General Music Chat

Hey EDDY123,

Don’t get too caught up in what others are doing, covers or otherwise. Your music sounds great to me and you’ve definitely got some ability. Some theory couldn’t hurt and a good teacher will help you progress faster, so I’d say that’s a good idea, but maybe you just need to find the right people to jam with more than anything. Good luck and keep on jamming.

I feel what your going thru at the same level a lot times. Not only with music but with my job. I had to go back to school and learn a lot of new trix some years ago cause i needed my master licenses to do the work i do legally. I must say it was a lot of butt busting involved but without it I wouldnt have been able to go in business for myself 5 years ago when the ass i worked for didnt need me to run his business anymore. Now Im the ass and Im a lot happier than I ever thought Id be. Id rather have a good laboror a lot of times than a guy who thinks he is the best plumber in town. you cant get what you need most of the time from the so called best as he only knows what he knows and cantlearn from me. Get up everyday and do everything you do the best you can and you will have musicians and bosses breaking down doors to get you whether you have an middle school education or a masters degree in anything. Me I dont know a lot of the whys or wheres or what im doing half the time. A few of the comments left at a recent post of mine kind of made me wonder if I knew anything. But I have to say the encouragement and help you get from most of the people here is priceless. Learning new trix is a good way to keep life interesting . Dont let it bother you if it dont come easy. I KNOW youll get along another day with or without .


Its just another day in paradise.

Quick and sleazy solution, eddy, if you really want to just get out there and play:
Buy one of those Tascam CD-GT1 units off of ebay or somewhere else used.
They play cds and allow you to loop sections, slow down the tempo of a tune without changing the pitch, cancell cetain frequencies kind of like a karaoke machine, and have built in effect, amp simulation thhingys.
Or get the new one that just plays straight MP3's.

2nd thing is relative pitch training. (ear training)
Basically, play intervals or 'Steps' against the root note. (starting note)
Root note / 2nd note of scale, Root note /3rd note of scale, etc.
Play them together or spaced out. You're trying to get your ear to recognize the flavor or that interval sound.
That by itself will help you to figure out chords and notes on a tune, without even getting into chord progression guidlines.

Depending on how much you want to learn, I would recommend:
"The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory, 2nd Edition (Paperback)
by Michael Miller"
Thats not a slight or insult in any way. Its a dam good book. Best one I've read on music theory.
You can skip over the music notation and reading music parts and theres still lots of useful stuff in it.
In fact id recommend it to anyone on this forum if they want to brush up.

THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT ADVICE.

I just contacted a music teacher and I am going to take some lesons and im also going to try alot of the sugestions from this post. You guys and gals are great Thanks.

PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, you definitely do not have a lack of ability. From what I hear on your profile you have a lot of skill and talent and any band should count themselves lucky to have someone who can play by ear and solo...not everyone can do that.
Now, as for learning theory and sight reading, there is nothing wrong with that at all and finding a good teacher who is willing to explain it in a practical way that doesn't involve analyzing countless songs by washed up performers from the Baroque period will be your best bet. There are also a ton of websites that explain music theory really well and give really good examples if you want to give that a try first.

EDDY,
A lot of good opinion here, but I especially like Jessica's advice.

It may be that you have a learning disability that makes it difficult for you to master music theory, however. If that proves to be the case, Hayden King's advice may be more appropriate.

Either way, your talent is obvious to anyone with ears, and you should not be discouraged in your pursuit of getting into a band, if that's your goal.

Good luck with the new teacher.

Keep on Rockin'!
Howlin'

Eddy:
I can tell by the context of your posts that you are an intelligent guy.
Education levels not withstanding.
My wife did not finish highschool. But now she is an RN, as well as being certified to do wound care. She has failed, tried again and succeded.
That to me is the basis of intellegence. I have seen one two many people with Masters and Doctorates who could not pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel.
Have a bold heart and be not afraid to fail. You will do fine.

First of all, you definitely do not have a lack of ability. From what I hear on your profile you have a lot of skill and talent and any band should count themselves lucky to have someone who can play by ear and solo...not everyone can do that.
Now, as for learning theory and sight reading, there is nothing wrong with that at all and finding a good teacher who is willing to explain it in a practical way that doesn't involve analyzing countless songs by washed up performers from the Baroque period will be your best bet. There are also a ton of websites that explain music theory really well and give really good examples if you want to give that a try first.

