If I’m ever asked what one thing a songwriter can do that will be guaranteed to improve songwriting technique, my answer is always: get some music theory chops. Today, for one day only, my video-based music theory course, “Easy Music Theory,” is being offered at a 50% discount. To take advantage of this half-price deal, […]
When I was a teenager, I had a somewhat limited knowledge of music theory and how it worked. I think that’s typical for most young people. I played trumpet and a bit of piano, so I could read notes in the treble and bass clef, but I had a very rudimentary understanding of what chords […]
An understanding of music theory can help make you a better overall musician, but doesn’t “create” musical abilities within you. To use an analogy, a bad violinist can buy the best multi-million dollar Stradivarius violin, and still sound bad. As a songwriter with certain abilities, and therefore certain successes, you can (and likely will) become a better musician as […]
Predictably, the people who think music theory is a waste of time are the ones who’ve either never studied it, or who’ve learned to hate the study of it. Just as predictably, the ones who feel that music theory is a must for anyone who writes or performs music are the ones who’ve got a […]
Have you ever had anyone tell you that music theory will stifle your sense of creativity? That’s a common fear, but in fact the exact opposite is true. A knowledge of the rudiments of music will actually improve your imagination and make you far more creative. You need to look no further for evidence of this […]
Many of you know that I have had a video-based music theory course for sale. “Easy Music Theory” is a 25-lesson course in music rudiments, something I created more than 15 years ago now. It’s a course that I used with my own university music students. I have recently created a Songwriter’s Edition of that course […]
