Why are you studying theory?

Just wanted to say my wife bought me the lifetime access to the theory course for Xmas 2020, and now today, 20 months later, I have finally finished it. :slight_smile:

Thanks Justin, it was brilliant and will be a great reference for me going forward.

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I have been picking up bits and pieces of theory in magazines over the last 30 years. I worked through an intro theory book during breaks at work over a years time but just covered the scales and the harmonized scales. I am aware of the CAGED framework on the guitar and how all the chords are derived from those 5 shapes but donā€™t know much about applying those on guitar. I hope to learn more about naming chords and applying to song writing. But most importantly I purchased the life time access to the theory course when it was first available since I wanted to support Justinā€™s efforts and now Iā€™d like to gain some useful knowledge from that purchase :wink:

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Why am I studying music theory? Iā€™ve never been good at memorizing things without context. Ever try to learn a language by immersion, with no grammatical instruction? It didnā€™t work for me! Guitar is beginning to feel like that. I want to be able to understand song structure, chord structure, and a whole lot of things I donā€™t even yet know that I want to understand. :smiley: Stretch goal - like others, I suppose, it is to be able to confidently jam with others!

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ā€¦ a guitar! :rofl:

(but seriously, theory is so enriching :wink:)

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Been hammering away at Justins Practical Theory course for 2 years now, supplemented with some other sources. Feel like Iā€™ve got a pretty solid foundation now to build on.
My original attraction was the desire to know the hows and whys, but its delivered much more, and in spades.
Its been central in demystifing the guitar for me, and allowed me to see it, at its core, as a map of intervals.
All the keys, scales, chords, triads, arpeggios, songs, licks, solos, are essentially just a collection of intervals, arranged in varied and interesting ways. Overlay these with the king of music, rhythm, and youā€™ve got a lifetime of endless possibilities.

Now, getting it all under your fingers, well, thatā€™s the trick eh :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye::flushed::grinning:

Cheers, Shane

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A life long fascination from when I ā€˜didā€™ music at school. I learned some basics but it was very stuffy back in the 70s here in the UK. Learned to play recorder (of course!) and a violin (badly) left to me by my grandma when I was 12.
Loved and still do love listening to music and as a typical teen bought a guitar at 16 thinking my basic theory would see me through. It didnā€™t so I went back to just listening until my 40s when I bought another guitar and a book and a CD and tried again armed with those. Dismal failure once again. Back to listening only.
So in my 60s, and with the power of the internet, I bought a nice little guitar (Iā€™m little too) and messed around with apps, around 6 months ago Soon discovered I was on to a winner with Justin. So very excited to be progressing and actually playing a guitar at last, at last!
The little theory I knew is still there, but I want more! I am fully committed to doing the very best I can, fired up by actually progressing this time, so I want to devour everything to do with guitar playing including theory because I know it will help. Itā€™s also fascinating.
Thanks Justin, Iā€™m very grateful :guitar::notes::blush:

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I am 68 and started playing guitar about 4 years ago. It was my first venture into making music. Before that I could not even tell you the names of the notes. Since then I have learned chords, strumming patterns, strumming and picking alternate base notes, and have begun to learn wonderful walk ups and walk downs and inserting little riffs. I know there are relationships I do not understand and a science and method behind it all. I want to learn that so I know what I am doing, so that I can jam and play spontaneously and even begin to create something of my own and my own style, rather than just following what is already out there and what someone created. Thanks Justin!

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Jim @jimmin
Welcome to the community
Michael :guitar::notes:

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I simply want to sound as good as possible with guitar and vocals. I do all cover songs, primarily 1950ā€™s/1960ā€™s R&B/Blues.

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I started Justinā€™s course a couple years ago when we went empty nester, thinking it would keep my hands and mind loose and lubricated to stave off the effects of age. And also thought it would be something that I could never finish. I think it works very well at that. I completed the 1st two theory modules early on, thought they were very useful, then held off on module 3 and above until I felt I had could do a couple chords and strum a bit. I have the first 2 beginner courses done, have been consolidating for the last 6 months, and thought it was time to move on. Thanks to Justin and the crew here, this has been a lot of fun, and very rewarding.

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What would you like to get out of this course?

Iā€™m hoping to understand how music is constructed, how notes and chords fit into keys so I can transpose on the fly, learn the whole fretboard and be able write songs with interesting melodies. Basically learn as much as possible about guitar.

