Re: What is enough theory for amateur musicians?

reed ( (no email) )
Sat, 07 Dec 1996 01:08:00 +0000

At 12:05 AM 12/7/96 -0800, you wrote:
>
>How much theory should someone an amateur know?
>
>Aside from being an interesting question, it pertains to me.
>I'm a student who is taking jazz thoery and improvistaion
>at my school. The instructor recommended to me (and all his
>students) that they should know the equivalent of a
>first year course in harmony. I'm not a music major and
>have never taken a music class before this, and I'll probably
>only have enough time in my schedule to take the jazz class.
>On the other hand, I'm willing to study independently and
>work at it.
>
>My goal is to become proficient in improvising over basic
>jazz styles and forms: blues, swing, ballads, bop etc.
>I have no pretense to being a professional, I just
>want to be able to play and understand the music.
>How much theory should I learn in order to acheive this
>goal?
>
>Fabio
>
>
>
Fabio,

I would recommend that you work through Dan Haerles book
"The Jazz Language" . It's a compact book with an amazing
amount of information packed into it in a very concrete
no BS format.

It's not a perfect book but what book is?

You can always post questions to the list if you are reading
it and something doesnt make sense.

Also, I recommend reading through the justjazz archives because
we have coverred alot of material thus far.

Mark Sabatella has a web site with alot of theory papers too.

reed