Quote:
Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism
...some person that likes to be long winded and really doesn't know what they're talking about?
Don't get upset now, Zack. That's just me attempting to be playful, or poke fun with no ill intent meant. I tried reading all that, but I couldn't keep my focus long enough. I am up all night, you see, and so this time of morning, I'm not too good at sticking with anything for...oh look, it's raining again.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism
...[is Zack] some person that likes to be long winded and really doesn't know what they're talking about?
|
I'm stupidly long-winded in conversation. Get some alcohol in me, and then ask me a nice, convoluted question, and the conversation takes care of itself for the next thirty minutes, minimum. It's a vice, I apologize!
Regarding what I talk about, I know some stuff, I don't know most stuff, I dunno, I guess google what I write and see how many facts check out, and see how much rings true to your own experiences and understanding?
But mostly I'm just incapable of being succinct.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoNtrivedNiHilism
Don't get upset now, Zack.
|
Ain't been pissed of by strangers on the interwebs yet, ain't planning to be. Actually, I think I've been pissed maybe three times in my brief life? I'm definitely a slow burn kind of guy...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rexx Shredd
First and foremost is understanding what the OP is asking -- The thread title is decieving because Post 1 is really asking about the differences between reading music (the "schooled" musician) and playing by ear (the "street" musician)...It is NOT about self-taught vs taught..
|
Honestly, re-reading the first post, he mentions reading in passing, almost by way of an example of the "schooled" musician, and then uses creativity and the trained ear as examples of skills gained by self-teaching, and he definitely begins by explaining a bit about reading and learning aurally, however, the title and the final, clearly worded question asks:
"What are your stories and opinions of self taught musicians in contrast with non-self taught?"
That makes me think the OP was really asking generally about stories and opinions on self-taught versus taught by others, and merely using reading and creativity and aural as examples. The OP jumps back in later talking about theory, analysis, etc. I think his/her emphasis of reading is most likely because (s)he is new to the whole shebang, and notation is what (s)he has mainly experienced.
The thing that still strikes me as odd, is how many people seem to associate self-taught with not knowing anything about theory or notation, and formal study with lack of improvisation and a huge reliance on notation, and apparently a complete disinterest in exploring music on their own. Maybe in some cases, but in my area, the people around me who sort of liked music and dabbled in it were not the ones who tried to get some formal education on the subject.
The ones who cared enough to track down teachers or audition for schools were the ones with the real drive to be musicians, and they all wrote their own music, experimented, loved to improv.
Granted, I went to a Jazz and Contemporary music program, so obviously there was a sliiiiight emphasis on improvisation. (Given, I went for the contemporary classical music composition, so I got away with less improv, but hey, ya know...)
I was self-taught for a few years, and was so obsessed, that eventually I decided to draw on local talent, and got a teacher. He taught me a ton of stuff, but I think the only music we ever read through was some Bach. The rest of the time he was teaching me how to pick apart Joe Satriani, Coheed and Cambria, Pain of Salvation, giving me tips on songwriting, helping me harmonize things by ear.
The next guitar teacher I got was actually a prof from the local college, but our high school had a program where you could take one "course" for free per year. Apparently private guitar lessons counted as course, so I got free college private instruction early, weeee! Anyway, that guy was that guy was the one who called me "babe" (as well as "hot dog"???) and made me do all the weird improvisation practice, that I mentioned earlier.
The third private instructor I had was a lot more theory based, but he still almost never broke out anything notated, he just gave me cool systems for experimenting with chord types, bass-melody, bass-chord-melody playing styles, etc.
The last private instructor I had was a guitarist but he taught me in composition. This was the first instructor who had a focus on notated music, after a good 8 years of private and college music education. Also, we did a fair bit experimenting with non-notated Spectral Harmony too, in Pure Data, a graphical audio coding program.
So yeah, that's my stupidly long-winded way of saying that getting someone to help you explore music doesn't have to mean Mrs. Badcrumble sits you down at the keyboard and forces you to learn all of the Well-Tempered Clavier. I suppose it CAN, but not in my experience...