What is Music?
Before I go into the answer to that rather large question, I would
like to say that my teaching method is somewhat unorthodox, and
has been frowned upon by some teachers. Their main complaint is
that
I don't emphasize enough the importance of reading and writing
notation. My answer to that is that if I don't know how myself,
how on earth could I teach it? What I can do is play the guitar.
Have a listen to some of my playing to hear for yourself. I also
know that under any circumstances OTHER than reading musical notation,
I
do just fine. I play on many, many recording sessions. I have no
problem following chord charts and fleshing out an appropriate
guitar part for it. If I'm asked to play a solo over any chord
structure, I have no problem coming up with version after version.
I can 'see' music in my mind's eye and I can relate it to what
I hear in my head and then to the fretboard. I understand the grammar
of music, I just can't write it down. (In fact I can, it just takes
me so long that I don't feel qualified to say that I do).
I also know that there are thousands upon thousands of people
out there who would love to be able to play the guitar and make
some kind of music without having to learn a whole new language.
Too serious. No fun. If you're one of them, then this site is for
you. Consider it just another perspective on this thing we call
music; if there's anything here that clicks with your way of thinking,
help yourself to it. I've always liked to have a mental picture
of complicated subjects, and mine, on music, is presented for you
here.
One more time for any frowners: I wish I could read music but
I don't. I agree that it would be better to be able to read than
not, but I also believe that it's the making of music rather than
the notating of it that's important, and that implying to beginners
that you MUST read music is plain wrong. I'm living proof.
OK. Here goes. What is music?
• Music is a system with rules and regulations.
• Its raw ingredients are sound and time.
• The basic units of sound are notes.
• The basic units of time are beats.
Let's first have a look at notes  | 
