Learning Music Theory with ADD

[sirocco]

thanks a lot for the repliies guys, the suggestions have been great

[Xenos]

Welcome to the club, Sirocco. I happen to have a pretty serious case of ADD myself and can relate. The best advice I can give is to try and figure out a way to make the learning process a little more interesting. Alot of times music theory is taught in a very dry and clinical way-- something NOT compatible with ADD at all. Maybe try and write a short song making use of each new concept your book or tape teaches, i.e, a 16-bar tune in each of the modal scales or a tune that makes use of each of the most common cadences (such as the IV-I "Amen" cadence) or a jazz ditty utilizing the ii-IV-I progression, etc, etc. Sure, the process is a bit slower than just reading an entire chapter and expecting to learn it, but that is the only thing that worked in my case. I once took a music theory course and flunked misreably because I could not keep up with the pace. However, I kept the textbook and was able to learn all the concepts in it by teaching myself at a pace I was comfortable with and using the above suggestions. Here is another idea...try taking up a new instrument while learning the concepts. "Newness" is the ADD-er's friend. Trust me on this. I play mainly synths, but learned modal jazz theory by acquiring a saxophone and learning the modes at the same time I was learning how to play those notes on the sax. ADD thrives in complexity. Instead of trying to simplify the learning process (which works with most learning disorders, etc), you may try a more "multi-task" oriented style. Just a few pointers from one "ADD-er" to another.

[intel]

consider your condition a blessing. make some noise, my man. focus on your ability and create. be reckless.

best advice so far.

[Ubiety]

Learning traditional harmonic theory is good, but not necessary. Chances are that you would find the right notes to play together given some time searching and poking around on your favorite instrument. After all, being a person who listens to music often means that you know what sounds good to you - you just don't have a consistent way of easily accessing those sounds. What theory does provide you with are ways to label and thus easily identify certain sounds. This would in turn enable you to communicate musical ideas clearly and effectively with other musicians who also benefit from the same theoretical knowledge. You could even develop you own language of communicating musical ideas and as long as you are consistent in application and know other musicians who are willing to learn your unique language. The benefits of traditional harmony and theory are that you would be able to open yourself up to the vast and varied ways of using that language going back to the middle ages -- a wealth of discovery, learning and knowledge from the perspective of western civilization. Still, though, it's better to have an understanding of sound as it relates to a particular context than it is to be in possession of theoretical rules and not have any ideas or understanding of applying those rules.

[larm]

I just had to browse this thread cuz I thought ADD was some new software

[jplanet]

Learning traditional harmonic theory is good, but not necessary. Chances are that you would find the right notes to play together given some time searching and poking around on your favorite instrument. After all, being a person who listens to music often means that you know what sounds good to you - you just don't have a consistent way of easily accessing those sounds.

I'm purely speculating, but I wonder if learning theory is agood investment for somone with ADD, simply because the trial-and-error they would need to do otherwise just to get out a quick idea may be more frustration in the long run...

This is, of course, dependent on finding an efective method to learn it to begin with...

[Ubiety]

Learning traditional harmonic theory is good, but not necessary. Chances are that you would find the right notes to play together given some time searching and poking around on your favorite instrument. After all, being a person who listens to music often means that you know what sounds good to you - you just don't have a consistent way of easily accessing those sounds.

I'm purely speculating, but I wonder if learning theory is agood investment for somone with ADD, simply because the trial-and-error they would need to do otherwise just to get out a quick idea may be more frustration in the long run...

This is, of course, dependent on finding an efective method to learn it to begin with...

I think learning theory, at least basic harmonic theory, is a good idea for anyone who wants to work with traditional harmonic structures. Instead of guessing how certain sounds function together one can learn in a very short period of time how to correctly identify a sound, gain an understanding of how it traditionally functions in certain contexts, and become aware of the possibilities of applying that sound. Typically a basic theory class last for about 12 to 15 weeks with 2 one hour long classes per week. 24-30 hours of one's time is not much at all to gain a certain measure of control and understanding of what one hears.

The thing about learning harmonic theory that often misunderstood is that people think that they will be taught rules that are unbreakable. This is false. What people are taught is that there are certain ways of doing things in certain contexts - particularly traditional contexts. It doesn't mean that one cannot learn to apply their understanding differently than those that have produced works before them. If you study what has been done before, then you will be better equipped to identify what has not been done before. From the standpoint of one who practices with traditional tools you will be able to not only take advantage of your discoveries more quickly than one who is feeling around in the dark, but you will be better able to create and invent new tools that are more suitable to taking advantage of your new discoveries. If you possess the right attitude, disposition and courage along with a healthy imagination then no amount of traditional methods will inhibit your creativity and desire to discover and produce unique expression.

[runagate]

I didn't read the preceding posts yet but I thought I'd chime in to say that I played in a rock band called Important Seizures of Vienna - none of us 3 had seizures - but the drummer and guitar player have such bad ADD that the guitarist when he took the test the shrink asked him "how'd you think you did?" and he said "not bad, probably have a little ADD" and the shrink laughed in his face and told him he was surprised he made it to that age! Kinda odd for a doc, but the point is that unlike me he knows theory inside out and backwards and can do anything theory-wise in his head. I don't know how he did it but he managed to make it through some Juliard-like university as a trupet major.

So I don't know how in hell he persevered but he's a master of it. I'm pretty proud of that knowing he's utterly the opposite of me when it comes to attention span.

[hibidy]

a. If you have add/adhd and play music then it's a little demon inside saying "you're not a real musician unless you can read perfectly"

b. Then you get excited and "gung-ho" about it.........

c. Then you relalize that first you have to have a perfect memorization of every single possible note...

d. By that time it's really frustrating haveing to take your hands off the guitar to turn page....it's not perfect and flowing.....

e. You go on the web to get some "answers" ....but end up looking for new software instead

f. Then, you go watch tv.

[speccyteccy]

I just had to browse this thread cuz I thought ADD was some new software

Well, it's fairly new (and it rocks!):

http://www.kvraudio.com/get/2139.html