What's one theory tip/trick you wish you knew when you started out?

[Deleted member 5962]

I would like to know what this means. Anyone care to explain?

I’m not what you call, up on that music theory. The good Lord chose not to bless me with a fully functioning music theory brain.

 

[NoisyDante]

Nah - that 'garbage' was part of the journey that got you to where you are today.

That’s true I suppose, but it’s hard not to think of some of it as a lot of wasted time.

 

[alantig]

That’s true I suppose, but it’s hard not to think of some of it as a lot of wasted time.

I don't even see it as that. Whatever that music was, there was something about it that you liked, and it helped form your musical foundation.

For instance, for me - one of my early favorite songs was "Seasons In The Sun" by Terry Jacks. Yeah, I know - not a great song. But I've always liked it. And thinking about it because of this post, there are a couple things that jump out at me as early examples of musical building blocks. There's dissonance in the intro. And later in the song, there's modulation. I couldn't have told you that it was modulation, all I knew was the music changed and I liked the effect.

I guess I never see music as wasted time - even when I spend hours at it and come away with no real progress to point at.

 

[Moondog Wily]

I don't even see it as that. Whatever that music was, there was something about it that you liked, and it helped form your musical foundation.

For instance, for me - one of my early favorite songs was "Seasons In The Sun" by Terry Jacks. Yeah, I know - not a great song. But I've always liked it. And thinking about it because of this post, there are a couple things that jump out at me as early examples of musical building blocks. There's dissonance in the intro. And later in the song, there's modulation. I couldn't have told you that it was modulation, all I knew was the music changed and I liked the effect.

I guess I never see music as wasted time - even when I spend hours at it and come away with no real progress to point at.

We are the sum of our parts. Like it or not, some things can not be erased. We can only decide what we are going to do with those parts. The one thing I view as a waste of time is, the songs that I hate which are stuck in my head for life due to their massive penetration of my worlds airwaves. I wish I could delete them! But even there, they are a part of me and I probably make a subconscious effort to NOT sound like that!!! In the immortal words of King Crimson:

Happy with what you have to be happy with
You have to be happy with what you have
To be happy with what you have
Happy with what you have to be happy with
You have to be happy with what you have
To be happy with what you have
You have to be happy with what you have to be happy with

One of my favorite songs from them ever (2002 EP release - Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With)! Although "Easy Money" from "Larks Tongues In Aspic" is still my #1!