Notes_Norton

You Better You Bet — Who

Mixed messages.

Smells Like Nirvana — Weird Al

Spanish Castle Magic — Jimi Hendrix

Healthy for the factory food owners.

A talented person can be creative without music theory Music theory won't help an untalented creator, nor will it harm a talented one. For the talented creator, music theory is just one more tool in the toolbox.

Sally Go Round The Roses — Jaynetts

So that's why I didn't get the gig.

If this is real, some ad guy probably got fired...

Paradise Lost On Me — Zac Brown Band

Jelly, Jelly, Jelly — Blues standard, this take by Bobby Bland

It's difficult. It's the common language between musicians. I've been in bands where drummers, guitarists, and even vocalists knew at least basic music theory, and it's a lot easier to communicate with them. IMO, everyone who wants to play music should learn at least basic music theory. Not only does it help you communicate, but gives you an understanding of why what you are playing works. Insights and incites by Notes ♫

The thing about theory is this. You learn it and it becomes subconscious, just like the grammar you learned in school. If you have the talent, the theory will color what you are doing without you even thinking about it most of the time. If you don't have the talent, no matter what you do, theory or not, it's not going to be great.

Yes, it was his name in the Cyrillic alphabet, but translated by AI BTW, My secret identity is “Typoman - writing all wrongs” Notes ♫

Try this: Get Band-in-a-Box auto-accompaniment software from PG Music Enter a chord progression from a song you are not very familiar with (preferably from a Norton Music aftermarket Fake Disk *) Change the style (preferably with an aftermarket Norton Music style *) Listen to it over and over again, without paying much attention, even while doing something else Much later, after it's internalized, sing or play a melody or catchphrase and take it from there Start with simpler chord progressions, similar to your genre, but not recognizable by you. When you are done, listen to the song the progression was taken from, to be sure you didn't subconsciously plagiarize it. * You can ignore the self-serving plugs Notes ♫

Rocket 88 — Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats

Beatnick Fly — Johnny and the Hurricanes

My suggestions: 1) quit trying to be creative 2) Play. I don't mean play your instrument, play around like a child, experiment. Record everything. 3) Do this every day.

It's like saying, “Does learning grammar kill writing creativity?” It is my firm belief, if a creative person can make great music, learning music theory would only help by having another virtual tool in his/her kit. I think you can make fine music without it - but - IF, and I mean IF you have the talent. But without theory, what you create is limited. You could write a great rock song, but the chances that you will compose a great symphony without knowing music theory are slim to none. Knowing music theory did not hurt Shatkovitch, Dvorak, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, or Saint-Saëns any. Notes ♫