Music theory exists to describe and classify the elements of musical practice. If you hear an interesting musical effect, the written score can be analyzed and the workings of that effect can be described, named, and reproduced. Reading is therefore an essential skill, and theory is almost always taught in conjunction with sight singing and ear training classes.

So the first thing to know about music theory is that it does not involve rules and constraints. It is, rather, a system to familiarize the student with most of what's out there in the wilds of music-making.

The other important thing is that to study theory, you will be required to work at the piano. Unless....

As the only instrument capable of playing just about anything with four voices, the piano has been the essential tool in studying harmony and counterpoint (most of western music can be reduced to a four-part setting while retaining the essential harmonic information).

Happily for some, the recent advent of two-handed tapping offers an alternative. A 12-stringed instrument, properly set up, can play a certain portion of the piano repertoire including any four-voice progressions you might find in a theory text. I have tested this myself by taking the Stick through a standard two-year theory course and beyond.

Fretboard tapping instruments like the Stick offer increased harmonic possibilities, but without access to information in scores and texts, no-one has been able to do much with them. "Theory", for the Stick has so far been a rehash of what electric guitarists call, "theory", and it is in no way comparable. Chord diagrams can express very little of what the instrument can do. In order to master the possibilities, you must study pieces which use those possibilities, and they are written on the grand staff.


Mad Monk.

Mad Monk!!! Great post, great to see you back in the forum.... I still look back 2-3 years ago in L.A., making your acquaintance and hearing you play for the first time... you were one of the highlights for me!

I respectfully disagree with the original poster's post, so I gotta express my thoughts. Hopefully no one gets offended by my beliefs....

The instrument is just a tool, theory is an explanation for the methods used to create and interpret music, which is a language of expression not limited to any one instrument. The rules of music apply to all instruments, and many instruments can explain different aspects of theory better than others. Drum set, human voice, banjo, pedal steel, violin, ukulele, kazoo, computer...
Many people don't know "theory" but have, over a lifetime gathered a set of instincts that have them utilizing 'the rules' whether they know that they are 'rules' or not.

Jeff Beck. Nicolo Paganini. Django Reindhardt. Jimi Hendrix.

A piano is certainly handy, but it is not the only means. And to say that the Stick uses rehashed guitar theory...? Well, I hate to break it to ya, but a stick is, for all intents and purposes an extended range guitar. It has a lot of differences, but tons of similarities. Frets and strings, baby... Chord diagrams make sense, as does tablature. It's a quick and easy way to convey ideas, especially for an instrument based on symmetry, like the stick...

Sincerely, a guitarist... (Now a Stick Player)

I would respectfully offer that music theory has nothing whatsoever to do with the instrument itself. The first thing my music composition teacher did to me in college was to take away my keyboards and force me to write on paper. I wrote for instruments that I couldn't play and had never touched: flute, clarinet, viola, big ole church organs (now THAT's the cream of the music theory instruments. A lot of orchestra stuff can be simulated on a good church organ. More banks than Rick Wakeman on some of them!)

Now there's a lot to be said for finger patterns, and they different from instrument to instrument, and tuning to tuning. Maybe a left-handed guitar played right-handed. But they are only the physical key to using muscles to trigger patterns of notes: There's nothing intrinsically "minor" or "major" about 3 over, 3 down, 2 over, 3 down. There's only intervals between notes.

And if you're Asia (the continent, not the rock super group), and/or into microtunings, your "music theory" looks a lot different than us 12-toners.

Not to be contrary! Cheers!

After 32 years of playing, I think Mad Monk is entitled to be heard on the matter. Randy's style and approach are far and away the closest we come to playing the instrument as though it were a period instrument - so, to me, it makes perfect sense that he feels this way.

I had to perform after Randy at the So Cal Stick Seminar in 2012. Never again. He's wicked good and he's got a very strong opinion about music, which I confess bugged me a little at first, but once I got to hear the guy play and see him deliver those lines, the way I heard them played on harpsichord - my eyes were clear!

Here is a snippet from the FHA 2013 State of the Stick video. This is simply a 4 second sampling of the style in which Randy is capable of playing - skip to minute 4:04. I've heard him hit Bach pieces and you would swear it was a harpsichord cause he's playing it the way it was written!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQiYcnDQrtE[/youtube]

Randy, you represent a pure form of the Stick community, a purist in a vast pool of mutts and muggles - I salute you!

What Gene said....the cat knows his stuff, and while his opinions are strong, I believe they are accurate. Theory used to scare the hell out of me.... reminded me TOO much of math ( It wasn't until I picked up Steve A's book and then took some lessons from him that I finally conquered that fear. Even with the little I know of music theory, it has unlocked doors for me in many ways... It is a process for sure.... and for me, it slowed me down for a bit. However once I learned some rudimentary tools, my ear actually leads me where I want to go. Now, when I am playing with others, I can at least talk intelligently and convey ideas using theory....

You're n slouch either Clere. When are you going to lay some of that fretless jazz stuff you were doing a few years back on SoundCloud?

Gene, I actually completely agree with everything Mad Monk is saying, in that Stick allows you to fully explore theory in a way that, previously, really only keyboard instruments had allowed one to do. I also agree that Stickists can and do and should go beyond what traditional 6-string guitar(s) can and do.

But music theory is not bound to any mortal coil or instrument. Beethoven was rocking his melodies entirely in his head at the end, and did his composing entirely by "theory," fleshing out chords to match a melody he could hum but not "hear." (He wasn't really, really deaf until really late, to be fair). I know the late great Frank Zappa could just dash off sheet music from his head. I wish I could compose more awesome melodies without using instruments--but I can't. They all come from the physical interaction of playing the keys or frets in autopilot and listening to what comes out and saying "That's cool!" But that's inspiration and ideas--not music theory--sorry.

I'm not really disagreeing with Mad Monk, just pointing out that music theory really exists in a Platonic ideal, that doesn't necessarily correspond to ANY instrument. That sonic palette (painted with 12 colors or tones in Western style) is more fully explored using Stick or piano--or the 64-button drum-pad PUSH that our Swedish Per has mastered so awesomely. Your mileage will vary.

I mean no disrespect--but many of us have some decades of puttering in our crafts (I'm 30 years last November with the pianer) but that doesn't mean my opinion isn't up for challenging! I love to rail against my composition professor who had decades and decades of experience being an awesome studio tech and the world's biggest curmudgeon. I learned a lot from him but his opinions kind of sucked about rock music.

No offense, Mad Monk--loved those 4 seconds, Gene, Randy. Cheers!

I have played guitar and violin since I was five, and am a music school grad. Lots of gigs, and I know a thing or two about theory myself. Lesse, since I am 43 that means I have been doing music for...

Oh wait, I have only been playing Stick for a year. Previous experience doesn't count, I forgot.

Only Stick and piano, especially piano... got it.

Very interesting mad_monk. Among the musicians I've studied with and mainly in arranging I found that the pianists and bassmen were the best. They are completely different and have different ideas but they are both good.