To help me understand the whys behind everything I’m learning in the beginner course. I’m not a memorizer, so when I understand the underlying principles and patterns behind something I’m more likely to remember it, enjoy what I’m learning, and apply it to different areas.
2. Why did I stop learning music theory:
I did Grade 1 and 2 of PMT while going through Grade 1 of the beginner course and its related consolidation. I stopped after that as Grade 3 of PMT was too far ahead of where I was. Now that I’m working through Grade 2 of the beginner course, I’m being introduced to scales, keys, sus chords, it makes sense to continue with Grade 3 of PMT which delves into the whys of all of those topics.
3. Big audacious goal:
To be able to play comfortably and with “soul” in a blues jam maybe in front of a small crowd one day.
Unless I learn theory - I’m just memorising shapes. Took theory as a youngster up to grade 6 on the piano. Presented to me in such a way as to make it abstract and “science-y” with no practical application whatsoever. Can’t believe I got to grade 6 with no idea how harmony worked. Hairy-ass goal is to learn why things sound “good” and “fit” with the aim to be able to better make music with other people. So - jamming and improvising in other words…
I have always just used simple chord charts to play the songs I like, without ever understanding why those chords are placed the way they are-or why those certain chords are used together. I want to be able to use theory to help me know these things so I can not only memorize the songs’ chord progressions better, but also to create my own patterns that I can then apply to my own writings. I have always been curious about how the whole idea of music works, and this course is allowing me to learn new things using an instrument that I have played for a long time. Practical! My ultimate goal is to become a songwriter. I have a skill at writing but no clue how to apply music to my words in a way that makes sense.
I’ve reached a point in my journey where I feel I need to know the why as opposed to just the what. The what is a bit like painting by numbers - following tabs, chords in songs, playing a few scales. I see music theory as the why, which will hopefully unlock more purposeful soloing and jamming with others. I like structure and rules that, once understood, can lead me to my own discoveries. PMT sounds just the ticket for that.
I have always been in to music with different instruments. But I never learned to read music and mostly played by ear. However I feel that I am missing some essentials here. I am 64 years old now, retired from my job and now finally I have the time to study theorie. Not to perfection rather than a better understanding of what I am doing and where it is coming from.Hopefully it will enable me to be a better and more variable player.
Why am I taking Music theory and where am I headed?? Right from the get go, I felt that I was going to have to learn some music theory. Figured I would go as far as I needed to be able to have a mutual conversation with another musician and progress my skills while knowing where the notes are on the guitar. I wasn’t going to get too involved but I am now working on definate goals!!
Goals:
Get really good at Blues (specifically Texas Blues, still up in the air there, may go another way) Really want to be able to play a few Stevie Ray songs, while still keeping in contact with good ole Rock and Roll.
Become an excellent guitar teacher. This is something that has just recently sparked. So I figure I will work at it for a few years and see where it gets me. I am starting to work on a course structure “Super
Beginner Course”. (All in person) no online stuff at the moment. Although I am thinking of incorporating a website to match up with the course structure for
students. I’m sure I will be Pulling from the teaching ways around @JustinGuitar and his team. Who knows, maybe work on a collaboration.
These are the main reasons why I am learning Theory. Both are long term goals. The teaching probably shorter term. The Blues will take some years to get.
Great questions, thanks for asking! I decided to give this course (Music Theory) a try because I have always loved the idea of being able to pick up a guitar and play with a group (>1) of people. That desire finally led me to commit to JustinGuitar and it’s been great fun and very satisfying. Along the way I’ve learned that I want to go deeper than just memorizing chord shapes and the songs they go with; I want to have a deeper understanding of what makes a song a song and why it works, which tracks back to my original desire of being able to pick up a guitar and play with a “group.” So I guess what I want to get out of music theory is a greater ability to understand, communicate, create, and collaborate among that group. This is my first music theory course, so hopefully I won’t have the experience of it going wrong (:). In terms of my BHAG, a basic ability to eventually improvise, that I can then increase further down the road, will be great! Again, thanks for asking.
I have dipped in & out messing around with guitars since a teenager (many years ago) learning mostly bits of songs by ear, simply because I loved them!
I would find some chords only to become unstuck as “a small tweak” was required for the actual correct sound – I could feel it, but couldn’t quite get there. I knew there was logic which I had learned in part by accident but it only took me so far.
Now having the time I am enjoying following Justin’s practical course (Thanks by the way JS for changing the A chord finger placement that was fun to unlearn!) The PMT course was an obvious (to me anyway) key to unlocking some of the mysteries & I have to say I am really enjoying it.
