Needaham45
Spaceman
I was not vilifying music theory--quite the contrary, while I feel that adhearing to and writing entirely based on music theory produces predictable, mathmatical, uninspired results, the knowledge of it while writing inspired music helps create a better final product. As I said, I started writing without great knowledge in it, then started writing almost strictly using the knowledge I gained from it, and have now returned to writing from inspiration, but with the knowledge I learned behind it and influencing the inspiration, thus making the music I'm writing now the best as compared to what I have written before. I believe that good music can not come strictly from not following the rules, or following the rules. There must be a balance of inspiration and thought with theory and practice.
No, I find nothing wrong with music theory. The problem is often it is taught as "this is what all the great composers were thinking. If you want to write great music, you better follow it too." And that I believe, is entirely wrong.
Also, it must be noted for clarification (though I'm sure not for you ace, as you already clearly know this) that the great composers of yesterday did not give thought to the theory of today. As you said, it is a way of teaching and describing what they did, but they were not actively thinking about it when they did it. Beethoven did not say "I'm going to use a neopolitan 6th chord", it was just common practice. Bach did not avoid parallel 5th or octaves when writing his chorales, it was just common practice at the time to do so. The theory of today describes the writing of yesterday, and therefore rarely has impact on the creative mind of the great composers of today (unless they are emulating an older style).
No, I find nothing wrong with music theory. The problem is often it is taught as "this is what all the great composers were thinking. If you want to write great music, you better follow it too." And that I believe, is entirely wrong.
Also, it must be noted for clarification (though I'm sure not for you ace, as you already clearly know this) that the great composers of yesterday did not give thought to the theory of today. As you said, it is a way of teaching and describing what they did, but they were not actively thinking about it when they did it. Beethoven did not say "I'm going to use a neopolitan 6th chord", it was just common practice. Bach did not avoid parallel 5th or octaves when writing his chorales, it was just common practice at the time to do so. The theory of today describes the writing of yesterday, and therefore rarely has impact on the creative mind of the great composers of today (unless they are emulating an older style).