Been wanting to learn some music theory. Any tips as to where to start?

[Coop47]

My point is it IS difficult, and there are so many people trying to simplify it with color coded charts, easy to learn books, simple explanations on how it “really works” etc, etc, etc.

Sorry for the double post, not sure how that happened, they must have explained how not to double post in math class after I dropped out of it I guess

The OP asked for tips on where to start; suggestions were provided. There are a lot of different ways to attack it. What's the problem?

 

[Antney]

The OP asked for tips on where to start; suggestions were provided. There are a lot of different ways to attack it. What's the problem?

Coop you made my point precisely...there are many different ways to approach theory, depending upon what you want or need to get out of it.

 

[GGJaguar]

As per Frono's request...

 

[GAD]

As per Frono's request...

Way to stoke the fire and divert blame. LOL

 

[Opsimath]

Do you know what a major scale is? If so, the Dorian mode is the same scale but starts on the second note instead of the first. Imagine a C-major scale because it has no flats or sharps:

C-D-E-F-G-A-B

Now, instead of starting on C, start on D:

D-E-F-G-A-B-C

It's the same notes in the same order, but since the root note is now D, it's the D Dorian scale. Why isn't it D major? Because D major looks like this:

D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#

Why is it different? Because major scales have intervals (do you know intervals?) that look like this:

whole-whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half

Ans the dorian scale looks like this:

whole-half-whole-whole-whole-half-whole

If you don't know what an interval is, look at the fretboard. Each single fret is a half step. Two frets is a whole step. To further complicate things, a single step is also called a minor second and a whole step is called a major second. Why? Well...

This is where I found music to be utterly confounding until one day it clicked. Music majors speak in the language of music and may go back and forth between half step and minor second depending on the context. The reason i thought about writing a book is because I never found anything that explained all of this simply, and that tends to be something I'm good at.

Oh, and the piano mentioned earlier? It makes perfect sense when you look at it with the concept of intervals. The black keys are spaced the way they are because that's how musical scales work:

From Wikipedia:

Well, that was kinda helpful, except - and this is going to show just how much I don't know - how come when you play a black key you skip a white key and how do you know which white key to skip? I have a sneakin' 'spicion, Lucy, that this music theory stuff is going to get real hard real fast. Looking forward to that book!

 

[GAD]

Well, that was kinda helpful, except - and this is going to show just how much I don't know - how come when you play a black key you skip a white key and how do you know which white key to skip? I have a sneakin' 'spicion, Lucy, that this music theory stuff is going to get real hard real fast. Looking forward to that book!

The piano is laid out according to how music is built.
Let's look at the C major scale again:
C-D-E-F-G-A-B

which is:
whole - whole - half - whole - whole - whole - half

Remember: whole = two frets on the guitar or two adjacent keys on the piano and half = one.

Look again at the scale pattern for the C-major scale on the piano:

There are no sharps or flats. Why? Look at the space between the notes:

C-D there's a black key in-between because that's a whole step
D-E there's a black key in-between because that's a whole step
E-F there is NOT a black key between the notes because that's a half-step!

A major scale is the *pattern* of W-W-h-W-W-W-h. That's why if you start your major scale at D, using the same W-W-h-W-W-W- pattern you use these keys:

More importantly, that's why the notes in the D major scale are:

D-E-F#-G-A-B-C#

The piano helps to visualize these patterns because it's laid out in accordance with those patterns.

 

[GAD]

One of the things that hit me in the head like a hammer was the fact that scales are always in alphabetical order cycling from A-G. No matter what, A is followed by B, F is followed by G, and G is followed by A. Always. That's why you rarely see an F# listed as a Gb. Even though they're the same note (they're enharmonic) it doesn't make sense for the D major scale to be D-E-Gb-G-A-B-C#-D because having two Gs in the same scale is confusing (LOL - MORE confusing).

