My Pitch for Theory-Based Piano Lessons for All Musicians

February 18th, 2013 8:30 am
We have this habit in FLING (one of the bands I play in) to get into protracted email conversations about a variety of subjects when we’re not together rehearsing or playing. Recently, Mike, one of our guitar players, pointed us all towards this 15-minute YouTube video about learning music theory. Mike’s an awesome guitar player who learned his craft with both some private lessons as well as just learn-it-yourself dedication (and if you haven’t heard FLING play, you owe it to yourself to soak in one of Mike’s killer leads). It was interesting to me that someone this accomplished wouldn’t have been taught some theory along the way, but the more I thought about it, this actually makes sense.
 
As someone who’s taken quite a few years of harmony and theory in school and also dabbled in piano and guitar enough to be incompetent and dangerous on those instruments, I’ve come to the following conclusion:
 
Key signatures and, indeed, sharps and flats, are a piano-rooted construct that has become the common language for our conversations and communication about music. When applied on guitar — when learned on guitar — they don’t make a whole lot of sense because everything looks equal on the fretboard. On piano, of course, sharps and flats are (for the most part) the black keys, and provide a much simpler and quicker way to visualize and learn the basics. 
 
Because of this I highly recommend even just a year (or maybe even less) of theory-based piano lessons for all musicians simply to muck with and grok these concepts quickly and visually. It gets a lot of the legwork out of the way and then you can come back to guitar, etc., and understand how silly it is to try to learn these things there. On guitar, for example, going from an E to an F is one fret, but going from an F to a G is two frets. How in the world is that supposed to make sense to someone who doesn’t first understand that this is a piano-based concept where going from an E to an F and an F to a G both mean that you’re just going up “one white key.” The only difference is that, oh yeah, between the F and the G there’s this black key that doesn’t exist between E and F. On guitar they’re all treated equally in a visual sense.
 
Anyway, there’s my pitch for some (theory-based) piano lessons for all musicians.

My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-10-14

October 14th, 2012 3:30 am
  • If someone broke into our house and woke us up at this time we would kill them first and then ensure it couldn't happen again. Insanity. #
  • What astounds me is that our board of education isn't holding special sessions to figure out how to fix this waking up at dark-o-clock issue #
  • Every time I mess with our 20+ year-old boiler I can't help but think of The Shining. #
  • It's possible "Reset All Settings" helped my iPhone 5. Was at 98% 6 hours ago, now at 94% after essentially sitting idle. #icanlivewiththat #
  • I love seeing extended family work together to help each other. It makes me even happier when it happens for my extended family. Good stuff. #
  • Oh dear heaven. iTunes Match secretly replaced the "Exit…Stage Left" version of "Red Barchetta" with the one from R30.

    BLASPHEMY! #

  • They should have mood lighting and comfortable couches in doctor's exam rooms.

    And Teddy Pendergrass playing softly in the background. #

  • Perfect New England fall sweater weather. Love it! http://t.co/Hjnm1y7E #
  • Curious about AT&T experience: easier to get concessions from phone customer service reps or in-store staff? #
  • "Peace … by grilled cheese" (made with love by my daughter) http://t.co/U9fhCXb2 #
  • How much more black could my son's Halloween costume be? None more black. http://t.co/sXTbSCXY #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-10-07

October 7th, 2012 3:30 am
  • Apparently Santa uses Android. #spyphoto @ Whittemore Center Arena http://t.co/3AmeL8nO #
  • First game, first puck (Thanks, Agosta!) @ Whittemore Center Arena http://t.co/ny7rIRHA #
  • My favorite pre-game view. @ Whittemore Center Arena http://t.co/PJvVIhv2 #
  • It's good to be back at the Whitt for UNH Hockey! http://t.co/9qYRgdGL #
  • Halfway through the day, very light usage for email and Twitter, no calls, and my iPhone 5's battery is at 44%. Guess I need a battery case. #
  • 9am is a good time to start lining the field for a game with a 9am kickoff, don't you think? #
  • A heads-up for @boxcar users: If you upgraded your iPhone, log out of boxcar and then back in, otherwise your new device won't be registered #
  • How is it possible that I haven't owned "Waiting for Columbus" until yesterday?

