Re: Is thorough theory knowledge a Stick “entry requirement”
Markussz wrote:
I can only speak for myself...poor theory knowledge AND poor stick playing. Not sayin' one caused the other, but maybe it did. Practicing is the key, and is related to poor playing. If I practiced more, the playing should improve
IMO, the amount of theory required to play also depends upon how you intend to play. If all of your music is written out, note-for-note, and your playing is mainly "rendering" those notes, then the theory required is mainly limited to quickly recognizing notation / tab, along with some genre-specific interpretation. If less is written out, and your playing involves a lot of improvisation, then more in-depth understanding of theory (or at least an intuitive grasp of the underpinnings) is required.
Your comment about practicing reminded me of a time years ago when I discussed the nature of practice with my daughter (who at the time was kind of rushing her way through a piece). I can't remember the origin of this statement - music or maybe martial arts - but it wasn't mine: "the more that you practice, the more that you'll master what you practice. If you practice crap, then you'll be a master of crap". How one practices (sets goals, plans one's practice time, etc.) is at least as important as how much.
Jayesskerr wrote:
It seems like the hard way, especially when you are trying to explain what you are doing to another bandmate or jam partner "this chord?" "no a different one..." "This one?" "Nope" Must be this one?" "Nope, it has a kind of weirder sound" "Oh, then it must be this?" "Nope it's like this..."
"What fret is it on?" "Oh it's on one of the ones in between the dots... closer to the two dot fret..."
Or as has been my case, "I want this cool chord ... is it this one? <plong> no, not that one ... how about this one <plong> no, not that one either ... and now I can't remember what the cool chord that I wanted sounds like ... damn."