did you take music lessons?

[brandondrury]

Okay, I get it. I knew that (from a guitar perspective) the shapes changed, but I forgot how that worked. Harmonies involve real music knowledge and I know little about that sort of thing.

So if we stick with our current "key" or whatever it is, only a few harmonies will be "weird", right? I'm defining "weird" as deviating from the standard power chord shape.

So if we start on G the major scale or whatever would go G, A, B, C, and finally D. (G and D combine to make the power chord 5th). Right?

But if we stay on this same scale and start on F#, we'll go F#, G, A, B, C. (F# and C do not make the pretty little power chord shape) and would sound dissonant more than likely.

Then if we move down and started on E, we'd end up with E, F#, G, A, B. (We are back to our pretty little power chord).

Let me know if I'm right or if I'm way off the mark. I'm just trying to understand this.

Thanks
Brandon

[guitar junkie]

to keep things simple i will say no!

but i have worked with a huge list of people who have shown me the way more than once!

[hairspan]

I've been taking music lessons for different instruments my whole life and I still am. Currently I'm getting a degree in music so I have to have a certain # of hrs. of private lessons to graduate.

[brandondrury]

What are your thoughts on music lessons? Are you a better musician? Are you as creative as you may have been if your ignorant to the entire process? I'd like to discuss this in great detail. I'm getting dizzy now (no sleep), but maybe we can further this discussion soon.

Brandon

[lumpy]

Believe it or not, but I actually took piano for a year and percussion in grade school, music theory in hs and college.

I also took two years of Spanish but can't remember any of that either.

I can still read music though, as long as it's not too complex.

The most useful item I learned is song structure which has been a tool I've used on occasion when writing.

Really, Frank Zappa, Brian Wilson, and the Beatles have been the best music teachers I've ever had.

It's one of the proverbial roads not taken. I was torn between majoring in music, political science, or watching "Kids in the Hall".

I like some of those teach yourself DVD's, just do a little research before buying.

Lump

[brandondrury]

Believe it or not, but I actually took piano for a year and percussion in grade school, music theory in hs and college.

I also took two years of Spanish but can't remember any of that either.

That's amazing! I always thought that people who were musicially "trained" were in the club for life. It never occured to me it's in one ear and out the other with a few thousand beers.

Really, Frank Zappa, Brian Wilson, and the Beatles have been the best music teachers I've ever had.

Good call, dude.

Brandon

[lumpy]

Brandon,
A FEW thousand? You severally underestimate my ability to consume superhuman amounts of barley malt based alchoholic beverages!
The only club I've ever been in is 4-H in which I once won a blue ribbon at the county fair for a picture of a '79 Bronco I cut out of a crusty old Popular Mechanics and subsequently shelacked onto a piece of plywood.

[brandondrury]

;D

A FEW thousand? You severally underestimate my ability to consume superhuman amounts of barley malt based alchoholic beverages!

My apologies!? I should have put more thought into my post before I let out such a ridiculous and rude statement.

'79 Bronco

That's when a truck was a truck! My first vehicle was a '79 Ford F-250 4x4. It was quite a fun toy for a 16 year old!

Brandon

[Smidgelton]

I don't see how music lessons could hinder your creativity. It seems to me the more you know about music and your instrument, the easier you could articulate your creativity. I don't know. I haven't taken any form of lessons, but I'm definitely not opposed to the thought of them.

[brandondrury]

I don't see how music lessons could hinder your creativity.

It's probably a much bigger problem with "students" than those who have mastered their instrument. For example, we want a lead guitar line for a 2 bar part before the second verse. I've found that Mr. Music student will typically come up with something derived from a scale. While it sometimes is good, or even great, I almost always prefer the part that was just hummed a melody and figured it out on a single string.

I've heard MANY guitar / music people make fun of the single string lead even though it's one of the most effective tactics for writing killer melodies.

The problem with "some" music lessons is it's kind of like the Transformer where you required all 8 guys to forum the big ass mega Transformer. With just 2 of the guys, it was pretty much useless.

Now don't get me wrong, getting started with lessons is a great idea. I just don't like it when people say "You can't hit that note when playing over the key of C major". I say, "Yeah, I can. Watch!".

It depends on if you use those lessons as a way to increase your musical powers or limit them.

Brandon