• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

Theory vs feel

Jump to latest Follow Reply

In a songwriting situation, which is more necessary to have?

  • Theory

  • Feel

Results are only viewable after voting.
Sort by date Sort by votes
S

stratosaurus

Matthew 6
Feb 18, 2004
265
11
NC
✟460.00
Faith
Christian

I think we had a pretty good debate & we DID have people choosing one or the other. If we define theory as "formal" training, then I definitely say it is theory is unnecessary. Especially in the realm of Christian music. As an earlier post said, it is all about PASSION.....feelings, heartfelt emotion, etc....when you have that, it doesn't matter if you know pentatonic from catatonic!
I think it's been a good debate & it's all in fun.
If you start out & realize that this question falls into the same category as the ever present "what's the best, who's the best, your favorite" type of question & take it as such, then it becomes a good vehicle for learning & appreciating other viewpoints. It's 'point-conterpoint' with no winner, no loser.
It's a chance to learn.... it's been fun!
Besides.........I win, I win!!
Just kidding, just kidding
 
Upvote 0

paulewog

Father of Insanity; Child of Music.
Mar 23, 2002
12,930
375
40
USA
Visit site
✟41,438.00
Faith
Baptist
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Republican
Both.

You have to "feel" otherwise you're just writing formula stuff. Nothing original. Like *cough* most songs today *cough* hehe.

But if you don't have any theory, you might "feel" or "hear" something but not be able to write it down correctly. Plus, with theory, you will know what you're hearing, eventually.

For example, I can now hear in my head a I chord going to a vi chord. And I know exactly what that is. So that is really, really helpful... hehe.

Look at Bach.... or Schubert, a great songwriter... or Mendelssohn...

Those guys all knew TONS and TONS of theory, and studied it since like age 3.

I don't see why I shouldn't, hehe
 
Upvote 0
M

Musician

Diabolus in Musica
Feb 18, 2004
55
5
Visit site
✟202.00
Faith
Christian
Kepa said:
Yes I know theory just "is", everything musical relates to theory and IS essentially theory.
Click to expand...

Thank you.

But the original question and point of debate is whether it is more necessary to have a knowledge of theory vs feel.
Click to expand...

Um, no that was not the original question actually.

The original question was "theory vs. feel", not "Knowledge of theory vs. feel".

That changes the goalposts entirely and changes the debate to a sensible from from being an impossible one. Words are very very important!


ITA

Having said all that, I don't think I can decide in myself whether which is more important, knowledge of theory or feel/passion.

It depends on the skill of the individual musician. If a musician is very talented and can play his/her instrument with such skill that they can play beautifully without necessarily knowing all the words and symbols for what they are playing, then feel is more important. But there are few musicians like that.
 
Upvote 0
S

stratosaurus

Matthew 6
Feb 18, 2004
265
11
NC
✟460.00
Faith
Christian

Wouldn't you say that your statement wouldn't apply to the older blues musicians? Just a wild guess,but I'd put most of them in the category that knows nothing about theory, but yet, wrote some great songs.
As was said, the question was posed in such a manner, that there can't be a definitive answer. It's just a question that has the possiblities to continue to be an ever-expanding series of opinions, which you can learn from.
It's just one of those fun things that causes you to think about the subject beyond what you normally would.
 
Upvote 0
B

burrow_owl

Senior Contributor
Aug 17, 2003
8,561
381
48
Visit site
✟33,226.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Democrat
Just a wild guess,but I'd put most of them [bluesmen] in the category that knows nothing about theory, but yet, wrote some great songs.
Click to expand...



Really? I can't really think of anything particularly interesting or particularly good about most blues songs other than the fact that they're very efficient vehicles for some good guitar solos. The songs themselves are only songs in the most rudimentary way: repetition of the same 12 bars, over and over. Not much craftsmanship, really. But, I guess songwriting wasn't really the point.

feel is what makes things original.
Click to expand...
That's interesting you'd say that, cuz I'd think the exact opposite would be the case. For example, your average Matchbox 20 song or something isn't significantly different from any other. With a few exceptions, almost all of their singles have been based around the same chord progression - one could almost play all of their songs as one huge seamless medley. So I'd hardly consider them original, and I'd imagine that it's the lack of attention to theory that makes the guitarist or whatever think that one song is actually a different entity from another.
 
