[thechat] Structural Music Theory - wuz - RE: ice cream songs

[Luther, Ron]

Joel Canfield lamented:


>>Somehow I feel like I left the room for a minute and when I came 
>>back everyone was speaking a different language. 


何を意味するか。  [1]

;-)


Hi Joel!

If it helps any ... it ain't 'just you'.  Nagrom and Martin have a very solid 
understanding of structural music theory.  [I certainly don't.  <sigh />]

I think this is a case where gib-fiddle player are at a serious disadvantage to 
keyboard monkeys. It's much much easier to "see" a second inversion on a 
keyboard than a fretboard.  I think that's why a lot of pickers keep a keyboard 
around for composition work.  [It don’t have to be a good one ... I picked up 
a mini-keyboard for $20 at a garage sale.]  I would recommend keeping an 
eye out for a cheap used keyboard.

>>suggestions for bookish directions would be stupendous. 

Heh.  I actually ran across my college 'music theory' textbook last night while 
attempting to clean up and pare down my library.  [Yeah ... "in vain" as are 
most of my attempts to de-pack-rat myself!]  (Still deciding whether it goes 
in the 'keeper' or 'sell back to half price books' pile. Prolly the latter.)

For a 'real' music theory book, I would head out to any college bookstore at the 
beginning of the quarter/semester and pick up whatever they are using for class.  
(Too many choices at Amazon/B&N.)

There are, additionally (but not substitutionally), a number of 'how to play guitar' 
books that do a very good job covering theory basics.  I have several at home.  
One or two I think that are good enough to recommend.  I can grab titles if you like.



HTH,

RonL.

[1] "What do you mean?" in Japanese via babelfish.