Along with terms like "calculus," "organic chemistry," and "IRS," the term "music theory" seems perfectly crafted to induce fear and nausea, or at the very least an insuppressible desire to yawn violently. So what is music theory and why does it have such a bad name? Let's start by discussing what music theory isn't. It isn't a bunch of boring worksheets given to you by your piano teacher in a glaringly overt attempt to take all the fun out of music. And it isn't a dry lecture given by a stuffy professor in a polyester suit about the mathematically organized nature of Bach's fugues. These things may involve music theory and they may be the images conjured up by that term, but there's a lot more to the story.
One thing that should be made very clear in any discussion about music theory is this: first there was music, then there was music theory. Just as the universe existed long before there were scientists to explain it, music existed long before there were musicologists to explain it. But, like the science of physics, music theory is more than just an intellectual exercise for academics. It has a practical side too. Take, for example, the 12 notes that are the foundation of western music (A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb, G, G#/Ab). Where did these notes come from, and why do they have such crazy names? Who decided that there should be 12 (as opposed to, say, 500)? And what is a note anyway, and how can you be sure that when you play a C on one instrument, another instrument will be able to play a C that sounds the same?
Still stifling that yawn? Okay, here's something even more practical for both musicians and listeners. Think of one of your favorite songs. Got it? Now think of the ending of that song. When the music stops, does it leave you dissatisfied? Are you expecting more? If so, this probably isn't really one of your favorite songs and you should pick another. Are you purposely trying to be disruptive? Just as fairytales are expected to end with, "And they lived happily ever after," songs are expected to end with a satisfying conclusion, one that lets listeners know that the fat lady has sung and the song is OVER. Yes, some fairytales end "sadly ever after," and some songs don't come to a satisfying close, but by and large the popular songs and stories that people enjoy have very satisfying endings. You probably know a satisfying ending when you hear one (a lifetime of listening to music has taught you more theory than you may realize), but it's impossible to explain in terms other than "really cool," or "totally satisfying dude," without a conscious knowledge of music theory.
Music theory also provides an invaluable toolbox for songwriters. It can teach them everything they need to know about chords, melodies, instruments, introductions, endings and more. When a songwriter creates a great theme that lasts 35 seconds and isn't sure where to go next to complete a song, he or she can use ... what else? ... music theory! Yes, it is possible to write a good song with no conscious knowledge of music theory. And yes, it is possible, technically, to build a 3-story office building without blueprints or engineering. But--and I say this with the least possible intention of giving offense--I wouldn't work in that office building even if the only alternative was to work in an alligator-infested swamp!
Well, I've beat around the bush long enough now and it's time to ask the toughest question about music theory. I know you're all thinking it, so I'm just going to come right out and say it. Okay, here goes. Really. Are you ready? Yes? All right, here it is: "Do I need to know anything about music theory to play music?" There, I said it. Are you happy now? Oh, you want the answer? Well, why didn't you just say so? And the answer is ... (drum roll please) ... "NO!" As I mentioned earlier, first there was music and then there was music theory. So, if you want to hollow out a stick and make a dijeridu, or find a stump to beat on, or stretch a rubber band between two wooden dowels and twang away to your heart's content, go right ahead. You're making music! But the moment you pick up a violin, or a saxophone, or a harmonica, or a piano--okay, picking up a piano would probably hurt, maybe you should sit down at it instead--you're using music theory, whether you know it or not. These instruments wouldn't exist without it. When you read notes for any instrument, you are again using music theory.
So, how much should you learn about music theory? Well, that's up to you. With the possible exception of the words to Don Ho's "Tiny Bubbles," I've never regretted any musical knowledge I've gained. As my knowledge has increased, my understanding of patterns in music has improved and this has made it easier for me to play, memorize and write songs. Knowledge of music theory hasn't made me an overnight virtuoso, but it has certainly taken me further along the path.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
10 Reasons to Play the Guitar
The guitar, in all its varieties, is a very popular instrument. Here are 10 reasons to learn to play it today:
10. Electrify your performance
The electric guitar is a versatile instrument, capable of generating an extraordinary range of sounds with the aid of amplifiers, foot pedals, computers, etc. With it's light strings and narrow neck, it's also the easiest type of guitar to learn to play.
