1. I have witnessed countless occurrences during my
teaching career where teachers upon trying to
explain music without sufficient demonstration have
left students bemused and at worst alienated. This is
a disaster, as music theory really isn't that
complicated, and if you have only a limited
experience of playing a musical instrument can be
easily understood when put in relation to the things
that you are able to play.
proudvoices
2. It is in everyone's best interested to apply everything to an instrument, in
particular the piano, where the whole spectrum of music is laid out before
everyone's eyes and at everyone's fingertips From there it can easily be
translated to selected instruments Any attempts to explain music theory
without this are, in my opinion, flawed
3. The intervals in a scale, for instance, can be visualized clearly when one
plays a C major scale on the piano From that scale, made more effective
4. as a demonstration by the fact that there are no flats or sharps, the
student can see why there is a semi tone between the 3rd and 4th
degrees and the 7th and 8th degrees It can then be implied form this that
the same applies to other scales, such as G major, which can in turn
explain why there is an F# and thus how key signatures work
5. All of these notions are incredibly simple, but completely baffling and
abstract when not explained in relation to how they are played I suffered
bitter experience of not being able to grasp these things at school, as my
music teacher and music theory teacher (I had separate classes) failed to
explain these basic and fundamental concepts in relation to my chosen
instruments I was fortunate to come fro a very musical family and
certainly had a natural affinity to playing music, so these things weren't
hindrances, they were merely a part of a separate world far from what I
considered to be at the time, my own unique understanding of music
6. The problem I see often which is regrettable is that this goes on and
causes students much displeasure when attempting to achieve music
GCSE Yet it is one that I proudvoices always strive to rectify, simply by
explaining very slowly and precisely how crotchets and quavers work,
simply by tapping them out and counting and encouraging students to do
the same It is a gradual process of recognition that can take time in order
for it to become apparent how it relates to piano or guitar
7. But it certainly happens more quickly when instruments are used rather
than by throwing out abstract terminology and expecting students to
grasp what by the sounds of it are obscure concepts
