory and developing your ear training is a lot like learning a language. You have to be exposed to the words and concepts over and over and learn to use them in context and if you just hang out in that world (like visiting another country), little by little you pick it up, but having great teachers can make it go faster and the more great teachers you have and the more time you put into studying, the faster you will pick it up. All it really requires is hours of exposure and study. Anyone can learn it if they keep with it long enough, have it explained in lots of different ways to them and most importantly - make it real on an instrument. That's why I'm learning harmonica, to put the concepts of harmony from the intellect into my bones. If you don't have a C harmonica to try out what David is teaching, I think it would be a good idea. When you see the music it is in C and when you memorizing the C harmonica and those notes and how they look on the page - the concepts - it will all be a lot easier for you if you have an actual instrument in your hands and in your ears. Getting a cheap keyboard though would be invaluable. There is no instrument with which to learn harmony that makes it more clear visually and kinesthetically than a keyboard. The guy teaching the course I'm telling you about is a professional classical pianist and will demonstrate all the theory for you on his piano.
Here's the precious resource:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpzgTNTgQsR9YYsyOm3k3KQ
If you want a youtube to boost your confidence and show you that your father was most likely not born with some rare ability that you do not have or that you even need - watch this video. All you have to do is put in the time without stressing out about where you are at. Relax and enjoy the journey. It's not about innate ability, it's about training yourself and not giving up when you hit something that doesn't click immediately. It just takes time and concentration, unless you learn as a baby like this guy's kid:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=816VLQNdPMM
You'll notice that the father in the video does NOT have perfect pitch but is an accomplished musician and record producer.
Talent is going to be only about 5%. 95% is going to be will power, desire, repetition, practice and simply not giving up. On the trombone you need to be able to hear relative pitch accurately, but not on the harmonica. The blues harmonica I think is about SOUL and perseverance. The bar your father set has no relevance to the harmonica.
Hello David. Music theory takes time, and a LOT of different perspectives on the same subject to first make sense, and then eventually use. To augment your studies, spend time on the Music Theory studies. Music Theory Study 3 covers chord definitions, with Studies 4 onward showing how it's used. Start with Study 1 of course (which you already have, since you're doing LOA).
I recommend you skim (watch videos and go through study material) through all the music theory lessons. After doing this, go back and study very intently from 1 onwards. After you're done, review it again, from the beginning. Its the multiple-pass process that will be very helpful. You won't get all of it (or even half of it), the first run. The Improvising Studies also help. These three studies (Accompaniment, Music Theory, and Improvising) are the primary studies that will lead you to understanding, and using, the material.