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> What is your experience? What process or tool would you recommend to learn music theory? I play the piano since nearly 50 years and was working for some time
by Rochus 4y ago
> What is your experience? What process or tool would you recommend to learn music theory?
I play the piano since nearly 50 years and was working for some time as a professional musician and also composer/producer.
To just learn the piano and play classical literature from scores you don't actually need music theory; it's a nice to know, but not a need to know.
Some music theory is helpful if you want to compose music or to improvise on the piano. But then there is the question: what kind of music theory is helpful for you? There are indeed different kinds of music theory. In general different theories apply to classical, folk, jazz or pop/rock music. And a lot is just hot air packed into a framework that tries to be intellectual and sufficiently complicated to justify studying music. At its core, however, it is mostly about scales and harmonies.
I recommend you try to find out which style of music you want to delve into and then refine your search.
- aidenn0 4y agoPiano is, to a large degree, directly applied music theory. Recognizing scales, chords, and arpeggios is incredibly helpful for sight-reading.
- Rochus 4y agoLike it is helpful to know some details about your car engine for driving, but it's not a mandatory prerequisite.
- aidenn0 4y agoI think a better analogy is that understanding the physics of internal combustion engines can help you work on a car. If you work on a car for long enough, you will self-develop a model for the physics, and if you play a given style of music for long enough you will self-develop a model for the music theory of that style.
- Rochus 4y agoRight, here is a selection of examples to which this model applies: http://rochus-keller.ch/?p=1153 http://rochus-keller.ch/?p=1153 but that's likely not what the fellow had in mind; learning and playing piano literature is a completely different thing.