Composition books, tutorials, videos?

[Tricky-Loops]

Would be nice if we could portare via the definition discussion and glissando down to the topic again...

Thanks for all the books suggestions so far, there are some which I've never heard of, for example "Counterpoint" by John Collins looks very interesting...

[whyterabbyt]

It's definition time and we are in the Music Theory forum.

Theory:
2. a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural and subject to experimentation, in contrast to well-established propositions that are regarded as reporting matters of actual fact. Synonyms: idea, notion hypothesis, postulate. Antonyms: practice, verification, corroboration, substantiation.

this is a totally bullshit definition. In the scientific community, a notion gets to be known as a theory once it's been tested and reviewed in a reputable science paper and published. 'in contrast to well-established propositions' is simply wrong. in science, a theory is a well-established and tested proposition. the theory of gravity; the theory of evolution.

Its actually the Law of Gravity.

[jancivil]

^a false dichotomy and not useful.

"While the law lets us calculate quite a bit about what happens, notice that it does not tell us anything about why it happens. That is what theories are for. In the language of science, the word "theory" is used to describe an explanation of why and how things happen."

http://thehappyscientist.com/science-ex ... ory-or-law

[datroof]

Frankly, sometimes it goes a long way in helping a forum run smoothly by not saying some things. If you don't like a thread, simply don't bother reading it.

Yeah, but if I do that, how can I protect my turf? How can I prove that I'm the alpha know-it-all? Surely you see the dilemma.

and you couldn't resist saying that, and Hink can't resist that gesture. I'll acknowledge my fault, I should absolutely not do that, because it has to do with me and trickyloops. I don't need to prove a f**king thing at f**king KVR. That's your problem. However since I have done a lot here to help people while you have done mostly this, I did somehow feel as free as tricky did to share my opinion.

So in your world, as long as you can feel like you're occasionally helping someone in some way, that somehow justifies all your behavior problems. Very interesting - thanks for that clarification. Keep up the great work!

[tapper mike]

Really, I was the only part in the whole wide family with an interest in music. Even in my kinship there's nobody playing any music instrument. I was always envious of people who had musicians as parents... I couldn't afford piano lessons or a private music college, I only had my crappy keyboard...

I feel ya. I was not in a musical family either. When I picked up the guitar my father didn't want it in the house. I'd have to store it and practice it in the garage.

At least I had friends....sorta. Most of them already played guitar/bass etc. And they were in basement bands / doing the house party circuit. I'd watch what they did, ask questions then go home and try things out. When a guitarist left a non friends band I did the try out and got the gig. This upset my sort of friends (even though they wouldn't let me join their band) Because I was hanging with the competition. Eventually ego's simmered the bands split and merged and I was back with my buddies again.

Mostly...it's about confidence and technique. Knowledge can be helpful but trying to understand everything before you do anything misses the point. A little knowledge can take you far coupled with confidence. Confidence doesn't come from reading though inspiration may.

Gene Simmons was once quoted as saying he loathed later Kiss songs as by that point they had acquired more musical knowledge in comparison to the raw edgy earlier songs. Much of the Synth Britannia movement was about young confident but not especially knowledgeable players who had abandoned the punk rock movement.

[wonshu]

I know you wanted practical, and a lot has been recommended.

I like going deep and I have something for you (or anybody) interested in composition that I've been listening to these past couple of weeks.

This is not a composition course by any means. But it gives a wonderful overview of western classical music in a very digestible way. Even though I had music history while studying at Berklee, I feel I've got a whole new perspective on music since listening to this course.

It's "How to Listen to and Understand Great Music" from the Great Courses company and it's ludicrously expensive, but here is how you can get it for practically free:

Go to audible and sign up for their tryout subscription and get it that way. Or if you're already a subscriber get it for 1 credit.

You can listen to it on the go and learn a lot about how to think about music conceptually.

Best of luck
Hans

[Tricky-Loops]

This is not a composition course by any means. But it gives a wonderful overview of western classical music in a very digestible way. Even though I had music history while studying at Berklee, I feel I've got a whole new perspective on music since listening to this course.