9. Unplugged
The sound of the steel-string acoustic guitar is as familiar as an old friend. An acoustic guitar can produce many different tones and be played in a variety of styles, from quiet classical songs to jazz to fast-moving rock or country music and more. The acoustic guitar can be picked or played with the fingers, played very loudly or very softly, and can even be "amped" with an acoustic microphone pickup placed inside the guitar or over the sound hole.
8. Easy like Sunday morning
A classical guitar uses nylon instead of steel strings (the 3 lowest-pitched strings are typically wound with a metal coating) and has a wider neck than a steel-string guitar to facilitate easier right-hand plucking of individual strings. With a quiet, warm, and romantic tone, the classical guitar is the perfect instrument for playing melodies and harmonies simultaneously.
7. Readability
Guitar players can learn to read music using multiple methods. Whereas most piano music is written in standard music notation, guitar players can choose from several different options. A guitarist can read standard notation (which uses the treble clef), tablature (a method of notation that indicates which fret and which string should be held down for a particular note), chord diagrams, or create an entirely original notation method.
6. Off the beaten path
The guitarist has access to a variety of other instruments in the guitar family. 12-string guitars are similar in almost every respect to 6-string guitars but have additional strings that add new dimensions to the sound. The 4 lowest-pitched strings of a standard guitar are tuned the same as the electric bass (although the bass is pitched an octave lower), making it easier for a guitarist to learn to play this instrument. The guitarist can also experiment with alternate tunings, raising or lowering the pitches on each string to create unique sounds and make songs easier to play.
5. The traveling bard
The guitar is a very portable instrument, making it possible for the guitarist to play his or her own instrument at gigs, camping trips, road trips, etc. The purchase of a soft case with backpack-like straps can make it even easier to travel with. A hard case can be used if the guitarist wishes to protect the instrument from damage on, for example, airplane flights.
4. I guess that's why they call it ...
Unlike a piano, which is operated by mechanical levers, a guitarist has direct contact with the strings. This makes a variety of intonations and sound effects possible through techniques such as hammer-ons (where a finger is placed onto an already-vibrating string to alter the sound), pull-offs (where a finger is removed from an already-vibrating string), and string bending (where a note's sound is altered by bending a guitar string, creating a distinctive bluesy sound). Conscious use of open vs. fretted strings and careful chord voicing can also create varied tones to help the guitarist play more expressively.
3. Sing to your heart's content
The guitar is the perfect instrument for a singing performer. Many find the guitar easier than the piano when it comes to playing and singing at the same time. The guitar also allows pitch changes with the use of a "capo," a device clipped onto the strings at any fret that allows the guitarist to play the same string patterns but sound at different pitches. This allows a song to be easily played in any vocalist's range.
2. Write a hit
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but the guitar is a songwriter's best friend. The guitar allows songwriters to experiment with different chord progressions and melodies. Because the guitar can be fairly easy to notate, songwriting ideas can be captured rapidly.
1. Make music today
The guitar is an affordable and comparatively simple instrument to learn. While there are aspects of guitar playing that can take years to master, a beginner can become proficient with a few chords in a short period of time and use those chords to play hundreds of songs.
10. Electrify your performance
The electric guitar is a versatile instrument, capable of generating an extraordinary range of sounds with the aid of amplifiers, foot pedals, computers, etc. With it's light strings and narrow neck, it's also the easiest type of guitar to learn to play.
9. Unplugged
The sound of the steel-string acoustic guitar is as familiar as an old friend. An acoustic guitar can produce many different tones and be played in a variety of styles, from quiet classical songs to jazz to fast-moving rock or country music and more. The acoustic guitar can be picked or played with the fingers, played very loudly or very softly, and can even be "amped" with an acoustic microphone pickup placed inside the guitar or over the sound hole.
