[Persona]

I think I might be musically retarded... Any ideas on how to fix me?



(I could say more of course, but I'll leave you to fill in the blanks)

Persona

[RedDeath9]

Start playing an instrument? Singing lessons? Along with learning music theory?

I'm sorry, I can't fill in the blanks.

[Refu]

[Jonny0207]

I'm actually quite the opposite (look at signature). Either pick up a guitar/any other instruments, or start listening to music. Not metal/heavy rock pieces of shit, REAL music.

[Persona]

Start playing an instrument? Singing lessons? Along with learning music theory?

I'm WAY too introverted to sing. Music theory, however, does interest me... Any ideas how to get started?

I'm actually quite the opposite (look at signature). Either pick up a guitar/any other instruments, or start listening to music. Not metal/heavy rock pieces of shit, REAL music.

I can't play guitar, because everyone plays guitar. The practicality of it is appealing, but I'm afraid it's just too common for me... How bout' bagpipes or an electric ukulele?

I'm really only interested in creating my own music. If I play other people's music, it feels shallow in the sense that I'm stealing someone else's art... Not only that, but I'll likely never be able to reproduce their piece as well as they did! To say the least, this makes it very difficult to learn to play!

What is "REAL music"? I don't currently listen to music, but I'm open to it (in the name of science and bettering myself). Give me some recommendations!

Regards,
Persona

[Socrates]

I'm actually quite the opposite (look at signature). Either pick up a guitar/any other instruments, or start listening to music. Not metal/heavy rock pieces of shit, REAL music.

Or you could not listen to this guy (who probably hasn't heard real metal and thinks Korn is an example of UBER HEAVY DEATH METAL BRO!) and listen to some technical thrash metal.





Those two songs featured a highly experienced jazz drummer and guitarist. I'd take it from the jazz guitarist, Chris Poland, who noted: "Megadeth's music is like what we were already playing – really complex. Near the end of the show we would be struggling to finish the songs."



Or hey, some technical heavy metal with similarities to rock!





Take it from me, a musician: this shit is hard to play, most definitely harder than any classical music I've tried to play on the guitar.

Yeah, I said it. I've had more difficulty playing METAL on guitar than CLASSICAL.

[AirMarionette]

Listen for subtleties in sound. Don't be driven to think they're inaudible to you unless you have a legitimate hearing problem. The music is out there, you just have to listen to it - sounds super-cliche, but it's true!

Start off with simple piano melodies, move on to some jazz - catch the rhythm, see how one sound relates to another, try classical music - THAT'S going to be exciting if you listen to it closely. Music is a river of math and vibrations; your ear is designed to listen to them. It is divided - one component depends on another. It has a destination, a song wants to go somewhere, a melody wants to reach a cadence.

You ever notice sometimes you can PREDICT how certain songs will go, without even being able to explain it? It's like that, with a bit of more effort. You can sometimes sense it, but it also follows a pattern that allows you to predict - and even when it deviates from that expected direction (as a lot of Bach/Sonatas tend to do), when music "deceives" you, it's still something to appreciate because it is the sound of existence, see? The fact that it's even ABLE to string up your emotions and use them as a harp is incredible.

Anyway... don't hesitate to create music! It's a shame that our society works in ways that stall creative development in children (why in public schools do they have you write stories and read them aloud to each other, but not always a melody or two?). I won't tell you what REAL music is, that's just a senseless question because it's dependent on subjectivity.

Find some instrumental music, 70's-80's, foreign stuff, folk, bluegrass, soundtracks... etc! :D

[RedDeath9]

I'm WAY too introverted to sing. Music theory, however, does interest me... Any ideas how to get started?

No, not really. The only reason I... started learning music theory was because I was getting guitar lessons. After about a month I stopped taking them, so my music theory knowledge deteriorated. Now, instead of knowing the E minor scale as... E, F#, G, A, etc. I know it was 0-2-3-5 etc. (when the guitar is tuned to standard... why am I using all these technical terms? You might not understand them but you'll get the gist of what I'm saying, hopefully.

But I would recommend starting to play an instrument, if you don't already. Look up theory lessons on the internet, maybe?

I can't play guitar, because everyone plays guitar. The practicality of it is appealing, but I'm afraid it's just too common for me... How bout' bagpipes or an electric ukulele?

I'm really only interested in creating my own music. If I play other people's music, it feels shallow in the sense that I'm stealing someone else's art... Not only that, but I'll likely never be able to reproduce their piece as well as they did! To say the least, this makes it very difficult to learn to play!

What is "REAL music"? I don't currently listen to music, but I'm open to it (in the name of science and bettering myself). Give me some recommendations!

Regards,
Persona

Don't listen to people who talk about 'real' music and the likes. What kind of music are you into now?

EDIT: Clandestine, nice choice with Baroness. That song is amazing.

[HannibalLecter]

I'm very good with music.

[Socrates]

EDIT: Clandestine, nice choice with Baroness. That song is amazing.

I've been watching Baroness since 2008, and I think they're going to be huge. They're getting there, definitely. That album just came out last year and I'm already eagerly anticipating the follow-up!