If you have tried learning music theory before, why did it go wrong? How will you avoid that same problem?

Havenā€™t tried before, before starting learning guitar with Justin I didnā€™t know what music theory was.

Whatā€™s your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Guitar Goal)?

To eventually become an advanced player and have fun writing songs and playing gigs. Join a band one day.

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I am in recovery from mental illness in combination with burn-out. I spent to much time on doing this that wasnā€™t me. Now i am learning musical theory and guitar because i want to follow my dream of writing songs that suit me most. It helps me get motivation for living life again. Thanks!

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Maureen

Welcome to the Community.

If learning music and playing the guitar is helping your recovery, think of this Community as some extra medication. There are load of folks here who can help you on your journey. Some will be alongside you on the long road, others will be way down in the distance over the next hill but they have all trodden the same path. So plenty of help on hand if and when you need it.

If youā€™d like, you can introduce yourself HERE here or at least meet many folk who have joined us recently.

Enjoy the ride.

Cheers

Toby
:sunglasses:

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Hi Maureen,
I am now 100% sure, but after my first day and my first lessons that day I was almost sure that this would help me further than anyone or anything else,ā€¦now just over 2 years Justin/music theory I can say that it is and will be for a very long time,(i hope the next 50 years or so :roll_eyes:)ā€¦I wish you all the best and hope to hear and see more from you,
Greetings,Rogier

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Welcome Maureen
This is a great place to meet similar people. Definitely poke around. Iā€™m still learning how this community thing works. I can be a great resource when learning guitars
:guitar: = :smiley:

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A couple reasons. One is to play with others, another is I find it helps me play something if I know why I am playing it. Lastly the biggest push for me is I have seen to got tennis elbow from playing guitar and need to stop playing guitar for awhile but I donā€™t want to stop my journey, I want to learn everything I can.

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My why
Iā€™m really interested in being able to apply music theory to playing the guitar and music in general.
I want to understand how and why music works
I want to be able to riff, and jam and just enjoy playing more
So what Iā€™m really looking for in a music theory course, why I chose to invest in this course as opposed to just surfing YouTube was because I want something comprehensive, fun and applied, rather than just doing scale practice, or watching someone show me where all the places I can find the CAGED notes on the neck. I want to know how music is actually made from all of this.

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I am a very late starter. I am 61 and retired this past summer. I have always wanted to play guitar but never felt I had the time. I was gifted a guitar for retirement and quickly found your lessons. I had some concerns about not having a living-breathing teacher sitting across from me, but so far I have been pleased that I have been able to progress with the beginner lessons and can already do more than I would have thought possible when I started in August. I am studying theory because I feel it will help me to understand how it is all constructed and give me an appreciation for the instrument and art. I am starting with ZERO prior knowledge and I find it interesting. My goal is strictly to be able to sit and play for my own pleasure. So far, so good. Thanks for a great course!

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Iā€™m taking a break from practical lessons at Module 10/11 and have come into Grade 3 of the Theory Course this week (did Grade 1 a few months back and did Grade 2 already) . I have a few reasons for wanting to learn theory.

The biggest thing is probably that the fretboard seems super complicated. Itā€™s mysterious to me, being that itā€™s basically 6 pianos, and drives my wanting to learn guitar. I donā€™t want to be in a rock band or anything but I want to know how the magic of guitar music is made and I wanna make it.

The next thing is that I have many many years of piano playing in my background, and I think Iā€™m needing to develop an understanding of guitar using guitar theory, instead of leaning on my piano theory. I realize some concepts will bridge the gap, but the building of chords will not. At least I predict that it will not.

I decided to hop over to theory at this point in the lessons, Module 11, because of the introduction of sus chords- suddenly chords can be all destructed, and actually its encouraged? I have been just memorizing chords and not even their proper names, just that theyā€™re a variation of C or wherever. This wonā€™t work for my logical brain. I donā€™t want to memorize hundreds of chords and then memorize them with dismembered parts, I want to know how to build them so I donā€™t have to memorize them. Itā€™s just getting overwhelming for me at this stage, especially because I am not an improviser type of player and never will be. It all seems like it would be easier if I know the theory. Maybe it is easier to mem chords than it is to mem scales or the whole fretboardā€™s notes, I donā€™t know. But Iā€™m giving it a shot.

Last reason, I just like listening to Justin. :grinning:

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I am now, but one question why donā€™t the videos have subtitles?

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