Music theory learning tool?

[limonaati]

Hi,

I am pretty much a newbie in music theory. I was wondering if there is a tool that would help me learn to play correctly.

The tool I am looking for would suggest possible chords for me to play in relation to the previous chord. That way it would help me learn to play correctly according to music theory. Does such a tool exist?

I noticed that a program called "Harmony Improvisator" exists, would that program be able to help me (by quickly looking at the description of the program I really am not sure)?

Does this post make any sense?

[shuddy]

I think I am looking for something similar--something to help me to figure out what key my songs are in--I am all over the place--and have trouble singing them..so i need to learn how to figure out what key i am in...if you have any luck let me know

Dylan

[tapper mike]

One doesn't learn to drive well looking thru the rear window while going foreward. Nor does one learn to ride a bicycle by looking at the pedals.

Play where you are and focus on where your going so you'll know what to do when you get to where you are going. Rather then running into a tree.

[Caysi]

Where's your DAW?! last time I checked there were no trees near mine

what do you mean by chords to use? Are you looking at cadences or just in general throughout your piece?

As for key's, what notes are you using? if you write them out then you can usually work it down so far to get an approximation of key, then you have to work out what notes are accidentals etc, then just fill in the gaps as you see fit. If you're using all white(natural) notes then you're probably playing in c major or its relative minor(a)

[Bobbotov]

There is a chart on this link that shows chords and keys (and relative minors):

http://www.musicdials.com/theory.html

[limonaati]

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There is a chart on this link that shows chords and keys (and relative minors):

http://www.musicdials.com/theory.html (http://www.musicdials.com/theory.html)

Thank you, this is a very informative chart. I still think a program that would maybe suggest correct and incorrect options while I play and then teach me to play in key through "trial and error" would be an interesting way to learn.

By the way, are the "music dials" that they offer on the site of any use? Are they worth their price or can somewhat similar be obtained from somewhere in the web legally for free?

[jancivil]

don't try and do music with a machine correcting you, good lord, that isn't making music. the person's post with the analogy driving with your eyes in the rearview, is fairly apt.

lookit. start with a simple thing, like a scale. seven notes. find one from the link given in the previous post.

play it, hear it, internalize it. stick to the 'tonic' chord, no need to get cute with it yet. play those seven notes, noodle around to your heart's content.

hear those tones against the one chord, use your ear. now, starting with the first note, skip every other note, thirds, until you're back at the note you began with. do that with note two of the scale, until you've done all seven. that's the '1, 3, 5' in that chart. those are the 'triads' of the key, they are 'in key'

then go outside it. go diagonal across that chart, which has all you need to understand what's in key. play with it, explore it, use your mind, not a dial. I wouldn't suggest depending on that dial to a 4-year old, in all candor.

[Bobbotov]

There is a chart on this link that shows chords and keys (and relative minors):

http://www.musicdials.com/theory.html

Thank you, this is a very informative chart. I still think a program that would maybe suggest correct and incorrect options while I play and then teach me to play in key through "trial and error" would be an interesting way to learn.

By the way, are the "music dials" that they offer on the site of any use? Are they worth their price or can somewhat similar be obtained from somewhere in the web legally for free?

I do not know about the usefulness of the "music dials."

Personally, the way I learned how to play many years ago was by ear training. I would spend hours and hours at a keyboard playing along with recordings. Any kind of music is good: rock, country, classical, jazz, etc. The reason being is that generally music theory study is quite boring but listening to accomplished musicians playing naturally is much more educational and your ability to sustain interest is higher. Plus training your ear to hear what is being played is a far greater skill than just theory.

Jazz is great as both the chord structure and accompanying notes are complex but you might want to start with rock or blues as the chords are pretty predictable and the scales are usually pentatonic.

In any case now there are some software programs to assist in ear training:

http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/cat/EAR_TRAINING/

I cannot recommend one over any other as I do not need these types of tools anymore but there are some interesting programs in that list.