How about we all go teach at least 1 kid some music theory

Guys I watched a DJ battle the other day, and I thought, "You know if these guys put this much effort/talent into playing guitar, they would be damn good."

What do you guys think of starting a grassroots music education movement?

Since funding for the arts has been deleted from schools, why not each one teach one?thumbsup

[MAJIK]

Luckily, I have the opportunity to do this every day. I teach a beginning band class every morning to mostly 6th graders. Its an awsome job, but not to slutty.

[jhg]

I will continue to try to do this.

With some young/old artists I've had in, I've tried to do some enlightening of chordal structures, etc. Usually this is greeting with totally blank/uninterested stares, or the "I know pentatonic dude! shut up" kinda responses. Seriously, if one person I have in the studio was really interested, I'd bet in the future they would remember my name forever.

When I was a kid I admit to hating having to go to theory classes, I remember this, Sundays, 2:30-3:30 at Miss Inoyues' house. It really made an impression, moreso later, when Phrygian wasn't just a weird sounding word with some rules attached.

Long live super-Locrian! Go flat two!

Regards,

jhg

[zaczac]

I spend much of my time working useful theory into bass lessons. One problem I have is that beginner bass books tend to focus on learning a fret at a time, instead of learning how notes and scales actually work. Also, if the song is notation and TAB, a new student will almost always ignore the notation.

[untitledtopher]

i love theory, i'm a teacher and lessons aren't just about playing the instrument but as much about learning theory which i feel is what is truly essential to be a fine all around musician, i'm just trying to do my part

[Acoustic Cloud]

I just wish kids were into theory as much as Vid games, or Youtube, or myspace, or Spongebob, or skateboarding, or textmessaging, or the mall, etc...

My job would be easier.

[sleepwalker]

Yeah. Another the world would have one more guitarist. Hardly something interesting. Don't get me wrong, I like guitar, I'm more of a guitarist than I am anything else, but I'm happy when people put passion and effort into anything.

Originally Posted by no ssl yet

Guys I watched a DJ battle the other day, and I thought, "You know if these guys put this much effort/talent into playing guitar, they would be damn good."

What do you guys think of starting a grassroots music education movement?

Since funding for the arts has been deleted from schools, why not each one teach one?thumbsup

[dementedchord]

i've tried over time to do some of this and will continue to but it gets kinda disheartening when you find out later that all it ends up is a bed for "**** the bitches f- f- the b-es"

[Earwitness]

I teach Art to high school kids. I try and show them how to use their right brains since most of them rarely use either...
music theory for kids would drive me nuts
my2

[henryrobinett]

Well one of the many hats I wear is teaching music, both privately and in a community college. It's another language that many professional musicians only have rudimentary knowledge of. In many cases it's enough to get my. But is it enough to move ahead no matter where ahead lies? Or to look behind? When you limit yourself you're stuck where you are without tremendous effort. Understanding the language and structure; how something like music mechanically works, demystifies it and only increases your ability to create.

My father even studied music theory from a listeners standpoint. He wasn't even a musician. There's only so much you can hear without knowing what you're hearing.

[Windshore]

Sorry to be the spoiler here, but those DJ's probably have a better chance of making a living in the biz than your theory students. The industry (and society) embraces branding and celebrity much more than content. I imagine DJ's are constructing a theory and technique of their own, which WE may be very much in the dark about.

It's a great ideal though...

[henryrobinett]

Yeah, but it's not all about making a living, at least not for me.

[2leod]

Just wrapped up a gig on the weekend, a production of Jesus Christ Superstar. I played guitar in what turned out to be a great band considering the time we had to get it together, and not having met each other before. Two other guitars, one of whom was a 14 year old kid being mentored - see, the community theatre is located in the high school and the Stage West Players, the theatre group gives opportunities to kids in the visual arts programs to get involved. We didn't spend alot of theory time with him, but learning when to not play, working out parts and seeing how we played off each other was a great education for him. His parents were thrilled, he was grateful, it was a very cool thing all around.

