Re: [Harp-L] Are there pro harp players who do not know theory?

[sheltraw@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Hi Michael

> Yet nowadays, 10 years of him playing in clubs later, he'll still say
> he knows nothing about theory but he will speak in context using theory
> terms.

Maybe what he is saying is that he knows some musical taxonomy but very
little theory. The difference being that theory predicts whereas taxonomy
simply categorizes. Categorization is always important in building
predictive models but it is not especially useful without predictive
theory.

There is some predictive value in real musical theory but there are few
that communicate this theory well and even fewer musicians that are
willing to listen.

I have read Wim's pages on jazz improvisation and they are about as close
as anybody is ever going to come to real theory. Wim's approach to theory
is very similar to mine so maybe it simply resonates with me. If anybody
has a more cohesive presentation of real improvisational theory than Wim
I would like to see it.

Cheers!