8. Easy like Sunday morning
A classical guitar uses nylon instead of steel strings (the 3 lowest-pitched strings are typically wound with a metal coating) and has a wider neck than a steel-string guitar to facilitate easier right-hand plucking of individual strings. With a quiet, warm, and romantic tone, the classical guitar is the perfect instrument for playing melodies and harmonies simultaneously.
7. Readability
Guitar players can learn to read music using multiple methods. Whereas most piano music is written in standard music notation, guitar players can choose from several different options. A guitarist can read standard notation (which uses the treble clef), tablature (a method of notation that indicates which fret and which string should be held down for a particular note), chord diagrams, or create an entirely original notation method.
6. Off the beaten path
The guitarist has access to a variety of other instruments in the guitar family. 12-string guitars are similar in almost every respect to 6-string guitars but have additional strings that add new dimensions to the sound. The 4 lowest-pitched strings of a standard guitar are tuned the same as the electric bass (although the bass is pitched an octave lower), making it easier for a guitarist to learn to play this instrument. The guitarist can also experiment with alternate tunings, raising or lowering the pitches on each string to create unique sounds and make songs easier to play.
5. The traveling bard
The guitar is a very portable instrument, making it possible for the guitarist to play his or her own instrument at gigs, camping trips, road trips, etc. The purchase of a soft case with backpack-like straps can make it even easier to travel with. A hard case can be used if the guitarist wishes to protect the instrument from damage on, for example, airplane flights.
4. I guess that's why they call it ...
Unlike a piano, which is operated by mechanical levers, a guitarist has direct contact with the strings. This makes a variety of intonations and sound effects possible through techniques such as hammer-ons (where a finger is placed onto an already-vibrating string to alter the sound), pull-offs (where a finger is removed from an already-vibrating string), and string bending (where a note's sound is altered by bending a guitar string, creating a distinctive bluesy sound). Conscious use of open vs. fretted strings and careful chord voicing can also create varied tones to help the guitarist play more expressively.
3. Sing to your heart's content
The guitar is the perfect instrument for a singing performer. Many find the guitar easier than the piano when it comes to playing and singing at the same time. The guitar also allows pitch changes with the use of a "capo," a device clipped onto the strings at any fret that allows the guitarist to play the same string patterns but sound at different pitches. This allows a song to be easily played in any vocalist's range.
2. Write a hit
Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but the guitar is a songwriter's best friend. The guitar allows songwriters to experiment with different chord progressions and melodies. Because the guitar can be fairly easy to notate, songwriting ideas can be captured rapidly.
1. Make music today
The guitar is an affordable and comparatively simple instrument to learn. While there are aspects of guitar playing that can take years to master, a beginner can become proficient with a few chords in a short period of time and use those chords to play hundreds of songs.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
10 Reasons to Play the Piano
The piano is a versatile and enjoyable instrument that can bring satisfaction to players of all ages. Here are ten reasons to learn to play it today:
10. Solo performance
The piano is a very effective solo instrument and can be played in a variety of styles, from pop to jazz to classical.
9. Accompaniment
The piano can accompany a vocalist or another instrument, such as a a violin, very effectively. It can provide backing harmonies or alternate melodies & harmonies with another instrument or group of instruments.
8. Extended listening
The piano can be listened to for extensive time periods without causing "ear fatigue." Could you see yourself putting on a CD of solo music for the piccolo and enjoying it for several hours? Perhaps not, but the beautiful sounds of a well-played piano are never tiring.
7. Mental Stimulation
Playing the piano exercises every part of the brain, and is excellent mental stimulation for students young and old, right-brained and left-brained. My 80-year old grandfather recently started taking piano lessons in an effort to engage his entire brain and keep his mind sharp. It's never too late to learn to play!
6. Sustained Sound
The sustain pedal is one of the most unique and beneficial aspects of the piano. When used effectively, it allows the soloist to produce fuller and richer music than would otherwise be possible.
5. Ubiquity
From homes and churches to hotels, clubs and convention centers, pianos can be found virtually everywhere. Portable keyboards have made it possible to play in more places than ever before. If you can't find a piano to play, you probably aren't looking very hard.
