Practising your scales

[Deanol]

2 minutes ago, tauzero said:

So it's rather like murder, because you've got to prove intent as well? 😁

Yes, and I believe that playing using the Locrian mode is still a capital offence, for which you will be hanged until dead. Although we haven't yet managed to catch Steve Vai and bring him to trial.

Edited January 31, 2019 by Deanol

[Dad3353]

5 minutes ago, tauzero said:

So it's rather like murder, because you've got to prove intent as well? 😁

Nicely put, and, in my view, exact. Someone playing a load of notes that happen to fall into such-and-such a pattern may have simply played a load of notes. Playing those same notes with intent is, to me, quite different. The ear wouldn't hear the difference in a one-off context, but seeing those same players would, over time, reveal which was playing 'randomly' and which had intent. 
Just my take on things, of course; others may well have differing opinions. 

Edited January 31, 2019 by Dad3353

[Paul S]

Perhaps like some modern art.  Look at a painting by, say, Rothko, and it is, say, an orange square.  But Mrs S assures me that because there is a back story to the orange square and that it was painted by Rothko it is art and not just an orange square.

Having said that I don't understand scales, modes et al any more than I do modern art.   

[Coilte]

41 minutes ago, Paul S said:

Perhaps like some modern art.  Look at a painting by, say, Rothko, and it is, say, an orange square.  But Mrs S assures me that because there is a back story to the orange square and that it was painted by Rothko it is art and not just an orange square.

Having said that I don't understand scales, modes et al any more than I do modern art.   

When I first approached theory it was a bit like that orange square. 😁  Could not make head nor tail of it. However, I was interested enough to persevere, and while I am by no means an expert, I think my grasp of  basic theory has not only helped my playing, but has enriched my appreciation of music in general. 

Yours (and other people's) milage may vary. 🙂

[Guest MoJo]

1 hour ago, Coilte said:

Does knowing the alphabet and how to spell make any difference to how you speak ? 😉

 

A good analogy, because music theory is like a foreign language to me. I do understand the basics, a bit like remembering basic German and French phrases from school, but just when I thin I've got a grasp, something proves me wrong. For example, I downloaded a II-V-I backing track in A Minor off YouTube and thought to myself, 'I can play the A minor pentatonic all over this' but have yet to produce anything that sounds vaguely musical

[Coilte]

2 hours ago, MoJo said:

A good analogy, because music theory is like a foreign language to me. I do understand the basics, a bit like remembering basic German and French phrases from school, but just when I thin I've got a grasp, something proves me wrong. For example, I downloaded a II-V-I backing track in A Minor off YouTube and thought to myself, 'I can play the A minor pentatonic all over this' but have yet to produce anything that sounds vaguely musical

Whatever about "foreign"...but music is indeed a language and like any language you need to start at a very basic level and build from there. As I said earlier, I am not a theory buff by any means but I think there is more to it than simply playing a pentatonic over a II V I progression. 

Perhaps this clip might be helpful if you are interested in pursuing your theory. It is part of a series of lessons that start VERY basic...as in "this is the headstock etc..😁. If you dont understand the terminology in the clip then start at  a place that feels appropriate to you. I learned a lot from this set of lessons. Yes, there were times I felt frustrated and I was making no progress, but my interest and curiosity kept me going. 

Best of luck. 

 

Edited January 31, 2019 by Coilte

[leftybassman392]

7 hours ago, Coilte said:

When I first approached theory it was a bit like that orange square. 😁  Could not make head nor tail of it. However, I was interested enough to persevere, and while I am by no means an expert, I think my grasp of  basic theory has not only helped my playing, but has enriched my appreciation of music in general. 

Yours (and other people's) milage may vary. 🙂

Crikey! Practice, modes and art in one thread!

Is nothing sacred?

[stewblack]

Rothko helped me to give up drugs

[FinnDave]

54 minutes ago, stewblack said:

Rothko helped me to give up drugs

That was good of him.

[stewblack]

14 minutes ago, FinnDave said:

That was good of him.

I know. Doubt he intended to.