    Clearly it retroactively goes on my favorite albums list. #

  • It seems like there’s just never enough Wi-Fi channels. #
  • I guess I live in "off-campus housing" http://t.co/M7sraz8A #
  • If I have a UPS connected to my Mac and set Energy Saver to power down, seems the "Start up automatically after a power failure" is ignored. #
  • Forget this debate, there's bigger news: Rush was finally nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction! http://t.co/ZqlkZGXx #
  • Are Romney's lying sons better behaved than the two guys fighting on TV? If so, can we elect one of those 5 boys instead? #
  • What. is. the. deal with how LONG it takes for baggage to reach the carousel at Boston Logan Airport? 40 minutes and counting. #
  • Awesome family reunion weekend. We surprised my wife's grandfather for his 93rd birthday by all meeting on a quick 3-day Bahamas cruise. :) #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-09-30

September 30th, 2012 3:30 am
  • Interesting. Here at Logan airport in BOS I have LTE from AT&T on my iPhone 5 but only 3G from Verizon on my iPad 3. #
  • ???? Who put the ketamine in Mrs. Murphy's chowder?

    ???? Nobody answered so I'll ask a little louder! #

  • "@Jury I can’t wait to see Ed Hochuli again"

    +1 #

  • Wife: "You can put whatever you want in your suitcase."

    Daughter: "I can put a gun?"

    Wife: "No."

    Me: Proud. #

  • Snake! (My son took this one) http://t.co/XeYGTJCk #
  • Why does school start at 7:30am? Nothing starts at 7:30am. This is ridiculous. #
  • This up-at-6:30-every-day thing is incompatible with this particular Hamilton Family Unit. Need wake-up time upgrade. #
  • “@BarackObama: NFL fans on both sides of the aisle hope the refs’ lockout is settled soon. -bo”

    Well, that’s saying something. #

  • “@XPlaneOfficial: Wow! That’s one crazy takeoff! http://t.co/XSFeECbc”

    Awesome. #

  • This iOS maps situation inspired me to write.

    iOS 6: A Two Map App System, Same as it Ever Was http://t.co/WkHwEIsc #

  • AT&T's LTE on the iPhone 5 works quite well in Boston tonight. http://t.co/7GCuGrbi #
  • I think we can live with these seats for Peter Gabriel @ TD Garden http://t.co/RkF3jOJC #
  • Heading to Boston this evening to see Peter Gabriel and his band. Should be fantastic. ;) #
  • The carriers' about-face from charging for minutes and having unlimited data to having unlimited minutes and metering data is interesting. #
  • I'm considering giving up my unlimited data for AT&T's mobile share plan. With 4 phones and our average data usage, it's quite attractive. #
  • Why does iOS 6 insist on re-ordering the email addresses? I want my default to be the first one I set in prefs! #
  • I've got the best family. Get home from podcasting to find a fondue dinner for my birthday this week. Awesome. ;) #charmedlife #
  • I haven’t slept past 10:30 since I don’t know when. I think maybe I’ve been overdoing it lately. Maybe I’ll take next weekend off. ;) #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-09-23

September 23rd, 2012 3:30 am
  • The definition of an auspicious start to a gig: a bachelorette party just walked in. #
  • Good news: iPhone 5 now connects to my AT&T MicroCell http://t.co/cYJwBEJD #
  • Some discussion including supposed relays from AT&T reps about iPhone 5/MicroCell issues. Fix may be out in 24 hrs. http://t.co/OmcV2NtN #
  • I love it when one of the kids gets irate about something and starts into a good, long rant. Makes me so proud. #
  • Interesting. I don't think my iPhone 5 wants to connect to my AT&T MicroCell. Anyone else seeing this? #
  • Ahh there we are. Was @binny_uk's tweet and handwriting https://t.co/hiCLGWZ8 #
  • Funny, and true for iOS 6. I wish I knew who took it! http://t.co/WxhV2S98 #
  • My advice for you today: When you find a big kettle of crazy, it's best not to stir it. #dilbert http://t.co/4UpV9xgM #
  • Oh wow. Just found out that both Tony Levin and Manu Katché are playing with Peter Gabriel this tour. SO excited for Monday's show (my bday) #
  • 10.8.2 hung on reboot each time. Verbose mode showed me that com.paragon-software.snapshot.kext was the issue. Deleted using Terminal, good. #
  • Sometimes you just KNOW its going to be a Good Hair Day. http://t.co/B9gmWd0r #
  • Oh, good news. The update *did* stop after the restore & jailbreak. Man, this thing had a mind of its own for a while there. Yikes! #
  • OK. SHSH saved to Cydia and locally with Tiny Umbrella. Now I'll let the damned thing update to iOS 6 and I can roll back to 5.1.1 later. #
  • Oh yeah. My wife will inherit my 4S, and she needs to jailbreak. Guess how easy it is to stop an OTA iOS update? Answer: it's not. #
  • iOS 6 Here we come. http://t.co/1jywaJlf #
  • Solving the world's problems, one step at a time. #
  • You know it's been a long weekend when while announcing a youth football game you refer to a team's "own 52 yard line." #
  • This whole more-than-2-gigs in 24 hours thing is an interesting way to live. Cathartic, but at some level I think it might be unhealthy, too #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-09-16