 

[Opsimath]

One of the things that hit me in the head like a hammer was the fact that scales are always in alphabetical order cycling from A-G. No matter what, A is followed by B, F is followed by G, and G is followed by A. Always. That's why you rarely see an F# listed as a Gb. Even though they're the same note (they're enharmonic) it doesn't make sense for the D major scale to be D-E-Gb-G-A-B-C#-D because having two Gs in the same scale is confusing (LOL - MORE confusing).

I appreciate that. I think it might start to gel if I look at it a little longer. At least I did know a guitar fret was a half step. And I knew that the notes stayed in alphabetical order, no matter which one is the first one. Is the first one always called the root? And the major scales are always W-W-h-W-W-W-h - right?

I was good at math in school. I used to work algebra problems just for fun, like a puzzle. So, I should be able to get this? I hope? maybe?

 

[fronobulax]

 

[fronobulax]

I was reminded of this. I did get something out of an earlier version and you can't beat the price. But it is not aimed at just guitarists, so....

https://tobyrush.com/theorypages/pdf/en-us/the-whole-enchilada-set.pdf

 

[Qvart]

Guess title sums it up. I have been playing guitar for 11 years and know almost zero theory. I know chords and all that but if you asked me what key I was in I’d have no clue.

Same for me. I have no clue what I'm doing. Basically, it's like learning a foreign language and you just have to put in the effort. And I haven't.

Visuals may help though -

Scales, keys and modes on the circle of fifths | The Ethan Hein Blog

 

[ruedi]

I was reminded of this. I did get something out of an earlier version and you can't beat the price. But it is not aimed at just guitarists, so....

https://tobyrush.com/theorypages/pdf/en-us/the-whole-enchilada-set.pdf

Thanks, that looks interesting! Waiting for the next rainy sunday to dive in.

 

[Default]

A variety of choices doesn't help much, when you have ADHD. Too many methods lead to "choice clutter" for lack of a phrase. "A linear way to learn theory" might be a better question.

 

[lungimsam]

“Decision Paralysis”

 

[GAD]

“Decision Paralysis”

Analysis Paralysis!

 

[fronobulax]

A variety of choices doesn't help much, when you have ADHD. Too many methods lead to "choice clutter" for lack of a phrase. "A linear way to learn theory" might be a better question.

Well the op is certainly allowed to choose how to go about it

I have found that in similar situations I can force myself to make one choice, without regard to whether it is optimal or the best or anything else. I can then work worth that choice until I accomplish what I started out to do or have learned enough to realize I can make a better choice. That has worked for some friends with ADHD diagnoses.

Perhaps, to eliminate the paralysis, we should start a new thread about https://tobyrush.com/theorypages/pdf/en-us/the-whole-enchilada-set.pdf People who want to work through it can use the thread to ask questions of others or just gain accountability - if you say you are trying then people will ask how you are doing. The thread might even remain useful if a moderator stepped in to manage the veers

 

[Tom O]

GAD gave you the pattern On the guitar it is:

I II III IV V VI VII
Note C D E F G A B C
space whole whole half whole whole whole half (whole is 2 frets )
(chord in maj minor minor maj maj minor dim
key)
next key D E F# G B C# D
whole whole half whole whole whole half ( half is 1 fret)
E F# G# A B C# D#
THEN to Make Chords
\Notes in
the Key: ( 1 ) C D E F G A B
( 3 ) E F G A B C D start at 3rd note and write the notes in order in the key
( 5 ) G A B C D E F start at 3rd note and write the notes in order in the key
maj min min maj maj min dim Chord Notes are in the colmns

Formula for Notes In a chord:
chord Major Minor Dim i.e. G Major is C D E
C A B A Minor is A C E
steps 2 1.5 1.5 B Dim is B D F
D C D
steps 2 2 1.5
G E F
This is all you need to know to make major and minor chords in any key. Many songs only need the I, IV and V chords.

 

[Tom O]

sorry spacing lost in up load.

 

[fronobulax]

sorry spacing lost in up load.

If you look at the tool bar, Insert options there is a type called </> Code. What that usually does is allow programmers to post code samples and preserve spacing which helps readability. For example, my indentation is preserved.

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