This is where I get pompous, arrogant and downright snooty and play devil's advocate.

I have a lot of issues with the extremely young kids these days and music lessons. Nobody learns "music" anymore. Nobody learns the chord wheel, nobody learns how to read, nobody learns theory. They all know where the "Start" button is that plays other people's work. I was in a music store last fall and there was one of those speedburner losers playing hammer-ons all up and down the neck of a Les Paul. When he was finishing impressing himself I sarcastically said "Cool. Now can you show me a B flat major 7th?" I can't post his reply here or I'd be banned.

When I started in April of 1955 at 4 yrs and 10 months of age, I was not permitted to sit at the piano for 6 weeks. I sat at a chalkboard looking at a music staff and a plastic keyboard mock up. He would point to a line or a space and I had to show him the right key on the fake keyboard. I had to know what 1 flat meant, and 2 sharps..... I had to identify where the half steps and whole steps were on a keyboard for the different key signatures. I had to know chord formulas for major, minor, 7th, diminished...

None of that happens anymore. Kids take lessons and learn songs, not music. That is sad.

The band I play the annual reunion shows with now is 10 pieces. 7 of those 10 have music degrees. It is such a joy to play with schooled musicians who understand the theory of why things happen.

Now, obviously, experience is a great teacher as well, and this doesn't take away from the value of playing for many years. My point is that every house has to have a solid foundation, and formal training is that foundation.

So, to the original poster, I would take some of your budget, find a good teacher to teach you theory, and take that framework and develop it. BIAB is a GREAT product and a GREAT tool, but it is a LOT easier to use BIAB when you know from theory what chords relate to each other, time signatures, chord voicing, transposition, etc....

Just my dime and what worked for me.

Last edited by eddie1261; 04/14/11 03:55 PM.
I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.

1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.