[Harp-L] Re: theory (was what are you going to do about it?)

[Jp Pagan <jpl_pagan@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Dan
<billybudd1313@...> wrote:
    
>    I was intimidated by music theory because no one
explained it to >me.  I perceived the study of music
theory as an exclusive ivory->tower full of music
"heads" sucking the life and soul out of what was,
>for me, an almost purely visceral subject.  I
think/study too much as >a part of my "regular" life. 
Music just sort of happened, and I didn't >want to
lose that.
>    
>   However, I met a very enlightened "real" musician.
 This guy just >knows it.  More importanlty, he can
also explain the "why" for me.  He >shows me the
logic, and the relationships, so that I can apply my
>intuition.  He's taught me that theory is merely a
way of >COMMUNICATING what's already in my head.  Much
better outlook >than the casual dismisal  ("oh, you're
a harp player  there's no hope. >tee hee")  that so
commonly reinforced my fears in the past"

Hey Dan,

   Just wanted to say congrats and just say that many
of us here support you. i think it's a sad comment
that you've encountered both an attitude that music
theory is for "ivory tower" types and an attitude that
harp players are somehow unable to learn theory. like
the subject of overblows, i think it's a HUGE problem
that people have this perception that understanding
music theory is somehow on par with understanding
super-string theory. 
   sure, some music theory, like some of just about
everything in the world, can be complicated, but most
of it is just what you said (and i think you put this
brilliantly: "a way of COMMUNICATING what's already in
my head." music, by and large, is just a part of what
humans do. but the theory (in a very broad sense) is
there to give all of us musicians a common language
with which to create, discuss, and share our music. i
doubt theory came before music, just like writing did
not come before language, making your analogy of
literacy all the more apt. 
   Anyway... i don't mean to get off on a rant, but i
do hope that others learn from your example and ignore
the naysayers out there who claim that theory is hard,
or bad for you, or not for harp players. 

congrats again,
 

   --Jp  

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