[Drumsound]

I've got a 7th grader who has been bringing in his bells instead of working on SD. We've been working on ear training and theory lately.

[DeathMonkey]

I dunno, we have enough bad shredder kids on the Youtube already. How about we sit them down and make them learn Hendrix tunes instead? Teach vibrato, touch, how to play with the gain under 2 o'clock, and why the Beach Boys and the Beatles are the greatest bands ever? How to be a good band mate, and when to lay out?

I appreciate theory, but then I think that Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and Tom Waits don't know a whole heck of a lot of theory, they just listened to a whole heck of a lot of music.

What we need to teach as musicians is love of music, and that all music is bound together - championing one's flavor of the week metalcore band on teh intarwebs is a poor substitute for self esteem, and that there is more music out there than the latest emo and American Idol acts.

Personally, I think that 100 listenings of Miles Davis' "In A Silent Way" and Coltrane's "Love Supreme" should be a requirement for High School graduation. But what we should share is our passion and our perspective more than anything else. If we show that WE care, maybe they will care, and then the learning takes care of itself.

[atma]

are you saying their talent/effort/etc. is wasted in turntablism? i don't get it. why would it be any different if they played guitar instead?

[ArcCirDude]

The problem that I am seeing more and more every year at the uni I teach at is the increasing disintrest for music theory. We get kids that are eager to play but not willing to spend the time learning basic music theory. I always get, "Why do we have to learn this Bach chorale stuff?" I counter by putting on a Seal tune with one of Ann Dudley's great string arrangements, an Elton John tune with a Paul Buckmaster arrangement or a Tori Amos tune. That usually gets the point across. However, they still don't put in the time. I dread this coming spring semester when we begin to discuss modulation... I try my best to pique their interest and encourage them but DAMN these modern kids (Holy generation gap, Batman!) are so lazy. At least the ones enrolling at this institution. It makes my job seem futile. Thank "whoever you pray to in the privacy of your skull" that we still get the freak geek talents in here that make it all worth while. There have been times where, if it weren't for my children, I'd walk away, move back to the BIG CITY and play freelance again.

Damn I'll be glad when the sun comes back.....

That's all from the polar circle, over and out.

[wineredno1]

I do this every day, working in rough state school in the UK teaching........Music.

[ArcCirDude]

Originally Posted by no ssl yet

Guys I watched a DJ battle the other day, and I thought, "You know if these guys put this much effort/talent into playing guitar, they would be damn good."

What do you guys think of starting a grassroots music education movement?

Since funding for the arts has been deleted from schools, why not each one teach one?thumbsup

Hey "no ssl yet"! Totally off topic.... Are you back in town? Doin' alright? How bad did Katrina mess up uptown? I lived off St. Charles and Carrollton when I was at Loyola. Grew up in Kenner. How about Benny's and The Maple Leaf? Damn I miss NO..

Back on topic....sort of... New Orleans was THE BEST place in the world for a music education, IMHO. I had band every day in public school from sixth grade on up. Plenty of clubs in which to play. Great variety, too. Older cats were always encouraging and giving yet, at the same time, on your ass if they knew you were slackin'.

[seaneldon]

trying to teach an uninterested kid music theory when he's absolutely positive all he needs is power chords...yeah, that'll work.

should be slightly more tedious than shaving every square inch of your nether region.

[pan60]

Originally Posted by seaneldon

trying to teach an uninterested kid music theory when he's absolutely positive all he needs is power chords...yeah, that'll work.

should be slightly more tedious than shaving every square inch of your nether region.

after the last student here my doctor doubled the xanax dosage.

[pan60]

i should add no ssl yet if the right student comes along i am always willing to teach: )
no more power chords here, learn theory, learn to play.
rather it is guitar, piano, or what ever instrument one my choose, theory is a gateway to creation.

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by no ssl yet

Guys I watched a DJ battle the other day, and I thought, "You know if these guys put this much effort/talent into playing guitar, they would be damn good."

This strikes me as vaguely "something-ist". Why should we assume that guitar playing is worth more to the world than turntabling?