September 16th, 2012 3:30 am
  • I bet they sell more French fries than onion rings. @ Derryfield Deck http://t.co/AXFWcyYI #
  • Summing up my hands-on time with the new iPhone 5, iPod touch & nano: Bigger is Better http://t.co/MyBowb5k #
  • I took some time to check out Apple's new EarPods and… they aren't bad in the right places! http://t.co/DjaLRXnc #
  • Looking forward to checking out the new EarPods mid-flight. I’ll let you all know how they do. #
  • I think its time to find a new "I have 3 minutes to kill and want to play a game" app for my iPhone. Suggestions? #
  • This place should call the “spicy chicken bowl” the “spicy chicken bowl surprise.”

    The surprise? It’s not spicy. #airportfood #

  • So long for now, San Francisco. See you next time! http://t.co/QtBkVwtR #
  • And the new nano feels *great* in the hand. http://t.co/ORwHVOBk #
  • Taylor Hawkins clarified for me: it was a *piece* of a stick that broke off and hit Dave Grohl. Glad we settled that. #
  • This iPhone 5 is REALLY lightweight in the hand. http://t.co/sUHPoEtU #
  • EarBuds make great party gifts. @ Yerba Buena Gardens http://t.co/RTTczA5L #
  • Funny to literally run into Al Gore in the men's room line. #
  • A more proper shot of the colorful Apple logo in prep for tomorrow. @ Yerba Buena Center for the Arts http://t.co/rSG08Kwg #
  • Arrived in SF just in time to check-in for my flight home tomorrow. :) #
  • A quick shot of Yerba Buena Gardens from the cab on my way into town. Already lookin @ Yerba Buena Gardens http://t.co/eHHuYGHk #
  • The last time I was scheduled to fly on 9/11 flights were canceled while I was en route to the airport. Today's a different day #remember911 #
  • Boarded and looking forward to checking out the "WindowSeat" app mid-flight (as recommended by @fulkb!) #
  • Sweet. Just did a last-minute check and found (and snagged) an empty aisle seat on my BOS->SFO UA511 flight today. Whew! #
  • A note about tomorrow, @united: If you want me to check my carry-on because the flight's full, tell me *before* I go thru security, please. #
  • Burning 600 calories per hour ain’t no joke! http://t.co/J0MdBVYO #drumming #
  • Now that's good sleeping weather.

    Too bad I have to be in SFO Tues/Weds. http://t.co/cKjzIuRZ #

  • Lisa spread the Sunday Football Snack Feast. Go Pats! (on TiVo…) http://t.co/S9MZ0Gf0 #
  • An interesting highlight of Friday's Rush concert was Alex Lifeson telling his poop joke to 15k people while tech issues were sorted out. ;) #
  • I'm proud to say that FLING played 6 sets (2 gigs) today and we didn't repeat a single tune. Even had about 12 left on the list! #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-09-09

September 9th, 2012 3:30 am
  • Did you hear the one about the musician who got up at 6:30 in the morning to play a gig?

    It's no joke. #

  • Yup, that's an 8pc string action behind them. #Rush @ Verizon Wireless Arena http://t.co/VCuYtIAm #
  • "The Anarchist" #Rush @ Verizon Wireless Arena http://t.co/emfP0wHs #
  • #Rush #Lifeson #guitar @ Verizon Wireless Arena http://t.co/nrTIyPK0 #
  • Waiting for Rush @ Verizon Wireless Arena http://t.co/Fi3TSXt0 #
  • Crazy week, now off to see Rush in Manchester, NH. Then tomorrow it's a 7am load out for 2 gigs of my own.

