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

[Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

Slim has stated it very well.

Theory gives you insight and a knowledge of the musical terrain that you use to plan your journey through it.  Then with repetition, the journey becomes intuitive so that you don't have to think about theory while playing.

Theory tells me that there will be flatted thirds in the melody when the current chord is a minor.  Repetition makes it automatic to play a Eb on my Hands-Free-Chromatic while I'm playing a Cm chord on the guitar.

Vern

On May 20, 2011, at 8:04 AM, Slim Heilpern wrote:

> On May 20, 2011, at 5:32 AM, Richard Hunter wrote:
> 
>> sheltraw@xxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> <Some of us operate from the perspective that our headlights are our ears.
>> <
>> <I like to use what little theory actually exists in jazz to shine a light
>> <under the hood while the car is in the garage.
> 
> I also don't understand that sentence, as well as not understanding someone's earlier comment that suggests that music theory is all about prediction. Music theory simply explains how music works. It can of course be used to predict what will or will not work in a given situation, but that's a side effect. As for there being little existing jazz theory, certainly there's as much jazz theory as there is any kind of western music theory -- in fact I think it all boils down to the same theory, no? The differences are stylistic.
> 
>> 
>> First, I don't really understand what the 2nd sentence means.
>> 
>> Second, your ears are connected to your brain, and your brain dictates what you play, no matter how good your ears are.
> 
> Agreed, but in my opinion, there's a huge difference between your conscious and unconscious mind. My understanding of music theory is intermediate and I rarely give it any thought when I'm playing -- that's because I don't do very well when I try to think and play at the same time -- by the time I figure it out, the moment has passed. I believe that the same part of my brain that allows me to do things like touch type or ride a bicycle "automatically" allows me to compose or improvise without giving it much (if any) conscious thought.
> 
> When I'm practicing, music theory helps me to understand what will work when my unconscious mind doesn't know what to do on its own. Eventually I internalize the lesson and I don't have to think about it anymore.
> 
> But that's just me. I have a high regard for those who always know exactly what they're about to do and why they're going to do it before they do it, especially in the context of jazz improvisation and especially if they can, on top of all that, play tastefully and soulfully. I think this does give them a huge advantage and I think they must have bigger brains than I ;-).
> 
> - Slim.
> 
> 
>> 
> 
>