Theory may be good for composers, but it usually makes for wildly boring guitarists. Tonveigh MacAlsteen kinds of guys know lots of theory. I wouldn't really support that in an election.

How 'bout teaching them how to funk.

[Methlab]

I learned theory early on. Why? I WANTED to. The only musicians who make it a living are ones that have the drive to do so. You can't make a kid learn scales if they aren't interested. It takes the passion out of it.

If a kid wants to DJ, let him do it. He doesn't want to play guitar or he would do that instead.

I had a rapper who was very good and I easily got him a good attorney after 2 singles. Well, he decided he was not into rapping that much and wanted to make beats instead. So that is what he does, and he is getting quite good at it. He will ask me some questions and just work at it all day. He is doing what he wants to do, and that is what matters in art.

[Acoustic Cloud]

You think theory is bad, try to force beavis to read music!!

Hey I know, just for fun, lets Have Greg Howe and Billy Joe Armstrong switch jobs for a day?

What would the show be called?

Hmmmm,

Id pay to see that!

[henryrobinett]

Originally Posted by max cooper

This strikes me as vaguely "something-ist". Why should we assume that guitar playing is worth more to the world than turntabling?

I don't know. Maybe because playing a musical instrument is a phenomenon that goes back hundreds of years and has a skill set that communicates and traverses various styles. Where wisdom can be added to rather than merely detracted from or even lost.

Nothing wrong with turntablists though!

Theory may be good for composers, but it usually makes for wildly boring guitarists.

Hm. I don't know. I'm a guitarist and I know hecka theory. I can tell you it's only helped me. I'm not saying it will help every guitar player, but I can't see how it wouldn't.

It certainly makes doing session work much, much easier and quicker too. Somebody needs me to come up with a part. I quickly, if the piece is complicated at all, write down the chords, or a sketch of the melody and come up with instantaneous harmony parts, counterpoint, what have you. It also comes in great for producing. You can KNOW whether something works or not and why. Vocal harmonies are a breeze. Somebody wants a wide open harmony or really tight jazzy harmony. Or you have to blend with other guitar and keyboard parts. Man, it's a skill whose applications are endless.

Why in heavens sake would anyone want to limit themselves, their knowledge and their abilities. Ignorance is never a good or admirable attribute, don't you think?

How 'bout teaching them how to funk.

Well yeah. Can't argue with that. But that's a completely separate issue, unrelated in any way.

[henryrobinett]

Originally Posted by Methlab

If a kid wants to DJ, let him do it. He doesn't want to play guitar or he would do that instead.

Absolutely! Except people today seem to have less focus than in years past. It might be too many options, like TV, internet, iPods, video games, etc, that consume time and attention. Or it could be too many drugs for too many years has effected society. Or it could be a permissive attitude perpetuated by psychiatrists that you can't force Johnny to do anything Johnny doesn't want to, like practice; as is what used to happen 50 years ago.

Whatever the reasons are kid may WANT to play guitar, but it's just too HARD. Playing an instrument well takes time, focus, planning and dedication. I don't see a lot of that today. Turntablism certainly takes all those things and ability too, of a different kind. But the ability to sit in front of a book, or with a teacher or to learn in an otherwise organized way is not in the cards.

[Subsonic]

I work at a community music school and we believe that music theory is so important to the education of young musicians that we offer theory classes for practically free ($50.00 for an 18 week term). 6 kids enrolled. Out of like 700 students. Pretty pathetic.

I think the problem is that most people view music theory to be about as much fun as calculus, and not neccessary to learning an instrument unless you're going to be a jazzer. Well, they're wrong. But how do you convince them otherwise?

[henryrobinett]

Repeatedly demonstrate what it is, how it's used and incorporate it into their regular lessons. Make them realize it's just the way music hangs together; how you think about it whether it's in an organized book or not. It has to be done in baby steps until the lightbulb clicks on.

[swankdoc]

Whats the warmest punchiest teacher plug-in for under $150?
I want one with the ruler knuckle smack option.