I must admit I'm not a big fan of the HISTORY of Western classical music - personally I love music from all around the world much more than Western classical music. You can impress me with Arabic & Asian (especially Indian) music, and some Bossa Nova, but you won't see me listening much to Mozart, except for the Kleine Nachtmusik, Zauberkröte and Cosi fan' tutte...

[wonshu]

[jancivil]

Frankly, sometimes it goes a long way in helping a forum run smoothly by not saying some things. If you don't like a thread, simply don't bother reading it.

Yeah, but if I do that, how can I protect my turf? How can I prove that I'm the alpha know-it-all? Surely you see the dilemma.

and you couldn't resist saying that, and Hink can't resist that gesture. I'll acknowledge my fault, I should absolutely not do that, because it has to do with me and trickyloops. I don't need to prove a f**king thing at f**king KVR. That's your problem. However since I have done a lot here to help people while you have done mostly this, I did somehow feel as free as tricky did to share my opinion.

So in your world, as long as you can feel like you're occasionally helping someone in some way, that somehow justifies all your behavior problems. Very interesting - thanks for that clarification. Keep up the great work!

The moderator's "helping a forum run smoothly by not saying some things" I take as a helpful tip. I was heeding that. But you just could_not_resist that as somehow an opportunity to pile on! That isn't a 'behavior problem'?

I don't have to justify a f**king thing, to you or anyone. I have a different take on things than you. You might well be apprised of the rule here about bashing a person, 'your behavior problem'. You're focused on me as a person. Is it typically your job in life to correct behavioral problems? Are you a prison guard IRL? This is the only thing you've ever done at this board. I don't 'occasionally help someone', even the contentious things I get into here provide a lot of information and food for thought. You and the likes of you pretending you're Miss Manners, as if a person has to be a big enabler and hold every person's hand in order to 'help', is silly, ridiculous. If you're going to offer this portrayal of me, I might counter it and indicate the reality of it, 'justifying'. This is an internet forum where people are encouraged to opine - within the rules, which you have exceeded here as much as I ever did - to the degree it's good for business.

The notion of me justifying myself to you because you disagree - with what, I can't know, this is just you taking an opportunity to be personal - is galling. If I was new to the internet I would be amazed at the cheek of it, the pointless aggressiveness of it. Internet warrior, though, boy.

The fact of the particular person posting this may have been part of why I said that. In hindsight, I would leave out the 'WOW' and 'it seems selfish'. BUT, it just is not unusual or very problematic usually here to see people mention the redundancy of this quality of post. It isn't a 'music theory' question, it canvasses for other people to provide their search results in lieu of his own searches. It felt like an intentional waste of space to me at the time, actually. So I stand with my actual opinion.

[bluedad]

So in your world, as long as you can feel like you're occasionally helping someone in some way, that somehow justifies all your behavior problems. Very interesting - thanks for that clarification. Keep up the great work!

With your comment you make my job a little more difficult. Was it really necessary in this thread?
As I stated before, sometimes it's best just to not say some things. If you really have to write them in a post, go ahead write it and just before hitting the post button just close it. I'd have a post count on a par with vurt and hibidy but picking an argument just isn't worth it, and most of my replies never make the post.

[Tricky-Loops]

So in your world, as long as you can feel like you're occasionally helping someone in some way, that somehow justifies all your behavior problems. Very interesting - thanks for that clarification. Keep up the great work!

With your comment you make my job a little more difficult. Was it really necessary in this thread?
As I stated before, sometimes it's best just to not say some things. If you really have to write them in a post, go ahead write it and just before hitting the post button just close it. I'd have a post count on a par with vurt and hibidy but picking an argument just isn't worth it, and most of my replies never make the post.

What about founding a KVR Fight Club where some people can bash and lash out? So the serious threads could be reprieved!

Because if I want to look for some useful information in an old thread that I remember (for example, a book recommendation), and the thread has been deleted in the meantime because of bashing, it would be really annoying...

[Sendy]

If you really have to write them in a post, go ahead write it and just before hitting the post button just close it.

You wouldn't believe the amount of times I've done that.