The study of music theory entails the analysis and building of chords, how to develop a melody, scales, rhythm, and ear training. In most traditional music school settings, music theory has always been a part of the curriculum. Nowadays, in this world with people that want quick results and fast fixes, students just don't want to spend the time studying music theory.
People find music theory dull and too abstract. They believe that as long as they practice sufficiently their ear will become trained and they'll be able to write music and pick up on songs; and if they can't they can at least read music. Music theory may be boring to some people, but understanding why chords sound like they do, understanding why certain intervals create certain sounds and feels, is valuable beyond words to the piano player.
Unless you have perfect pitch, you need theory to truly gain a sharp ear. And, even if you are one of the rare ones who has perfect pitch, you still need theory in order to enhance your relative pitch and your sense of melodic and harmonic structure so you can compose, improvise, and perform with depth and dexterity. Just because you can hear a note and name it doesn't mean you understand it sufficiently, just like being able to read notes and play them back doesn't automatically give you great dexterity or allow you to write a great symphony.
Have you ever heard someone reading aloud with no feeling, no sense of when to emphasize, no "flow"? But they obviously knew how to speak the words and how to read to be able to read aloud. They sound so bad because they lack a depth of understanding of what they are actually reading.
So even if a person reads without expression they may understand what the words mean, but they still do not grasp the true meaning of the words. If they really understood what they were reading, the reading would be more impressive. This holds true for musicians: if they can read the notes, they would be much better musicians by infusing the notes with expression.
No matter if you have perfect pitch and are naturally gifted with dexterity, the confidence you will gain from knowing why certain notes should fit together will affect other people who hear them. Most music students are required to study music theory as it is a basic fundatmental skill they must learn. They must learn why music sounds the way it does and how it is put together. - 16463
People find music theory dull and too abstract. They believe that as long as they practice sufficiently their ear will become trained and they'll be able to write music and pick up on songs; and if they can't they can at least read music. Music theory may be boring to some people, but understanding why chords sound like they do, understanding why certain intervals create certain sounds and feels, is valuable beyond words to the piano player.
Unless you have perfect pitch, you need theory to truly gain a sharp ear. And, even if you are one of the rare ones who has perfect pitch, you still need theory in order to enhance your relative pitch and your sense of melodic and harmonic structure so you can compose, improvise, and perform with depth and dexterity. Just because you can hear a note and name it doesn't mean you understand it sufficiently, just like being able to read notes and play them back doesn't automatically give you great dexterity or allow you to write a great symphony.
Have you ever heard someone reading aloud with no feeling, no sense of when to emphasize, no "flow"? But they obviously knew how to speak the words and how to read to be able to read aloud. They sound so bad because they lack a depth of understanding of what they are actually reading.
So even if a person reads without expression they may understand what the words mean, but they still do not grasp the true meaning of the words. If they really understood what they were reading, the reading would be more impressive. This holds true for musicians: if they can read the notes, they would be much better musicians by infusing the notes with expression.
No matter if you have perfect pitch and are naturally gifted with dexterity, the confidence you will gain from knowing why certain notes should fit together will affect other people who hear them. Most music students are required to study music theory as it is a basic fundatmental skill they must learn. They must learn why music sounds the way it does and how it is put together. - 16463
About the Author:
Georgia Reader writes for PlayPianoGuide.com, which is a website that reports on the most recent and most successful piano courses currently online. Music theory is mandatory for piano students to learn as well as learning the notes and how to play the instrument.
