Any advice???

[Insigma83]

A BIT OF BORING BACKGROUND TO MY PROBLEM
I learned to play the acoustic guitar (nylon), by watching my dad and friends play. I learned from them and never once learned the theory behind music.
I have now been playing for two years and am now writing my own songs. I have written the music for about 8 songs (obviously not published or anything fancy, just like bedroom music).
I really enjoy playing the guitar, it relaxes me and for some weird reason, I am addicted to it. I love it, but I find when trying to read the theory, it bores me and it takes away the spontaneous side of creating music which sounds good.

MAIN PART
My point is...... I have no idea if my music is technically good or bad, I think it sounds good, my friends, family and so on think it sounds good, so would having any sort of qualification in Music, make me any better at creating songs? Or will it just make me stick to boring rules (which maybe currently I aint doin'?)

Also is it true that Eric Clapton can not read sheet music?

Anyway, if someone, anyone, can shine some light on my query, Id be greatful, (BY THE WAY, THIS PART OF THE SITE IS A GREAT IDEA!!!!) :)

CHRIS

[Mai Zure]

I know many people who don't know much about theory, but they can write very good stuff...although it all lacks real complexity...it usually is pleasing to the ear.

I dont know about Eric Clapton..but I know for a fact that Stevie Ray Vaughn couldnt read sheet music because he says so in an interview I have near the time of his death

[lalimacefolle]

Here's a list of people who can't read sheet music:

Jimi HENDRIX
Django REINDHART (couldn't read at all actually)
Allan HOLDSWORTH
Slash
BB King
Louis ARMSTRONG
Robert JOHNSON

Well reading sheet music and understanding theory are two different things.
I personally read music pretty good, but my understanding of harmony and theory is way more developed (and useful for my job). I have picked that up when playing gigs, because you have to adapt to a singer's voice, etc.
To write lots of different songs, you need to know and understand theory, but your writing and reading chops don't need to be extreme, just sufficient to write what you hear in your head.

[pstring]

You can never go wrong by learning more about music, learning basic theory will only help you to understand more about what you already know how to do, and probaly show you alot of possibilities. Whats a better use of time? learning how to construct chords or memorizing one of those books with 10,000 chords in it? Theory won't put you in a box, and there are no rules to music, theory just gives a name and an explanation to concepts, and reading music has nothing to do with learning theory. Are your songs any good? Do they sound good? Then they are good and they probaly all are written inside the realm of Western music theory, or you wouldn't think they sounded good, don't be afraid of the Theory Monster, he won't change you into a classical musican, he can be your friend

[Benoit]

Been playing for ten years now. I know close to nothing about theory. Most of what I know came from people here, so...stay around.

I've been writting songs for 5 years, but lack of theory kind of blocks me around some corners. You should get some basic knowledge but I am firm beleiver in music from the soul and not from the books.

I know Lalimace, you can still write music from the soul if you know a lot of theory :)

But always explore your guitar, try to get that "I don't know what I'm doing but I love how it sounds" and then try to know what you did with theory. That's how I work.

[Insigma83]

The theory monster hey?! lol. Well, the songs are fingerpicked, mainly in the key of D with bottom string down-tuned. I wont tell you the chords I based it around but the are jazz modifications of D, G and A (found in the book containing 10,000 chords, unluckily I havent and will probably never learn). Three songs use these chords and they all all have about 11 variations of the chord, just finger-picked.

I cant actually say what, or who its sounds like because, Ive heard nothing similar, except maybe John William's (Classical Guitarist) live CD (My dads, not mine)

But thank you for your support, you really know your stuff, im well impressed.

Except for the theory monster thing, Im worried, I really am. I hope you dont teach this to your kids, lol.
CHRIS

[pstring]

Don't worry, my kids have no fear of the theory monster, but they are somewhat phobic of large heavy books full of chord diagrams

[Insigma83]

:)