Perfect Technique, or Theory? (take a gander)

[LuisSavesTheDay]

In two months im gonna be takin music theory AP. Its a college course. The teachher said i hd to know a few things which she had listed, and i do. The only problem is, learnin theorybyjust reading it isnt very easy. I like havin people teach me one on one. Should i t off theory for the two months, andjsut work on techniquue?? What would you do in my sitaution?

[Bizarro]

Don't be lazy... :eek: Just put in the hard work and it'll pay off! :) If you want to be good you have to learn how to learn. What happens if you don't have a guitar teacher? Do you stop getting better?

You'll never be *great* unless you can learn things on your own. This goes for everything in life, not just guitar.

[bdemon]

I studied theory and ear training in college in a similar textbook manner. Do that stuff in the morning, finish my homework in the evening and practice all night on guitar subjects that had nothing to do with my classes. Probably not the smartest way to go, but after college I found myself understanding advanced guitar concepts more easily because of those classes. So do it all, do what you can. The gaps start to fill themselves in.

[loveguitar]

I think for theory, it's like there will be a point of time
when you feel you have known enough to be comfortable.

And you will continue to learn theory, but not as intensively.
Instead maybe more is channel towards learning other things
like techniques etc.

[oRg]

I would say study music theory etc, at the university/campus and when you get home practice on the technical aspect of it. This way it kinda of balances itself out. I would never recommend dropping the theory class. Trust me you'll realize later that you probably couldn't have done without it.

[AcousticJames]

Definitely keep the theory class. The thing is, theory is the study of music, not guitar. The trick is combining your knowledge of music theory, and applying it to the guitar (or whatever your instrument of choice is). Music is something seperate from any instrument, and is just as important as technique. My suggestion would be to study theory from your textbooks or whatever you have, then work on applying it to the guitar. It's a 50/50 thing, you need to know how music works, but you also need to know how it works with your instrument. But you need the theory class, don't drop it. If you want to play music, you need to know how it works, that's what theory is for.

James

[Koala]

Im all for what bizarro said.

[GuitarLausing]

i'm getting to a point where my technique is really slamming but i can't apply it to my guitar playing, when writing songs etc.
So i'm studying theory, and i actually enjoy it. A lot of people say that it is boring, but i can't really follow them. Many things are opening up for me, when studying theory..

Example: I'm writing some kind of "song". I've mingled around with a bunch of chords (Am, Em and Bm7) and they sounded good together, but i then i read something that these chords fitted into the G major scale perfectly. That was cool, cuz for a long time, i've just been playing the E minor pentatonic scale over the chord proggresion, and that gets boring after a while.

So my answer is, and it's just my opinion.
Of course you need technique, but in the aspect of music, technique is really nothing. Some guy with 4 chords can make a nice song. For a guitar player, it's cool to play fast and everything, but the most difficult thing is to play guitar that fits to the music.

Many guitar players doesn't do this. They just get a chord progression and they masturbate on their guitars like crazy, and they call it a song.

maybe you can play tapping arpeggios 16 notes at 250 bpm, but if it doesn't fit in a song, it's useless--

Go for the overall picture. I try to get feeling into my guitar playing. A solo can be great although you're just playing 4 notes.

but that's just my way of thinking.

[GuitarLausing]

What happens if you don't have a guitar teacher? Do you stop getting better?
of course this is sarcastic (or is it? heck i don't know. I sure hope so)

i haven't had a teacher for a year, and my playing has improved by over 60 times ( :D )

In my humble opinion, when you have a teacher, you let him take care of your learning, and when you get home, you're just playing youre favorite song.
If you know what i mean?

When you're on youre own its much easier to learn stuff cuz you take responsibility for your own learning.

but some things are lacking too, and its good to have a guitar teacher to tell you if you're doing something wrong..

[szulc]

The approach you take to learning theory can make it much less complicated if you apply simple mathematical concepts to it like set theory and combinatorics.
THe first thing is to start with the universal set (the chromatic scale) then applay the appropriate set theory to create the subsets (like the major scale or other scales) you can then use the major scale as a new universal set and create the subsets of triads on each note or seventh chords on each note or even minor pentatonics on the ii, iii, and vi or I IV or V. This type of analysis can make the daunting task more managable, by allowing you to "Eat the Elephant" in parts.

[LuisSavesTheDay]

There is SOOOO much stuff to cover. I have to make up my own stuff, learn enough theory to where im comfortable ( which is a lot since im eventually gonna master it), and learn all of my teachers stuff. If i were to do this, i dont tihnk i would EVER sep away from my guitar. I have a few books on theory, but they dont have a verygood wayof explaining things.

[LuisSavesTheDay]

Bizzaro, im not used to this whole teacher thing, its cut into my normal routine which is Theory/Composing. Its not that im lazy. Ive been teaching myself the whole time i dont depend on my teacher.

[Bongo Boy]

...im not used to this whole teacher thingIt's pretty common for us to think in terms of 'teacher' and 'student'. The teacher has facts, and they are 'imparted' to the student (sponge). That's one way it can work, but it doesn't have to be that way. In my work environment, it's more common to learn through dialog, shared points of view, shared experiences. Generally, at any given moment, one person may take on the role of coach, mentor, advisor or consultant (whatever), but both folks are probably learning something. You learn that YOUR experience only provides a limited number of way to see & do things.

I think of a 'teacher' as someone who is a little more fact-imparting, a little more of a trainer (showing a set of steps or a particular technique to accomplish a particular task). Your guitar instructor needs to do that I guess, but may also serve as a consultant--someone who can help you do your own thinking. That would be very useful, and worth anyone's time.

So long as neither party in the dialog has as his/her objective the demonstration of how smart they are or how many facts they know, life can be good and learning can happen.

[Bongo Boy]

Also, I see Theory, Theory Applied to Guitar, and Guitar Technique as three nearly independent things--at least I don't think technique has much to do with the first two. I don't have to be able to actually play the instrument to 'do' the first two.

Likewise, making great music with the guitar might be quite independent of all three. :D

[ProgBG]

Hi

I have a teacher now for about 3 years. And I leraned all the basic stuff on theory and technique. But in the last 1,5 years my teacher didn't have enough time to teach me every week, 'cause he studies Jazz Guitar, and we do lessons sometimes twice a month or sometimes only once in four to six weeks. But that's OK for me 'cause since then I worked more on the theory stuff on my own. And with my teacher I do some reall Jazz things in theory. Most of the technique things I learned on this site :) . And some things even a pupil can teach his teacher. Like tapping ;)

KAYA BG

[mark_gr]

What has helped me through the years is to not try to bite of more than I could chew at any given time, for example, take things in small chunks, learn a bit of theory(chords in a major key, for example, or a mode or two), and then slow down and try to apply it to your playing. If you learn to much at once, you may become overwhelmed and it may be difficult to incorporate into your playing style. It's like learning anything new. Some people have different levels of attaining a feeling of accomplishment, which fuels more interest in continuing to learn. Once you find this, you will become very productive.

One of the best guitar teachers that I had over 10 years ago said something at a lesson one day that I will never forget. I was always so impressed w/his knowledge of theory and technical prowess, and I said to him, "Man, you have such a grasp on theory, technique, the notes on the neck, and just the overall vibe of the instrument". And he smiled and said to me, "You know, I went to GIT, I studied all this theory stuff, dreamnt about arpeggios every night, lived, ate and slept scales and modes and chord intervals, etc, but when it comes down to it, you just have to forget ALL that stuff, and just PLAY!!!. When you can get to the point where the light comes on and you can let your fingers do the walking, you have arrived!!!"

Mark in GR