What do I need to know?

Q: Do I need to read music?

A: You don’t need to be able to read music to get started but it would be of help. None the less, learning by ear is often revered as the best way of learning. Many famous musicians could not read music and some traditions don’t read music as dots on a five-line staff. But it will help you progress faster and further if you know how to read music even if only at a basic level.

Q: Do I need to know music theory?

A: No. You don’t need to know any music theory but you will indeed learn some. This is nothing to fear. Please understand that music theory is simply a way to put words to what our ears like, that is to say, what works musically. Our ear comes first! We can’t expect theory to teach us what we can’t hear and make sense of. But when we theoretically learn of something that piques our curiosity, our ear can be moved to learn more.

Q: Will I need to know how to play my instrument?

A: Yes. You will need to know how to play, at least having a basic facility on your instrument. We do not teach instrumental or vocal technique. There are many resources available for that. If you already have a teacher or another learning method and run into any contradiction with what you learn here, the first thing to do is talk with your teacher. Then talk to us. We usually defer to your current teacher but often there is either a misunderstanding or a simple adjustment in perspective that is needed.