I think my BHAG is simply to be able to play my favourite songs really well and be able to pull my guitar out and play with confidence anywhere (and stop my wife asking do you know ANY all the way through? lol)
I had dipped my toes into Practical Music Theory Grade 3 back in June, and answered this question. I recently decided to continue after six months of hiatus… but, it also looks like Justin has refined the lesson since then. While the overall question remains the same, “Why?” he asks some different specific questions that I didn’t answer before. So, let’s go:
1. Expectations of the Course:
To learn some music theory! Enough to aid in my learning of guitar. I also expect there to be a lot of practical application to cross over with my learning of the guitar using Justin’s program. 2. Why did I stop with any other music theory learning I’ve done before?
Well, I learned a bit of music theory in school being in concert band and choir, even making it into a rather well-respected select choir at university… but I always saw myself as “just” a musician, workmanlike, showing up, performing my part, and that’s it. I never had any real academic interest in music, and only learned enough music theory to read my parts. I don’t know why I didn’t want to learn more. I guess it seemed hard, and I didn’t see much value in it at the time. I’m a rather curious person, so occasionally I’ll watch a video or read an article on music theory just out of curiosity, but never with any application in mind. 3. Big Hairy Audacious Goal
My less audacious, but still somewhat audacious goal is to play with other people, like in a band. I would say that my really BIG goal though, which I have never really spoken to anyone, is to make an album. It could just be me editing it all on my PC and releasing it online, but to create an album. That goal does appeal to me.
I’ve played piano since I was a kid. What I know of music theory is through a piano lens. And I still have that lens but it would help with my guitar journey to have a guitar lens. Just as a small example: One of the quiz questions at the end of 1st module was how many semi-tones from E to A, going up. The picture in my brain was a piano keyboard and not a guitar fretboard.
For me the question is more like - Why I am learning music?
I am learning it to express myself better. It is like learning a new language for me.
The reason I picked guitar instead of any other instrument is because I already have it lying around but I just don’t have the motivation to learn until I found someone to play it for
Then I found about Justin Guitar from some people in some social media platform.
Now I have enrolled to music theory because I want to understand it better and how stuffs are related.
My Big Goal is to able to play along to my own songs. Yes! I have written songs even before learning anything about music and it sounds like remixes of other songs. I dream to write original songs in future.
My “why” is that I have always been a why person. If somebody tells me to do something…why? how? when? it just helps me understand better …drives everyone else mad … And I’m positive it will help my guitar journey.
Didn’t stop……never really started
Big Goal - would like to be able to play a few acoustic songs solo at a local bar here in Manila……me, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica (which i also need to learn). move over bob dylan
What would you like to get out of this course?
I like to learn, and I just want to know it all! I love the regular Justin Guitar course because it’s organize. I don’t need to think if I am on the right track, I just follow the lessons, if needed I add some research on top, but it’s a nice schedule. I expect that practical music theory course will match with the regular guitar course, so that I can follow both and not get too much ahead with either. Too much knowledge at once that I cannot use in practice is not ideal.
If you have tried learning music theory before, why did it go wrong? How will you avoid that same problem?
It was just not organized, not a single source of truth. There was always something I did not know, and had to go back to other videos. Other videos started from the beginning, wasting my time. Endless circle. Once course to rule them all.
What’s your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Guitar Goal)?
I want play across my friends and family and make them say “HOLY SH*T”. I am mainly interested in blues jam with backtracks, as I have no one to play with. I also want to show my daughter (almost 6 years old now) that learning music is great.
I hope to be able to play songs that I know and love after going through this course. I can play some chords and stum beats, but I have no idea how to play the songs that I’m always listening to. My long-term goal for learning music theory is to make it easier for me to be able to learn how to play guitar.
I’ve never done anything with music before and am just getting started at age 23. Until I picked up a guitar last year, I’d never actually held an instrument (except that recorder in the 3rd grade concert). I’ve found that the way I learn best is to have the big picture of how all the components fit together. I get excited when I can make connections between things, and frustrated when I don’t understand what’s going on. I want to learn music theory because I have a hunch it will ultimately make my learning faster, and hopefully make the fretboard less of a giant black box. Thank you Justin and team!
BHAG, Unfinished business. I’ve had a long list of things that I’ve started but for some reason (ADHD) didn’t put the effort into understanding at depth. I’d like to develop an ability to play spontaneously and fluidly.
Truth is I started playing and learning music 40 years ago, however like many others work army and family had to come first, now after having an accident I have plenty time on my hands and at the age of 64, I want music back guitar back I should have made it my first goal in life, so here I am hope you can help me achieve cheers Hec
Hello Hec, and welcome! You’ll find many kindred spirits here. Double-posting is of course usually frowned upon, but this is an exception… if you have a minute, consider dropping your introduction over on the Introduce Yourself topic.
Also, if you haven’t yet, check out the clubs. The meeting times don’t work for everyone, but hopefully one or more will fit into your life.
