[Dixielandjazz] Theory vs. Ears

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

I wish the Suzuki method had been around when I was three.  They just called 
it playing by ear then and wasn't considered a good thing but kind of less 
than.   My point is that so many musicians get hung up on the paper and 
thinking too much.  A good example is sex.  Most of us know the science and 
the mechanics of it but are you thinking any of that when you are doing it? 
I hope not.  There are just some things that get in the way.  You can 
analyze it before and after but during spoils it.

Improvisation takes something from our inner core and makes it come out 
through the instrument.  Almost all of it bypasses the brain in that we 
don't think about it.  Jazz just happens.  Having said that unless you have 
control of and are one with your instrument (technically proficient) this 
won't happen.  No one can think fast enough to do all the things that need 
to be done.  You have to go into a sort of autopilot mode.  If anyone is 
interested I could expand a lot on that.

There are a lot of players that are just plain inhibited about turning loose 
and letting go especially in the presence of so called better musicians.

This shouldn't be a discussion about theory vs. ears because both are 
important but if I had a choice I would take the ear.  I think Theory is 
great for the classroom but where the rubber hits the road it can't do 
anything without an excellent ear.  You can do good jazz without knowing one 
lick of theory.  A bricklayer doesn't need to know why mortar gets hard.

One of the sections of previous posts was the use of Sofeggi.  I studied 
this before I could even play.  My first teacher was an elderly Italian man 
who I believed worshiped the Pasquale Bona Sofeggi book.  I wish I had 
learned it better or taken it more seriously.  I think it's an excellent way 
for singers (or anyone) to learn sight singing.  I wish singers knew more 
about it.
Larry Walton
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 9:56 AM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Theory vs. Ears


> "Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis" wrote (polite snip)
>
>> Ken (Gates)
>> Theory is nice and I guess there are those who like to get into the 
>> numbers
>> but while you are doing all of that you will lose the music.  The 
>> simplest
>> place to start is to learn the blues scale in several keys then get 
>> yourself
>> the first couple of the Jamey Ambersold Blues CD's and have at it.  If 
>> you
>> have Band in a Box there are a bunch of different blues progressions that
>> come with it that you can put in any key. (remainder snipped for brevity)
>
> Solid advice, good post Larry. One is always helped by theoretically 
> knowing
> how to reach each note when one wants to. So too, many think that the best
> way to become a jazz musician is to "Hear", able to play what one hears.
>
> Those that are training via Suzuki Method as well as Theoretically are 
> those
> that may well become proficient jazz musicians the most rapidly.
>
> Jonathan Russell, going on 11 now, is a perfect example. He is learning 
> both
> Theory & Suzuki. I have some information about Suzuki method if anyone is
> interested. By Jonathan's Dad. It is enlightening. I will send it to Ken 
> off
> list later today. Jonathan's Mom teaches Suzuki method so that explains a
> lot. BTW, he is now interested in playing clarinet.
>
> Glad I'm old and will not be challenged by him if he continues along that
> pathway. :-) VBG.
>
> Cheers,
> Steve
>
>
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