Originally Posted by: PlatonicShredI think it's absolutely necessary to know your instrument and the theory behind it. Perhaps you do not have to know every little niche' and detail, but a passing knowledge of theory is what makes you a musician---not someone who noodles for hours on end.
Learning with a teacher or with a book, or even just attempting to teach yourself music theory is far superior than just 'doing it by ear.' The reason isn't because your ear and aural skills aren't important, it's just that they are only half the package.
People who tend to take the 'I will just learn this on my own without any outside help besides my ears' approach usually develop bad habits, such as, but not limited to---looking at their fret hand while playing, and limiting themselves to what they know and never able to venture outside of that on a whim because they don't know how to get the new sound.
Whenever I first started at Berklee I was like that. I knew some music theory--just enough to fake my way through most things in a pinch--but not much. As time has gone on, however, I realize why it's so valuable.
Most anything I hear in my head now I can play on a whim, and now that I've practiced all these scales and arpeggios to the point of nausea---I don't have to look at my fret hand nor put much thought into 'how am I going to play this melody in my head.' Instead, I can sit back, let my fingers do the work and listen to the musicians around me.
So, in effect, all these scales, modes, arpeggios, etc. have been learned so that I could FULLY realize the potential of my ear.
Muscle memory, at day's end, is what carries the day in terms of translating what you hear into actual notes.
Just outa curiosity, do you have any recordings of your own music that we can listen to?
I'm curious to compare our playing ability and see what differences there are in terms of feel and technique coming from the two totally opposite points of view on this subject. I've been playing about 20 years and except for maybe 4 lessons about 10 years ago, I'm completely self taught... didn't even know how to read tab until about 5 years ago.
It'd be a rush to hear somebody who's had formal training in theory and compare the two.