    Rest is for the weary! #

  • Re: the FBI's UDID "source," it's also completely reasonable to think it could have been Facebook. The CIA invested in them, after all. ;) #
  • Today @jgamet reasons that the FBI's UDID codes came from their @instapaper server seizure. Best logic I've heard. http://t.co/O9K0qorD #
  • You know what? I think October 24th will be the next Apple Event (likely iPad "mini"). And that's also my wedding anniversary. Hrm. #
  • Weather Report at The Beacon Theater in 1981 (with my Dad, stepmom, and aunt) was my first big concert experience. What was yours? #
  • Having a DJ as the opening act in an arena is really interesting (awful). #
  • Waiting for … well, it ain't Godot. @ TD Garden http://t.co/0TvHOSj4 #
  • The Hamilton Family Summer Concert Series is in full force this week. Tonight: Madonna @ Boston Garden. Friday night, Rush in Manchester. #
  • My life feels like a David Garibaldi drum part. Lots happening, each thing getting full focus, no pattern, few breaks, yet grooving well. #
  • I love ExpressionEngine but their concept of "caching" is confused and convoluted. So this morning I wrote GhettoCache and now the (cont… #
  • …cont) site works. #
  • The last time I was booked to fly on 9/11 things got ugly. Here's to hoping next week's trek west for the Apple event is smoother for us all #
  • New TMO is rolled (new backend, too). Check it out! http://t.co/UYMxE0vp
    I awoke in a cabin in the woods 22 hrs ago. Now.. sleep time. #
  • For polling calls on Labor Day my response is: "My rate is $300/hr with a 1hr minimum. Do you want to continue with this call?" #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-09-02

September 2nd, 2012 3:30 am
  • The downside to having been an "always be prepared" Boy Scout means I always bring more crap than I need. But I'll need *some* of it. :) #
  • Yup, that should be enough stuff to get 4 people through 3 days of family camp! http://t.co/FQ3gfPKo #
  • If I've got my times right, Synology's DiskStation Manager 4.1 is now officially released. Looking forward to installing that next week. #
  • Listen, we're musicians. Waking up at this hour is against our religion. #
  • I've gotta stop doing this.

    The kids need to talk to their teachers about this unsavory start time each day.

    It's inhumane. #

  • I speak Esperanto like a native. #
  • Sometimes the money I pay to the swear jar is the most rewarding money I spend. #
  • Interesting that Federighi's bio still has the "Mac" in front of "OS X" http://t.co/uGypoavx #
  • Good that Federighi is on the same level as Forstall now.

    Next move: convince Forstall to retire to greener pastures. #

  • Give him Ragu, because he's been through enough. #
  • Racing to the football field after 3 hours of sleep followed by sitting for an hour in the early morning sun is an interesting kind of buzz. #
  • 7

    You know, ^G. #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-08-26

August 26th, 2012 3:30 am
  • .@MarkM good point. My mistake. This morning's rant should have been about MY doctors, not all doctors. My apologies, my friend. :) #
  • Just finished announcing the kids football jamboree, now off to play the youth hockey benefit. Pimping myself out for the kids. ;) #
  • I really hate how disrespectful the medical profession is with my time. Thy set an appointment and then don't seem to care when it happens. #
  • It's a shame Steve Jobs didn't live to see this verdict. #
  • Near Kingston, NH? FLING is playing a benefit at Sanborn Regional HS on Saturday at 7pm for their new hockey program https://t.co/QG24WgiB #
  • I need to install 'nano' on my Synology DiskStation. Going back and forth between nano and vi is causing my fingers to fire wrong commands. #
  • Spidey climbs at the Lee, NH firehouse @ Lee Fire Department http://t.co/iIDDxQJZ #
  • Heartbeat or bandwidth graphs? http://t.co/VwOwZdpD #
  • Now that's what I call a perfect forecast. 80s during the day, 59s at night. http://t.co/sFBwLins #
  • Yes! Made Streambaby work perfectly on my Synology DiskStation. Will post details later for all. #
  • Over the past couple of days I've seen mail delayed in sending under Mountain Lion on multiple systems. Anyone else? #

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My Twitter Weekly Updates for 2012-08-19

August 19th, 2012 3:30 am
  • Just finished a 3hr dinner @momborestaurant for @tbearnh’s birthday with our daughter. We just about ate one of everything on the menu. Yum! #
  • Shoulders are sore (and bruising up nicely! :) from shooting today. Right shoulder from the shotgun, left from the .30-06 rifle. #
  • That thing's a serious rifle. http://t.co/bWwwcUKA #
  • My next perch. This looks like its going to be a boys' day. http://t.co/vBRR4gOI #
  • My morning view http://t.co/df9iRwTO #
  • If the rain clears, I'm headed to the lake where I'll get my birthday present from my wife early: a seaplane ride picking me up at the dock. #
  • When watching web-based TV, I wish it would tell me the time to watch *with* ads factored in. I don't mind the ads, just want accurate time. #
  • After 3 nights of gigs followed by a night up late (and up early this morning) with old friends visiting, it is butt-on-couch time! #

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