piano/theory self-study?

[neurofuzzy]

So... I want to learn to play piano. I took lessons for four years or so when I was really little, but I really didn't understand the theory, and it was mostly just finger-memory. So, I can memorize music and play it back fine, but that's really it. I play guitar, but really all I do is memorize sheet music, and I DONT want that to carry over to piano playing.

I tried to get into a beginner music theory class this semester, but I had other classes that took priority (I'm more of a math/physics guy). I've looked at some online resources, but most theory topics seem dull, mechanical or pedantic. (like 4/4 being read as "four quarter notes". Wouldn't that be equivalent to 2/2 and 1/1 as "two half notes" and "one whole note"?)

I do a lot of academic stuff on my free time, but I just can't seem to get into music theory, and I don't want memorizing sheet music to be my only musical talent! What are some resources I can use to learn music theory by myself, with an emphasis on piano and practice?

I have a keyboard and a grand piano in my house.

[enjru]

There are HEAPS of rules even for simple things like how note durations have to be wriiten within a single bar, depending on the time signature and how the note duration falls across different beats. If a list of all the rules for this one simple topic were to be printed out and given to a student, too many of them would seem completely arbitrary and pointless! But, when it comes time to play a more complex piece of music, eg, a fugue in 4 voices, you'll thank the music publishers for printing the notes according to these rules. Otherwise, deciphering the note durations of each voice in the fugue in relation to all the other voices would require the brain to be constantly doing additions and subtractions while you're meant to be concentrating on playing the piece. The rules actually help a LOT in such a scenario, letting you concentrate on following all the voices beat by beat, rather than having to remember, "Oh, the minim in the bass ends in one more crotchet's time but there's still a quaver left in the alto part before the quaver there starts, oh...and the semiquavers in the soprano part starts right now." Instead, you'll find these rules help you a lot to realize that the semiquavers in the soprano are starting on the 2nd beat of this 4/4 time signature bar, and the minim in the bass starts on the 3rd beat of the bar, and the quaver in the alto starts halfway through the 2nd beat, and right now, you are at the 2nd beat in the bar.

(Apologies to the people who speak in terms of quarter notes and whole notes, heheh!)

Maybe if rhythm theory bores you right now, you can start with learning chord structures? Chord structures might be more relevant for you, because at least then, you can find a use for them sooner in your musical education, eg, if you only had the sheet music for a melody without an accompaniment, you could work out for yourself how to play some simple chords with your left hand to act as an accompaniment. So, in this way, you might stay interested for longer because you'll find a practical application for what you've learnt.

Then, as you start to learn more rhythmically challenging works, you can come back to rhythm theory.

[ajspiano]

Rather than reading the notes, just listen to something and try to work it out by trial and error using your ears.

Take something simple, and get a small section of it to repeat if you can - you may be able to do this with audio software on your computer. Start by trying to find a single note that fits, then another one, then another one. Don't even worry if its not exactly the same, just as long as they sound OK together.

This skill will help with composition as well as playing other peoples music.

[nickadams]

but most theory topics seem dull, mechanical or pedantic.

I also want to learn music theory but I wish I could find something like Khan Academy for Music Theory so I could get a little intuition behind all the rules!

[1piano4joe]

Do the following google search:

Dolmetsch music theory

I stumbled across this one day. 40 "Lessons" free. Tons of information to absorb and digest.

Hope you find this resource as useful as I did, Joe.