4. Range
With 88 keys, the piano can produce tones matching the lowest bass and the highest treble instruments. A single pianist can play 10 simultaneous notes (one with each finger), and two musicians can play 20 simultaneous notes, in addition to effects added by the sustain pedal. This makes the piano the perfect instrument for composing orchestral works, or for playing orchestral reductions.
3. Other keyboard Instruments
Learning to play the piano opens up possibilities for learning other keyboard instruments such as the organ. Featuring one or more piano-like keyboards (often including a keyboard to be played by the feet), the organ is certainly different from the piano in both technique and sound. But a competent pianist will find the organ easier to learn than a non-pianist.
The pianist can, even more readily than the organ, apply his or her skills to a digital piano or synthesizer. A quality synthesizer or computer/MIDI keyboard combination can duplicate the sound of almost any instrument, allowing the pianist to play everything from drum sets and woodwinds to sitars and strings.
2. Expressiveness
The piano is a very expressive instrument, able to project emotions and nuances of sound almost as expressive as the human voice. It can be played with a delicate beauty or a hammering intensity, allowing the musician to express himself or herself quite effectively.
1. Lifelong enjoyment
Playing the piano can bring lifelong enjoyment and fulfillment. The piano can be a social instrument as the center of family singalongs or neighborhood get-togethers. The piano can be a personal instrument, a way to express yourself even when you are the only audience. I have even found that playing the piano helps me to reduce stress.
Whatever stage of life you are in, make the piano a part of your life and make your life a little better.
10. Solo performance
The piano is a very effective solo instrument and can be played in a variety of styles, from pop to jazz to classical.
9. Accompaniment
The piano can accompany a vocalist or another instrument, such as a a violin, very effectively. It can provide backing harmonies or alternate melodies & harmonies with another instrument or group of instruments.
8. Extended listening
The piano can be listened to for extensive time periods without causing "ear fatigue." Could you see yourself putting on a CD of solo music for the piccolo and enjoying it for several hours? Perhaps not, but the beautiful sounds of a well-played piano are never tiring.
7. Mental Stimulation
Playing the piano exercises every part of the brain, and is excellent mental stimulation for students young and old, right-brained and left-brained. My 80-year old grandfather recently started taking piano lessons in an effort to engage his entire brain and keep his mind sharp. It's never too late to learn to play!
6. Sustained Sound
The sustain pedal is one of the most unique and beneficial aspects of the piano. When used effectively, it allows the soloist to produce fuller and richer music than would otherwise be possible.
5. Ubiquity
From homes and churches to hotels, clubs and convention centers, pianos can be found virtually everywhere. Portable keyboards have made it possible to play in more places than ever before. If you can't find a piano to play, you probably aren't looking very hard.
4. Range
With 88 keys, the piano can produce tones matching the lowest bass and the highest treble instruments. A single pianist can play 10 simultaneous notes (one with each finger), and two musicians can play 20 simultaneous notes, in addition to effects added by the sustain pedal. This makes the piano the perfect instrument for composing orchestral works, or for playing orchestral reductions.
3. Other keyboard Instruments
Learning to play the piano opens up possibilities for learning other keyboard instruments such as the organ. Featuring one or more piano-like keyboards (often including a keyboard to be played by the feet), the organ is certainly different from the piano in both technique and sound. But a competent pianist will find the organ easier to learn than a non-pianist.
The pianist can, even more readily than the organ, apply his or her skills to a digital piano or synthesizer. A quality synthesizer or computer/MIDI keyboard combination can duplicate the sound of almost any instrument, allowing the pianist to play everything from drum sets and woodwinds to sitars and strings.
2. Expressiveness
The piano is a very expressive instrument, able to project emotions and nuances of sound almost as expressive as the human voice. It can be played with a delicate beauty or a hammering intensity, allowing the musician to express himself or herself quite effectively.
1. Lifelong enjoyment
Playing the piano can bring lifelong enjoyment and fulfillment. The piano can be a social instrument as the center of family singalongs or neighborhood get-togethers. The piano can be a personal instrument, a way to express yourself even when you are the only audience. I have even found that playing the piano helps me to reduce stress.
