Music Theory

Learning to read sheet music (dots on lines) is a form of literacy I never quite managed to acquire and always wanted.  As a child, I could learn a tune by ear but was discouraged from learning music from that starting point by a teacher who insisted that I learn to name the dots on the page and then learn to play the dots after I knew their names.  It didn’t work for me at all. My brain is hardwired oddly and I struggle with names. For example: I recognize my friends from the way they move and gesture; I … Continue reading

Music Theory and the Autoharp

Music theory never interested me when I was growing up.  Now that I am older and seeking to move from Quicksilver to Gold in my life, I find myself seeking more knowledge of music theory to help me learn to play my autoharp. Jumping into music, I discovered a whole world of music theory and my total ignorance of such a vast area of knowledge.  I knew that my autoharp, a chromatic instrument, could play in pretty much any key and I have 21 chords I can make with this instrument but I did not know much about what a … Continue reading