Upvote 0
M

Musician

Diabolus in Musica
Feb 18, 2004
55
5
Visit site
✟202.00
Faith
Christian
stratosaurus said:
Wouldn't you say that your statement wouldn't apply to the older blues musicians? Just a wild guess,but I'd put most of them in the category that knows nothing about theory, but yet, wrote some great songs.
Click to expand...


Like I said:


I am sure that some of the great blues players DO indeed fall into that category.

I might also venture to suggest that if they ahd some knowledge of theory also, they may have been even better . . .
 
Upvote 0
B

BobbyS662

renaissanceguy
Feb 25, 2004
30
4
52
Mississippi
✟22,673.00
Faith
Non-Denom
To write a song, you need inspiration. Feel is how you interpret the song (which has tons to do with how it sounds). Theory is what happens while you are writing a song. There is theory behind all of it. Now if I sit down to write a song using a any certain chord progression, I may be inspired by it... but I probably won't. On the other hand, I can write a song knowing in my mind how I want it to sound and where I want to take it. Later, I can pick it apart and tell you what the theory behind the song is, and it may be very basic or brilliant. I will say that I have played with musicians who only play the same basic I-IV-V progressions over and over because that's all they know (and they can do it with great feel) and I've played with guys with advanced music degrees (I am not one of them) that know theory in spades. I consider it fortunate that I know just enough theory to be able to play with people who are much more accomplished musicians than I am. But, most of my degreed friends make no attempt at actually writing a song. I do believe that writing is a gift, although some people have became good songwriters through practice of the craft (or could it be that their dilligence brought out their gift?) I dunno.
 
Upvote 0
H

Hands&Feet

Active Member
Sep 27, 2003
360
62
69
USA
✟861.00
Faith
Methodist
Marital Status
Married
I'm an old jazzer from way back. That puts me in the middle of this debate. If I didn't have a good knowledge of scale and chord theory, I'd be lost. But, if I didn't have inspiration, I'd be worthless. I can't imagine expressing my love for God any way than from my heart. My compositions are a heartfelt response toward Jesus--I never sit down and say, "Okay, I'm going to praise God with a II V VII progression with a I VI II V turnaround. I just try to play what I am feeling I try to express in textures more than musical theory.

My son is a great jazz and prog rock drummer. But he learned keyboard so he could write music that he had in his head. I have given him some theory books to help him score the music, but what he wrote was right from his heart, inspired by his walk with God. He occasionally will call me up and ask me what a particular chord is. He knows the notes, but doesn't understand theory enough to name the chords. He just searches the keyboard until he finds just what he is looking for. It is some of the most creative, innovative material I've heard. It is very inspirational, deeply spiritual and yet, from a trained musician's perspective, technically difficult. But, he doesn't see it that way at all because it came form his heart--it flows from him and there is nothing techincal about it as far as he is concerned. I truly wish I had his approach. His mind is not limited by scales, chords or time. He writes in some crazy time signatures like 11/4 or 13/8, but because the music was "felt", it comes off so natural that you never stop to wonder what time signature his songs are in until you actually sit down to learn them. His meoldies are never bound by scale theory and that is what makes them so original. It is a refreshing approach and I wish I could unlearn some of my training so I could write more like he does. He puts me to shame.
 
Upvote 0
B

BobbyS662

renaissanceguy
Feb 25, 2004
30
4
52
Mississippi
✟22,673.00
Faith
Non-Denom
Right on, hands&feet!
 
Upvote 0
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

  • Poll
Budget cuts
Replies
4
Views
276
American Politics
Richard T
R
LGBT suicide hotline counselor appears to endorse teen's plan to leave home, live with coach
Replies
2
Views
222
Current News & Events (Articles Required)
RileyG
In Him Alone
Replies
0
Views
207
Deeper Fellowship
Christsfreeservant
I wanna end with Christianity.
Replies
21
Views
872
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
trophy33
H
Need healing from God but I can't get it
Replies
6
Views
898
One Bread, One Body - Catholic
headphones777
H
Menu
Log in
Register