Whatever stage of life you are in, make the piano a part of your life and make your life a little better.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Music and Motivation
Most musicians go through periods of fulfillment and frustration as they learn to play an instrument. Sometimes the difference between a fulfilled musician and a frustrated one is simply that the fulfilled musician has found ways to "push through" periods of disinterest and feelings of inadequacy. This doesn't have to be as painful as it sounds. There are many ways to make music practice sessions both fun and productive, but the most important aspects of musical motivation are enjoying the sound of an instrument and the process of playing it.
The sound of an instrument can be general--"I've always enjoyed listening to violin music"--or it can be specific--"This violin has a much richer sound than that violin." In my experience, the specific sound of an instrument is not as important for a beginning musician as it will be later, as the student progresses. When I first started playing the guitar, I purchased a $99 guitar and tuned by ear. My strings buzzed and my fingers hurt (such is the beginning guitarist's life), and it took several months for me to begin making music that anyone else would call "music." I was comfortable with this because I was learning new skills and my expectations were very low, at least for a while. After several months, though, I began to realize that even when I played correctly--and tuned with an electronic tuner--my inexpensive instrument left a lot to be desired. So I upgraded. This began a feedback loop that took me to the next level of guitar playing. When I practiced a song and played it well, it sounded rich and beautiful, and the music became its own reward. I had the same experience with the piano, starting with a small $100 digital keyboard and upgrading to an acoustic piano after about six months of lessons. This approach worked well for me because my initial investment was very low, and if I decided I didn't like playing a particular instrument or wasn't willing to commit the time required, it wouldn't be too much of a loss.
Enjoying the sound of an instrument doesn't necessarily translate to enjoying the process of playing it, though. Some instruments are more difficult to play than others, and each person will have different challenges when learning a new instrument. Frustration is common at first, but with practice and instruction things will get easier. When I first started playing barre chords such as B and F on the guitar, I told my instructor that I simply couldn't do it, my hand didn't work the way his did. But every experienced guitarist has faced this challenge at some point, and it is a training process to teach and strengthen muscles so they can make the correct chord shapes. One of the benefits of having a good instructor is that he or she has been through the same difficulties you are facing, and can help you overcome them.
If you've been playing an instrument for months or years and aren't enjoying the process (practice) or the results (music you enjoy), it may be time to try something new. Perhaps you need a new instructor, or a better quality instrument, or you need to play more of the songs you love, or you need to find a group of other amateur musicians and play with them. If you've tried these things and still aren't satisfied, then it may be time to switch to a different musical instrument.
The sound of an instrument can be general--"I've always enjoyed listening to violin music"--or it can be specific--"This violin has a much richer sound than that violin." In my experience, the specific sound of an instrument is not as important for a beginning musician as it will be later, as the student progresses. When I first started playing the guitar, I purchased a $99 guitar and tuned by ear. My strings buzzed and my fingers hurt (such is the beginning guitarist's life), and it took several months for me to begin making music that anyone else would call "music." I was comfortable with this because I was learning new skills and my expectations were very low, at least for a while. After several months, though, I began to realize that even when I played correctly--and tuned with an electronic tuner--my inexpensive instrument left a lot to be desired. So I upgraded. This began a feedback loop that took me to the next level of guitar playing. When I practiced a song and played it well, it sounded rich and beautiful, and the music became its own reward. I had the same experience with the piano, starting with a small $100 digital keyboard and upgrading to an acoustic piano after about six months of lessons. This approach worked well for me because my initial investment was very low, and if I decided I didn't like playing a particular instrument or wasn't willing to commit the time required, it wouldn't be too much of a loss.
Enjoying the sound of an instrument doesn't necessarily translate to enjoying the process of playing it, though. Some instruments are more difficult to play than others, and each person will have different challenges when learning a new instrument. Frustration is common at first, but with practice and instruction things will get easier. When I first started playing barre chords such as B and F on the guitar, I told my instructor that I simply couldn't do it, my hand didn't work the way his did. But every experienced guitarist has faced this challenge at some point, and it is a training process to teach and strengthen muscles so they can make the correct chord shapes. One of the benefits of having a good instructor is that he or she has been through the same difficulties you are facing, and can help you overcome them.
