with some of the threads about reading sheet music or lack there of i got a little confused about what music theory actually was. I looked it up on the almighty computer and got some understanding. Enough to be interested in looking for a few courses at my local college when i return home. Please don't think of me as stupid (stupider?) but what can you do with music theory, is it more for personal growth and insight into what you are playing or writing? Could i take classes on music theory and not know how to read sheet music? Is there guitar specific music theory or does it start broad and narrow as you progress in the courses? Anyone here take the classes or graduate with a degree in Music Theory that could help me understand. I am not dumb i am just a little confused about it because it seems like such a broad field to study. but i am probably missing something (i think scarecrow said it best.. if i only had a brain)

ok zen, in short, music theory is the combination to
a better understand of how chords and scales relate to one another, and how to apply them, and how to build off of them. plus, its the language of music.
it allows you to write down and communicate musical ideas to other people.
thats a very brief description ok.

get the book Matt Smiths Chop Shop off amazon. its easy to read and just as easy to follow. the book is structured very well with the ability to double check yourself along the way. Matt is a very well known and respected sessions player.
amazon has this book cheap. this book is enough to get you started and in the right direction too. i suggest that you read the book all the way through before you start the lesson plan. after you finish this book you will have a nice understanding to the questions you asked. then you will be better able to deside to either go with a teacher from there or by a couple more books. i think its great that all the fuss lately on theory has got you interested. as much time as your gonna be spending with that new "pimp daddy" guitar you just bought, might as well get the book and get to learning. i cant think of a better boost for you right now than your new fiddle and a easy to follow book on theory.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

+1...I tried to answer this one, but couldn't think of the proper wording to explain what I was trying to say.

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a couple good and easy to understand books, that new guitar, tim by the time he gets back to the US, folks will think hes been away to the wood shed bro.
he will be a new man/player for sure.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Indeed. I find it very difficult to play with other musicians that don't understand at least the basics of theory. And a new guitar can be great motivation to start learning new things and also motivation just to play.

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ha ha... yeah, i have really gotten to love my playing time. Even when i am at work i am thinking about scales and riffs. I really want to grow more and more, but not just speed and songs but with book learnin' too. You are right i would not mind stepping off the plane guitar in hand with a year of serious dedicated practice and playing under my belt. I have always loved guitar but never put in the work to sound good, now i am putting in more and more work every day and starting to see real benefit. Plus the lounge is always giving me more and more things to check out ha ha.

yeap. i think if he settled down with the book i mentioned, he will have a new way of thinking in no time. i had a practice guitar for a long time. any time i wanted to play it i had to be practicing, NOT jammin. i loved that guitar too. it was a real motivational tool.
i had to practice with it for about an hour, then i could spend 15 minutes and just let it rip lol. still have it too. one of the best playing jackson's ive ever had the pleasure to own.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

then order that book and get busy. you will knock your own socks off in just about 30 days. you wont be finished with the book but you will see a great improvement in your skills and confidence as well.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

I know when I say this some folks will frown and scowl, but to me music theory is the understanding of the "when and why" of music. some folks feel it in there hearts, and seem to have a previous knowledge of a piece of music. When you know darn well they don't.Yet they continue to demonstrate there uncanny ability to know what comes next. I have seen them sing a new song note for note before its red, just from the memory of the previous fue notes. That is music by ear, and very fue people have the ability. Its been my experience that folks that don't possess the ability, don't understand it. and quite often say that it dose not exist, but it dose. I have the ability and always have. I can here 1/4 of a tune and hum the rest damn near note for note. The study of music theory will teach you why certain notes follow another it will also teach you about timing and why things sound pichey. Your ear is a wonderful thing that allows us to hear sound. Some folks are lucky enough to have what is called perfect pitch, in other words they can detect whether or not a note is right on, or off. Reading music will tell you what it should be, but the actual sound is created by your understanding of how it should sound. whether you use your voice or an instrument of some kind to produce the sound, The outcome will be the same. Its up to you to get it right and that is called skill. When you possess a high degree of these skills and abilities some call it talent. You decide where you fit in. for me its intermediate skill, with a high degree of learning ability slowed down with old age. And fired up by passion.
----Danny

Matt's a cool guy, I've taken lessons with him and attended a few workshops where he was teaching as well. He really knows how to explain theory and how to apply it in plain english to people who already can play guitar. What he's taught me has vastly improved my playing.

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TGS,

he too seems to have a blessed ability to explain
things where you can understand it too.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

i ordered the Chop Shop book, will be in the next care package from home. gonna keep hammering away at chords and scales until it comes. thanks for the help guys! Still might check out a few courses when i get back. Oh, i also found "Essential Concepts,Music Reading for Guitar,the complete method" by David Oakes that i will pick up (pretty cheap).

do it. dont let anybody discourage you. at least with the book when you do you will have some nice basic ideas under your belt and when you start lessons you can jump right in comfortably.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

Another set of books that you should take on if you're extremely serious about theory is The Complete Jazz Guitar Method, by Jody Fisher. It comes in 4 books, Beginner, Intermediate, Chord/Melody, and Improvisation. It's comprehensive, covers things like melodic limitation to modes of the Harmonic Minor scale to octave displacement and whole tone movement ideas (playing outside for when you feel like adding tad of fusion). Beginner and Intermediate is split up into two parts, A part leads up to Improvisation. and B part leads to Chord/Melody. The beauty about it though is that it's set up A Lesson-B Lesson, A Lesson-B Lesson, so if you learned the theory in A part, you know the theory in B part, it's just the usage of that theory is different (other than when the lesson is on different positions of scales, arpeggios, and chords).

The price is a bit steep for all four books, as I recall paying 80-85 something dollars on it, but it did have a plethora of examples with corresponding CD audio. You might be able to find a copy of it online for <that word that almost everyone likes except for the people who put time and effort into it>.

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1987 Fender Squier Strat - Lake Placid Blue
1981 Yamaha Eterna Folk Acoustic
2006 Peavey Bandit 112
2007 Roland HP-207 Piano

Don't let me discourage anyone from studying theory.
Way Cool told me about the book a couple of months ago.
It has definitely been a help, when I get confused about something its a good tool to use for reference . It does not mater how play by ear you are you still need help from time to time. The book also has a good CD that comes with it. altho the CD wont help much without the book. If I remember correctly I think it was only a bit over $23.00.
----Danny,