What's your level of musical knowledge?

[NekujaK]

I've always been curious about the level of formal musical knowledge possessed by our Reason community, so tell us what you know, and while you're at it, make an entry in the poll.

The poll is hierarchical with least knowledge at the bottom, progressing up to most knowledge at the top. To meet the requirements of a level, you should know enough about the indicatd topics to explain them thoroughly to someone else.

[Loque]

I would say 0 or -1

[Kilsane]

I know there are black keys and white keys on a piano

[O1B]

[aeox]

I know there are black keys and white keys on a piano

Yep, that sounds about right

[PhillipOrdonez]

What's a piano?

[mcatalao]

I studied Music at conservatory level. It's not college but it's rather advanced.

[motuscott]

The black keys are the sad ones, right?

[Noplan]

I know there are black keys and white keys on a piano

I play only the white keys!

[WarStar]

Not much lol always had a knack at melody and defining root/key but that's all by ear and usually requires me to sing or hum the root. I use alot of samples from older music so matching their tone/key is something I have to do often but as far as being able to tell you what the chords are or other detailed musical aspects I couldn't tell you lol I know when things sound right and when they sound wrong so I just roll with that.

[boingy]

I know there are black keys and white keys on a piano

What????? Those black things are keys??? How was I supposed to know that??? I thought they were just dividers or finger rests or something.

And why are two of them missing?

[hurricane]

I taught myself how to play the piano, and also how to read and write music (like with a pencil and paper) at 11 - been a gifted underachiever ever since.

oh well.

[mjxl]

I like trains.






Yeah, I don't know anything about music theory.

[NekujaK]

Growing up in a family of opera singers and classically trained musicians, a musical education was mandatory, beginning with piano lessons at age 6. But the rock 'n' roll bug took over in my teens and my parents' dream of me becoming the next Vladimir Horowitz were dashed. I taught myself to play guitar, formed a rock band, and never looked back. For most of my life, I coasted along with fundamental music theory learned as a kid, but about 10 years ago I decided to take formal guitar lessons from a master jazz guitarist, and the new musical knowledge I acquired literally blew my mind apart and took my writing, playing, and producing to a whole new level.

Music theory and formal training isn't necessary to be a great musician or composer (take the Beatles, for instance), but it never hurts to learn new musical concepts and ideas. We simply don't know what we don't know.

[Marco Raaphorst]

I love analysing the stuff, learning harmonies, tension and release.

(I know advanced music theory: modes, improvisation, chord extensions)

[Oquasec]

Major/Minor scales & some improv knowledge. Not much practice in.
Can read notation.

[Bes]

engineering is where its at. connecting machines together to talk to each other in creative ways, testing the results, making the circuit more efficient and getting the values just right. thats not what they teach you in music theory. sure i played the guitar and drums as a kid and i even follow musicologists and music teachers on twitter and read academic articles about tonal theory that i will probably never understand but i'm being honest i get excited by looking at diagrams and illustrations regardless of where they come from and thinking about new ways to connect devices together in reason. i have had a copy of A Topological Picturebook by George K Francis open in a browser tab for a few months now and to me that is music theory

[Jagwah]

Only learnt some fundamentals and always wanting to progress more, and this has always been reflected in my avatar. The upside down treble clef for me represents a serious lack of understanding, and the slow turn upwards represents my learning journey. One day I hope it faces a much better way.

The few things I have learnt about chords etc are things I have used constantly, and I recommend getting some basics down to anyone who hasn't.

I love creating things that harmonise, they have a warmth and feeling of being right and just.

I have the 'Music theory for computer musicians' trilogy and not progressing with them eats at me. I have every intention of getting through them.

Cool thread NekujaK!

[EdGrip]

I've been taking more of an interest in theory lately - I've been enjoying Hook Theory and bits and pieces on YouTube.

I can read and write music, but not fast enough to sight-read.

I had piano lessons for a little while as a child but only got as far as grade 1. After that I got into electric guitar for my teens and most of my 20s.

[kitekrazy]

I'm trained in pedagogy, performance, and composition. When it comes to working in modern genres it's a totally different world.

[Bes]

I'm trained in pedagogy, performance, and composition. When it comes to working in modern genres it's a totally different world.

i recommend www.top40theory.com it's actually about modern pop music, not all modern genres but it is doing a lot to create new relevant examples of music theory. i hope to see more of this type of educational material available in the future

[motuscott]

Cool thread NekujaK!

[plaamook]

Classical piano forced down my throat for about 5 yrs as a boy, which I jettisoned from my brain as soon as I was allowed to quit. So I know where the keys on a piano are.
But more importantly I know how to take em off and take the sound board out. So I own a sound board and I make music with what I record from it.
Among other things.
Thanks for the lessons mum!

[motuscott]

I like trains.

Big plus one on the trains. Also pie.

[dvdrtldg]

Studied classical piano and music theory from childhood thru to early 20s, not that you'd know it from what I produce these days. My output falls into mostly two categories, droney experimental atmospherics and incidental music for radio features & podcasts. The former is "easy" but I get frustrated with trying to do more conventional composition - really need to branch out into more sophisticated chord structures, e.g. Latin, jazz, that sort of thing. But where to start?