If you've been playing an instrument for months or years and aren't enjoying the process (practice) or the results (music you enjoy), it may be time to try something new. Perhaps you need a new instructor, or a better quality instrument, or you need to play more of the songs you love, or you need to find a group of other amateur musicians and play with them. If you've tried these things and still aren't satisfied, then it may be time to switch to a different musical instrument.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Play it With Feeling
We've all heard spectacular musical performances, and I'm certain we've all heard our fair share of musical mediocrity as well. What makes the difference between a stellar performance and a less than satisfactory one? Talent? Lighting & equipment? Technical accuracy? Personally, I've never had anyone tell me that a performance was enjoyable because it was "so technically correct." And yet, many musicians strive endlessly for technical perfection, attempting to duplicate exactly what is written in black and white. When they can't play a piece just like it is written, they get frustrated and perhaps give up. But there is more to music than ink and paper, and there is more to successful performance than exact replication of someone else's musical ideas.
Music is a form of communication, like language. We can say the words "I love you," but the meaning behind them can change depending on our tone. "I love you" can be said romantically, sarcastically, flippantly, or mockingly. In writing, if taken out of context, it may impossible to discern the real meaning behind these words. It is the same with notes on a printed page. They express only limited meaning until a musician uses them to make a musical statement. EXPRESSION breathes life into that musical statement. I've plugged notes from great pieces into my computer and listened to the results. They are technically perfect, but robotic. Even with high quality instrument sounds, a computer lacks human expression and it is very difficult to "humanize" a programmed performance and make it sound real.
When a musician conveys genuine emotion, the performance moves beyond wooden replication into the world of living music. Talent and taste are essential ingredients, but no amount of talent or taste can make up for a lack of expression. If you don't believe me, try listening to a few songs by original artists and comparing them to the "karaoke demo" versions of the same songs. The karaoke demo singers typically hit the right notes, but there is rarely anything exciting about these low budget vocal imitations, and expression is often decidedly lacking.
Some of the greatest musicians in the world--from rock to jazz to classical music--play from memory, just as the best motivational speakers in the world don't use notes. These professionals know their material so well that they don't need to follow a written script, and they are free to focus on their audience, their delivery, their message, their EXPRESSION. Other professionals know their material very well, but still rely on written music or notes for occasional reference. Either approach may work, depending on the situation. Whatever approach you decide to take with your music, play your piece as well as you can and play it with feeling. Your listeners will thank you.
Music is a form of communication, like language. We can say the words "I love you," but the meaning behind them can change depending on our tone. "I love you" can be said romantically, sarcastically, flippantly, or mockingly. In writing, if taken out of context, it may impossible to discern the real meaning behind these words. It is the same with notes on a printed page. They express only limited meaning until a musician uses them to make a musical statement. EXPRESSION breathes life into that musical statement. I've plugged notes from great pieces into my computer and listened to the results. They are technically perfect, but robotic. Even with high quality instrument sounds, a computer lacks human expression and it is very difficult to "humanize" a programmed performance and make it sound real.
When a musician conveys genuine emotion, the performance moves beyond wooden replication into the world of living music. Talent and taste are essential ingredients, but no amount of talent or taste can make up for a lack of expression. If you don't believe me, try listening to a few songs by original artists and comparing them to the "karaoke demo" versions of the same songs. The karaoke demo singers typically hit the right notes, but there is rarely anything exciting about these low budget vocal imitations, and expression is often decidedly lacking.
Some of the greatest musicians in the world--from rock to jazz to classical music--play from memory, just as the best motivational speakers in the world don't use notes. These professionals know their material so well that they don't need to follow a written script, and they are free to focus on their audience, their delivery, their message, their EXPRESSION. Other professionals know their material very well, but still rely on written music or notes for occasional reference. Either approach may work, depending on the situation. Whatever approach you decide to take with your music, play your piece as well as you can and play it with feeling. Your listeners will thank you.
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