Music Theory for Acoustic Instruments
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 09:13:49 -0600
I am interested in taking up a bluegrass instrument. I have a good background in acoustic guitar, but my problem lies in that I never learned the theory behind what I was playing. Executing chords and playing from memory I can do, but I have little understanding of keys and improvisation. Can I really teach myself music theory?
Most definitely...Music Theory is a language...and is static...unchanging...not at all like Political Science or Geology where theories change based on new findings. Music Theory itself is written in stone...there are 12 tones to the Western Scale, and there are only so many possible harmonies within this scalar frame...which constitutes major, minor, seventh and diminished chords based on intervals such as Triads. Once learned, it's a knowledge base that does not fluctuate. I love Music Theory and have found it to be indispensable when learning a variety of instruments...since the theory itself is applicable to all string instruments and is unchanging from instrument to instrument.
I don't see how you can really learn anything more that chord strumming and accompaniment without it. A classical guitarist would play both melody and harmony through accenting the melody out the harmony fill notes. This is how I want to play, but with old country tunes such as "Blue Moon of KY," and hymns such as "Shall We Gather at the River."
Yes, this is very possible...you take the harmonies and the bass lines and learn to intertwine them on call by having music theory at your disposal...I've been doing a lot of fingerpicking arrangements on guitar myself...some of the melodies I've recently finalized include: "Both Sides Now", "Wheels" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". I arranged all of these in an open G tuning falling back on both Music Theory and Aural Tradition.
My wife cringes every time I put a Ricky Skaggs CD in the stereo, so I don't have a circle of friends that have this interest. I want to play more of a solo style. I'm really interested in starting over with a new instrument just for the fun of it, perhaps either a mandolin or banjo. If I'm going to learn to *play*, not just repeat what I know from memory, it seems like it would be more fun to do it with a new instrument.
This would also break the chains of old habits...it's difficult to learn a new language following the same path you have for years. By picking up an entirely new fingerboard, such as banjo or mandolin, you're forced to discard your in rote paths...and, it's great timing to learn Music Theory from the beginning while learning an entirely new instrument.
Do you recommend one of the two over the other for what I have in mind? More over, is claw hammer style better than bluegrass style for what I have in mind? I like both instruments, and both styles of banjo. Thanks for your input, and your website is very nice I must say.
Whether you decide to pursue Clawhammer or Bluegrass, both will serve well as a framework for learning Music Theory...however, focus on only one at at time...do not attempt to learn both simultaneously...or you'll have what is called in Psychology terms: Proactive Interference...where two things are so similar that one will interfere with the other during the learning process.
I would recommend mandolin over banjo...especially if you already have been playing guitar...this way you will be focused on the language of theory as opposed to the mechanics required of playing a banjo...
Mickey
Brian Soderberg
Subject: QUESTION
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2004 12:01:00 -0800
In my search for mandolin tab, I found a site Mando Café that produced several sheets by 2001 Tim Piazza listed as "Major Triads", "Diminished Triads," Augmented Triads" and "Suspended Triads". See below one of the pages. What does all this mean?
Thanks
Rich Meumann
Greetings Rich,
Triads are what chords are based on...for instance a G Major Triad consists of G B D notes...this is the 1st 3rd and 5th notes on the G Major Scale...and this is what a G Major Chord is based on...with this Triad knowledge, you can build your own chords. Following the same principle of the 1st 3rd and 5th scale tones, you can apply this to any key: Key of C = 1st C 3rd E and 5th G...therefore, a C Major Chord consists of the the three tones: C, E and G. Now, for the off-tones, deviating from the major scale, you would have Diminished Triads, Augmented Triads, Suspended Triads, etc. A diminished Triad would consist of the tonic note and then a flatted 3rd and a flatted 5th...along with a flatted seventh...G Major becomes: Tonic 1st = G Flatted 3rd = Bb Flatted 5th = Db Flatted 7th = E...there you have it a G Diminished Chord consists of G, Bb, Db and E...my suggestion would be to pursue some music theory books...it truly is a science and you can spend lifetimes trying to see where theory ends...I still feel like a student myself...
Best of luck to you in your research...Mickey
Subject: Fsharp
Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2003 15:07:57 -0600
I am in the process of finding a teacher, until then I am trying to teach myself a bit. This sounds like a silly question, but on which fret would I play an Fsharp that is on the D string.
Thank you, Missy
On the guitar, the F-sharp falls on the 4th fret of the D string 4th string from bottom...
On the mandolin, the F-stharp fall on the 4th fret of the D string 3rd string from bottom..
If you learn the 12 tones of the Western scale, you can figure this stair-step out on every string:
A - A# - B - C - C# - D - D# - E - F - F# - G - G# - A
On most string instruments, you simply use each fret to count the half-steps shown above to search from the open string up..
Hope this helps...Mickey
Subject: banjo keys
Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2002 20:24:49 -0600
Dear folk of the wood
could u please tell me what the key of E DORIAN is?
THANKS
Greetings,
The key of E Dorian (of which I personally have never heard addressed) would essentially mean that the piece is in the key of E Minor (1/2 step between the 2-3 and 1/2 step between the 6-7)...The Dorian mode originated as a Church Mode and designates the scalar progression of a piece...for instance, there are 7 modes...each establishing a tonal center for a key structure of a musical piece...
Go to this website for a great resource on modal instruction:
http://www.guitarconsultant.com/modaltheory.html
Scale Notes
G Ionian Major G A B C D E F# G
A Dorian minor A B C D E F# G A
B Phrygian minor B C D E F# G A B
C Lydian Major C D E F# G A B C
D Mixolydian Major D E F# G A B C D
E Aeolian minor E F# G A B C D E
F# Locrian diminished F# G A B C D E F#
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 15:51:27 -0700 (PDT)
I am looking for an original sound on my squareneck. Is there any good 'ad lib' progressions other than pentatonic that work with dominant seventh, minor and major chords?
Greetings,
Try some of the following:
major chords: try the unichordal approach by orienting your scales to each chord as it's being played...for instance:
A G to C to D chord progression: play a G major scale over the G chord...and as soon as the progression switches to C, try using a G7th scale...this would essentially be a C major scale...when the chord progression starts in on the D, try a G major scale again with a sharp 4th as a passing tone. Don't forget to experiment with chromatic scales interspersed...(which is truly difficult on Dobro but challenging just the same).
minor chords: Again, the unichordal approach to a minor progression can be very effective...and, additionally, using the unichodal approach with pentatonic scales that fit each minor chord within the progression. For instance, avoid playing a C major scale over a minor chord progression with Am as the tonic chord. Try moving into each chord with independent scales that fit the chord itself.
Hope the above helps in some way...Mickey
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