My friend don't like music theory.

[JailHouseRock]

I got a friend who is also a keyboardist in my band. He's a good player and learn to play it by himself. He has been playing keyboard for like 1 year and a half. He knows a lil' theory stuff. I persuaded him to learn some theory stuff so that we could get along and discuss music much more fluently for the band. But he refuse to do so. How should I tell him the importance of theory? Is there any way to make him interested in it?

[UKRuss]

Write some stuff he can't get his head round until he understands the theory

[silent-storm]

Just keep pushing your band's musical boundaries and he'll be forced to learn something in order to keep up. This can happen in many different ways. Start bringing more complex chords and harmonies into the mix in songs you write or songs you decide to cover etc, etc.

It's kind of hard to give specific examples because we don't know the music you play/your exact situation, but just keep pushing everyone out of there element like a good band should do from time to time and he'll have to learn something in order for the band to grow.

I assume he does want to grow as a musician...

[SeattleRuss]

I would ask him maybe once more to try learning some theory. If he still won't budge, I would try beating the soles of his feet with a heavy rubber mallet. Yes! And perhaps a sound thrashing about the buttox with a poole cue or even a cricket bat! Perhaps then you could set his clothing ablaze and threaten him with mason jars filled with petrol....

He might see things your way after that.....

[ashc]

A keyboard is the easiest place to learn theory anyway; you can't help but see how chords are constructed and how they can be inverted and how they and scales and arpeggios are inter-related. Maybe you should explain to him that it's 10x easier for him to do that exercise than it is for a guitarist.

[Zatz]

Totally agree with UKRuss The very next time the guitarist will need to be stretching his right hand's fingers showing the right grip for a fancy chord, the bassist holding his left hand tightly shifting it here and there on the strong beats and the drummer gently cuffing on his nape to keep the rhythm - he'll probably get himself to read a page or two from some theory reference book

[gersdal]

Some people is frightened by heavy theory, often based on problems understanding theory in other subjects. If this is the issue here, I suggest that you propose that you do the reading and then you present your learnings to him and you discuss it and examplify it with some playing. Hopefully the interest will grow in him, and that you'll find him reading some as well.

[Factor]

This is status quo of my metal band where I play bass.

I want them to know music theory for communication. Now, I have to do all the work of analyzing. Nice practice though!

Anyway, when we jam or the guitarist brings something new, I'll be like:
"eyh, what chord is that?"

and then he will be like:
"uh, I don't know, 577 on the e string :s?"

If you explain the aspect of communication thoroughly to him, this might be the turning point.

[JailHouseRock]

Thanks for the response guys. Ha..there was some crazy funny replies out there. As for our music, we play somekind of symphonic metal style. Umm.. kinda like Rhapsody, Nightwish, Epica, etc.. mostly European bands that got female vocal. So, there will be parts where he'll solo on the keyboard and me solo on guitar.

Just now, I checked my band's email and found something at the 'sent' section. He was emailing this keyboardist asking :
- "when to use *scaling*?",
- "if i got the melody for solo, which part shall I use or put the *scaling*?"
- "I still don't understand... i hope you could explain it to me cuz I'm still learning.."

It seems that he's interested in knowing some theory but dunno what does *scales* mean. The sad part is that, he knew that I know some theory, scales, bla..bla... in fact, I did explain to him what I've learned and yet he don't wanna discuss this stuff with me.. I emailed him as soon as I read the email and tell him that he can ask or discuss with me about it. And I'll try to help him as hard as I can. He didn't answer it lol. Maybe he didn't trust guitarist?

I guess, I shall present to him what I've learned properly. Maybe as simple as I could. And discuss it with him and see what we can do about it in the band. What do you think?

[ashc]

Try doing something in C# major and then when he struggles, offer to transpose it to a key of his choice, walk over, run you hand along just the white keys and say "we could go down half a step to that key I just taught you"

[Bizarro]

ashc, that's evil! LOL.

[SostenutO]

If you think your keyboardist is good now, see what happens when he takes lessons. If I where you I'd try to persuade him to do so. Eventually it would become necessary anyway.

[mattblack850]

Originally Posted by SeattleRuss

I would ask him maybe once more to try learning some theory. If he still won't budge, I would try beating the soles of his feet with a heavy rubber mallet. Yes! And perhaps a sound thrashing about the buttox with a poole cue or even a cricket bat! Perhaps then you could set his clothing ablaze and threaten him with mason jars filled with petrol....

He might see things your way after that.....

RUSS, I find this approach mildly psychotic, but damned effective!!!!
Although I find the threat of an Uzi Enema works a lot quicker!!!!

[Eccojedi]

Originally Posted by mattblack850

RUSS, I find this approach mildly psychotic, but damned effective!!!!
Although I find the threat of an Uzi Enema works a lot quicker!!!!

A better approach is getting a different keyboardist. Screw the ones that don't want to learn.

[mattblack850]

Originally Posted by Eccojedi

A better approach is getting a different keyboardist. Screw the ones that don't want to learn.

Touche!!!!!
But not as much fun, I'll wager!!!!!