Theory Courses

[mosilver]

Two Questions:

One, Do all accomplished musicians/composers need to know theory.  By "theory" I mean the ability to distinguish intervals and scales.

Two, what is the best computer based course or audio CD based course to learn theory. Thanks.

[asyncopated]

Hi,

Well, I'm not sure what you are asking.  If you mean distinguish intervals and or types of scales by ear, that's called aural. 

You will also have to qualify "need to know".  The short answer is no there is no need to know anything. You don't even need to know how read music.  It's just useful to know so that you don't have to do everything from memory.

If the question is -- "Is it useful to know how a bit of theory", and i by this, I mean how music is put together to achieve some kind of effect.  The answer is yes it is. 

If the question is -- "Do all accomplished CLASSICAL musicians/composers know theory (methods of how  music is constructed)? "  I think you will be very hard pressed to find one today, or even since the 1600s, that doesn't at least know a bit of theory.

Lastly, learning theory if fun.  Or at least it should be, it tell you what the composer is thinking and in my opinion helps you understand and express the music.

 

[mosilver]

Is aural the same as relative pitch?

[asyncopated]

What aural means losely is 'listening'.

According to a music dictionary it is 'listening skill in the learning of music'.

Either relative pitch or perfect pitch does come it to play.  Having good relative pitch means being able to identify an interval or set of notes, having being given at least one starting note. 

Most people have relative pitch, and there are people with this who are extremely good at identifying scales, intervals and chords. 

Some others have, a small percentage, have perfect pitch which means being able to identify a note, not having perviously given any initial note to work with.  Many top musicians agree that it is not essential for an excellent musician to have perfect pitch.