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To read or not to read? Subtitled � Music Theory 101 vs.
the Nashville Number system
Before I give you my opinion , I must admit I do not have
a college degree in music. I don�t sight read very well
either. However, I�ve played guitar professionally since
1966 . I�ve been part of a Grammy-Nominated Band with a #1
record, played guitar and sang harmony and backup and
written songs on Grammy-winning records in pop, country,
and blues.
There is a great discrepancy (between/in) the way music is
taught in colleges and the way it�s done in popular music.
By popular music I mean everything but classical and jazz.
Most people who write and play pop, rock, blues, country,
r&b, folk, alternative, metal, etc. do not have music
degrees or read music. There is a misconception among many
people who don�t play an instrument that learning to play
involves reading music. Well, it ain�t necessarily so. I�m
not saying you don�t have to understand music. What I am
saying is this: Reading music notation is not an essential
element in playing or writing popular music.
What are your goals as a songwriter or musician ? That�s
the most important factor in deciding what to learn and
how to learn it. Want to do film scores? Learn to read.
Write popular music or play in a band ? Reading is not a
high priority. Play in a pit orchestra on Broadway? You
better read your butt off. Want to write songs? Learning
to read&write musical notation is a complete waste of
time.
There. I said it.
What is absolutely essential to every lyricist is to
understand one of the major elements in music: RHYTHM.
Your lyrics have to have some kind of meter , or rhythm to
them. Don�t use the excuse of �I don�t play an instrument�
to get out of learning about rhythm.
What is essential to a songwriter who does play an
instrument is understanding how chord progressions work.
Most people who �write� melodies don�t really write them.
They just make �em up. They �hear� them in their head(s).
What is the quickest, most effective way to learn the
basics about chord progressions and meter? The (Nashville)
Number System . You could just as easily call it the
Ottumwa number system. It has nothing to do with country
music. Heck , even country music has nothing to do with
country music. The number system IS basic music theory !
In fact, to a songwriter, it�s the most important part of
basic music theory. It shows how chords work together.
It�s the greatest thing ever invented for musicians and
songwriters. Here are some of the reasons why I think it�s
superior to standard music theory:
(1) It doesn�t use those stupid Roman numerals. It use
plain old numbers, like 4.
(2) It doesn�t use big words like subdominant. It uses
plain old numbers, like 4.
(3) If you�re playing a certain combination of notes in
the key of G , which makes more sense: the Mixolydian Mode
, or ��a G7 scale ?. What the hell does mixolydian mean ,
anyway ? When�s the last time you used mixolydian or super
dominant in a sentence ? When�s the last time you wrote
your phone number IXM-CVII ?
Why make something more complex than it needs to be ?
Sometimes when people learn things the hard way , they
hate finding out there�s an easy way. They�ll defend the
hard way �til their dying breath.
(4) When you take Music Theory 101 , they�ll probably tell
you that the chord based on the 7th note of the scale ,
the leading chord in the major scale, is a VIIm7b5 chord
(or VII half-diminished). In the key of G , that would be
an F#m7b5 chord. Sound complicated ? Quite a bit more
complex than a plain old D7 chord, which is really the
leading chord in that key. In the real world. Would you
hear an F#m7b5 chord in a rock, country, blues, metal, or
folk song? NO ! To be fair, I know some college music
teachers will tell you some of this �real life� stuff, but
I�ve never seen it in any college text, or standard �Mel
Bay� type instruction book.
Not only that , I�ve got a HUGE bone to pick with
thousands of guitar �teachers� out there who are RIPPING
OFF students. Sometimes unintentionally. If you are a
guitar-playing songwriter and you want to learn musical
stuff that will help you write better songs and this guy
is teaching you hyper Aeolian modes, all the jazz chords
he knows, and how to sight-read �Twinkle, Twinkle, Little
Star� YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME AND MONEY.
Every time I go in a music store and look at the
instruction books, I�m disgusted. It�s almost always the
same old crap: The SAME G chord that�s probably the WORST
way to play a G chord , but it�s in EVERY FRIGGIN� BOOK
!!! (should I tone this part down?)
And the G7 chord that has your first finger on the first
fret of the 1st string is the worst-sounding voicing of a
G7 chord you could possibly make !
And here�s another one: add9 chords are all over the place
in pop music, country music, etc. and have been since the
70�s.(the Eagles did it) . When I look through the guitar
instruction books , it�s as if these chords don�t even
exist! Have these people listened to music since 1947 ??
I don�t know.
To wrap this up , let me just say this: If you want to
learn to play the guitar and/or write songs, you need to
find someone who is AWARE of the process of writing songs.
Most �guitar teachers� are not aware of this process. Be
sure you�re getting your money�s worth. |
