Next step in Music Theory?

[Machinesworking]

It's almost as important IMO with music to know what you don't like as the things you do like.
What I'm getting at is it seems to me that most people who don't seem to be able to finish a song, who know more theory than I do aren't being hindered by the theory, that's silly, but by the lack of critical judgements they're making when composing. I know that the breakdowns in electronic music where the beat dies away and a pad of a chord or two hangs in the the air for ten to twenty seconds before it comes in strong again, well personally I'm not a fan. If I was to use that in my music because it 'fit' the song I was writing, I would eventually be really dissatisfied with that song. Same with too much of a reliance on the Blues in the scales, or happy tonal scales. That is absolutely not the case when I listen to other peoples music. I can appreciate a song that uses all those elements, I just know that for what I want to write that won't work.

Developing a limited palette, not of a certain genre necessarily or of a certain set of scales even, but being aware of what elements in other peoples music you like from a broad spectrum of sources for that limited palette, and the technical skill and knowledge to incorporate those elements, and you get an individual style out of that. There aren't very many truly unique artists who don't have an instantly recognizable style, from Chopin to AC/DC to Pink Floyd to Mozart to Prodigy to Skinny Puppy, to Leftfield to King Crimson you can recognize a song by them no matter if they're classically trained or banging out three chords, they have a personal style.

Otherwise you'll end up like this one guy I remember who posted on a forum I went to that he had set up Logic Pro and a Motif station with a solid set of monitors and a few guitars lying around, his quote was, "I look over at my set up and all it's power these days and realize that for literally any composer it's enough, that every form of music under the sun, all of that amazing talent, has mostly had much more limited sources, and that's overwhelming." It's not an external battle, you're not competing against these other great artists, but more like trying to find your own voice. Doing what he was doing is a sure fire way to feel really self conscious about your own writing which almost never helps, unless it ushers in a new understanding of what you want out of your music.

Hopefully that makes sense to someone, I really believe bearing all that in mind has kept me from writers block, which I almost never get.

[Evengy]

Wow, so much great posts! I need to read them a few times again

But should i really forget Music Theory atm? I know a lot less from memory, i need to build and draw in the scales everytime again (except C and Am ^^). Is this a sign that i really didn´t understand the Theory? You guys said it... i need more practice because i stucked in loop mode for a long time.

Only a few weeks ago started to do more than 2min parts with a friend of mine. He is a DJ and a Genius in my eyes with turning knobs and faders where i learn alot of improvising and spontanious decisions. But that is another problem where i reached the next level ^^

Thanks again, im coming back when i read all your posts again and again.

[stringtapper]

But should i really forget Music Theory atm? I know a lot less from memory, i need to build and draw in the scales everytime again (except C and Am ^^). Is this a sign that i really didn´t understand the Theory?

That's exactly what it means. Anything that is truly learned should be able to be applied effortlessly. I tell my theory classes it's like using a fork; you don't think about the steps to using a fork, you just use it. Spelling scales and chords (the basics) should be the same.

[Evengy]

Ok, practice again....

How do you remember all that scales? Normally i use the formulas like 2-2-1-2-2-2-1 while im sitting on my Keyboard. The i can build my chords and jam around a bit. Im jealously of guys who are spelling all that stuff within seconds. Or did you learned it only because of practice? Like Week one Scale C with Chords and Week two Scale G etc. I know, alot of questions but i can´t suppress to know everything

[craigb]

@evangy

Couple more thoughts...

1. Memorize the major scale in every key (I need to do this myself on piano). I'm fortunate on guitar, since the 'shapes' are movable.

2. Have you studied the Circle of Fifths/Fourths? It's an amazing tool. That's another one worth memorizing.

Good luck!

[Evengy]

1. You are right. I should learn to spell a Minor Scale from scale degree VII instead of learning all Minor Scales itself.

2. I know the Circle but im not using it so much.

It seems that i really need more practice in every topic like Circle of Fifths, spelling Scales and Chords etc. I´m playing E-Guitar since 1 1/2 year and i love to use shapes because it´s so easy

Now i know what to do, thank you!

[JAMM]

I started as a gitarist. My best band was my first band. Nobody in the band knew about music-theory but it was powerfull and creative stuff. later i learned all the tricks and master my gitar playing but the magic was gone. Later i switched to samplers, keyboards and started to compose, produce and remix stuff. I can,t play the keyboard but that doesn,t bother me. I know when it sounds okay and play my stuff and rearrange or program it later in the computer. Same with the drumparts and bass.
works for me.

[d-track]

spare time and do minimal techno?

[Evengy]

Really good Techno is difficult too