EDDY,
A lot of good opinion here, but I especially like Jessica's advice.

It may be that you have a learning disability that makes it difficult for you to master music theory, however. If that proves to be the case, Hayden King's advice may be more appropriate.

Either way, your talent is obvious to anyone with ears, and you should not be discouraged in your pursuit of getting into a band, if that's your goal.

Good luck with the new teacher.

Keep on Rockin'!
Howlin'

Thanks howlin I have goten alot of good advice and im gona put it to use. I think somtimes I feel stuck where im at and cant move forward. I do have a lerning disability but it has never stoped me I just halfto work harder. I also like jessicas advice and thats why I contacted a teacher, dont know if this will be the one but its a start. I will never quit playing my music "I LOVE IT" but I guess I need to push myself to lern moore and expand my abilitys.

THANKS
PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eddy:
I can tell by the context of your posts that you are an intelligent guy.
Education levels not withstanding.
My wife did not finish highschool. But now she is an RN, as well as being certified to do wound care. She has failed, tried again and succeded.
That to me is the basis of intellegence. I have seen one two many people with Masters and Doctorates who could not pour piss out of a boot with the instructions written on the heel.
Have a bold heart and be not afraid to fail. You will do fine.

THANKS SANS, I work with all kida people with degrees and they cant find the boot.
PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Theory as in Id like to Theory my wife right out of the house right now.I need to hurry before she walks in here and cs this. how in the hell do you spell sees, is that it?Your guitar playing sounds really good . My problem with Theory was, well I had to bye books. I could never understand one persons explanation. I got lots of books I bought just for 1 or 2 paragraphs. I think a teacher would be a good idea. Maybe a book or 2. Its really not that complicated tho once you learn some basics and getting past the parts you think dont make sense . Any way if you want it you can get it. A little bit of time thats all we have. I wana already know it thats the biggest hurdle, hell you play guitar good. well that s it not much help but I gota go before the ole wifey cs and Theorizes me out the house. good luck.

First of all, you definitely do not have a lack of ability. From what I hear on your profile you have a lot of skill and talent and any band should count themselves lucky to have someone who can play by ear and solo...not everyone can do that.
Now, as for learning theory and sight reading, there is nothing wrong with that at all and finding a good teacher who is willing to explain it in a practical way that doesn't involve analyzing countless songs by washed up performers from the Baroque period will be your best bet. There are also a ton of websites that explain music theory really well and give really good examples if you want to give that a try first.

Thanks Jessica, I had never listend to your profile before but I have now and its verry good. Your complements mean alot because of your background. I have made contact with a berkly grad who is a teacher now and we will se if he can get past my shortcomings, IF he cant Ill move on to onother teacher. Thanks for your advice and good luck with finding what you seek.
PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you. Let me know how working with the teacher works out for you. It's a huge step.

my friend w/a music theory degree tried to talk to me about it...
I couldn't seem to teach him a thing about art!

Funny he learned all o that about theory, but never played anything but covers... never wrote a single song!!!


www.myspace.com/blunderingeye
www.myspace.com/445175001
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/6039/
http://bandmix.com/hayden-king/
hayden_king2000 on yahoo messenger

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my friend w/a music theory degree tried to talk to me about it...
I couldn't seem to teach him a thing about art!

Funny he learned all o that about theory, but never played anything but covers... never wrote a single song!!!


www.myspace.com/blunderingeye
www.myspace.com/445175001
http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/6039/
http://bandmix.com/hayden-king/
hayden_king2000 on yahoo messenger

*

That sucks, I know what your saying Hayden, I dont want to become one of these robot players. I just want to add to my skills to make it easyer when I go jamm with other people. I may never be able to do stuff like site read because of my dislexia, I just want to lern alot of the basics that I skiped on my way. I am going ton check out the teacher somtime this week and see how it goes. I will never quit playing origanal suff.

PEACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey EDDY123,

I don't know if this will help you much, but you might care to read this article:

http://www.shredaholic.com/hesslesson5.html

Wish ya the best!

Eddie you hit 1 nail right on its head. You just gtotta keep jamming.
Everything I ever learned came from playing with and listening to other musicians. Keep as many as you can as close as you can.

Its just another day in Paradise.