Music Theory - AKA #1 Reason Why People Quit Pursuing Music

[redBadger]

Recently, I have been taking music theory classes. To my amazement, there is so much more to music than black dotes on a page, or whatever you use to create music with. Whether you are using a tool like FLStudio or a music notation software program like Sibelius, Music Theory can be, and should be, applied to everything you do in music.

I'm making this thread not only to benefit everyone who browses this forum, but also myself. So enough with introductions, let us begin with the very basics!

[release][release][h2]The Staff, Clefs, and Ledger Lines[/h2]

A [B]staff[/B] is the foundation upon which notes are drawn. Our contemporary staff consists of [B]five lines[/B] and [B]four spaces[/B]. Every space or line on the staff represents a white key on the keyboard. [B]Clefs[/B] are used to indicate the pitch of written notes. Basically, they assign individual notes to certain lines or spaces. The two clefs most commonly known are the [B]Treble Clef[/B] and the [B]Bass Clef[/B].

[thumb]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/094c902dc42cddf8c7e7d5f888c60cefb3f6e755/v2/stills/lesson10_190.png[/thumb]

Let's start off by discussing the [B]Treble Clef[/B]. The [B]Treble Clef[/B] is also known as the [B]G Clef[/B]. The line on this staff which the clef wraps around is known as G, hence the name '[B]G Clef[/B]'. The space above 'G' is 'A'. Remember that the music alphabet consists of 7 notes. There is no 'H' note. The note on the line above 'A' is 'B'. The process continues until we run out of lines or spaces to place our notes on. This is where [B]Ledge Lines[/B] come in.

[thumb]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/dcd4dec79dfb98ca5cbe5e750327f9280467dcf8/v2/stills/lesson10_250.png[/thumb]

A [B]Ledger Line[/B] is a small line that extends the staff, should we happen to run out of room to write notes on. One ledger line added to the top of the staff will allow the placement of an 'A' or a 'B'. If I wanted to add a 'C' or D' above the staff, I'd need two ledger lines. One ledger line below the staff would make that note a 'C'.

[thumb]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/5c04a2d970503aede2c2d29c84e648d8f8fbcf21/v2/stills/lesson10_330.png[/thumb]

[QUOTE][B]Note[/B]: Just because a ledger line appears really far from the staff does not mean it is a different note. On the top of the staff, one ledger line will [B]ALWAYS[/B] be an 'A', no matter where it is placed. Same concept goes for below the staff. No matter how far of a distance one ledger line is from the staff, it will [B]ALWAYS[/B] be a 'C'. (In Treble Clef) [/QUOTE]

[thumb]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/b904b53779a4fbf5f9b2a22e2ae7e246666fd6ad/v2/stills/lesson10_350.png[/thumb]

Now let's talk about the [B]Bass Clef[/B]. This clef is also known as the [B]F Clef[/B]. The line in-between the two dots on the clef is an 'F'. From here, you should have understanding on where the notes go on both Bass and Treble Clefs. Know both of the clefs well. Here is a chart depicting the locations of all the notes in the treble and bass clefs:

[IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d3/Bass_and_Treble_clef.svg/269px-Bass_and_Treble_clef.svg.png[/IMG]

Lastly, I want to talk about the [B]Grand Staff[/B]. It is a theoretical staff consisting of eleven lines. When the middle line of a Grand Staff is eliminated, we come up with two regular staffs. The two clefs are joined by the C, also known as [B]Middle C[/B].

[IMG]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/2d9cf84780632ca13c8cb82fb92e6f0b392f942b/v2/stills/lesson10_441.png[/IMG]

After reading, take this same lesson [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/10"]here[/URL] for a visual representation of the lesson. [B]THIS IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED[/B].[/release]

[release][h2]Note Duration[/h2]

The length of time that a note is played is called [B]note duration[/B], which is determined by the type of note.

The [B]Whole Note[/B] has the longest note duration in modern music.

[thumb]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/400149b86f043e1d3c6b4143f72117b40ebfdf56/v2/stills/lesson11_40.png[/thumb]

The [B]Half Note[/B] is half the duration of a whole note. Two half note's occupy the same amount of time as a single whole note.

[thumb]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/b27bf1d327f2e9958361d155b8d575874db6b23d/v2/stills/lesson11_60.png[/thumb]

The [B]Quarter Note[/B] is a fourth (or a quarter) of a whole note. Four quarter note's occupy the same amount of time as a single whole note. Two quarter notes occupy the same amount of time as a half note.

[thumb]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/1778e95874ddbb32cb37689b83241bf2324b3f5c/v2/stills/lesson11_100.png[/thumb]

Notes in a smaller duration have flags on the stem. Each flag halves the value of the note. An [B]Eighth Note[/B] has one flag, therefore, it occupies the same amount of time as a quarter note. A Sixteenth Note has two flags, having the duration again. Two sixteenth notes equal the duration of one eighth note. Four sixteenth notes occupy the same amount of duration as a quarter note. Some notes use three or more flags, however, they are seldom used.

You can review this lesson in greater detail [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/11"]here[/URL].

[QUOTE][B]Tip[/B]:
[IMG]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/37dd35d7d25366b413c6df8f0243259d5715736f/v2/stills/lesson11_261.png[/IMG][/QUOTE][/release]

[release][h2]Measures and Time Signatures[/h2]

Vertical black bars inside the staff are called [B]bar lines[/B]. They separate a piece of music into [B]measures[/B].
[B]Time signatures[/B] define the amount and type of notes that each measure contains. For example, the measure below is in 4/4 time. The first measure contains four quarter notes.

[IMG]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/8b8af03c2d572e9cb50e34b6251e5565e6f9348f/v2/stills/lesson12_80.png[/IMG]

The second measure, which is in 3/4, contains three quarter notes instead of four:

[IMG]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/d11c5965870f4abeddab671e24bfe74dda9e06df/v2/stills/lesson12_100.png[/IMG]

There are also non-quarter-note time signatures, for example, 6/8 and 3/2.
6/8 time contains six eighth notes. 3/2 time contains three half notes. More can be read [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/12"]here[/URL].

[IMG]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/a8610f6965bd133df83b2b23a0345d191a1c6132/v2/stills/lesson12_140.png[/IMG]
[IMG]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/1fdc2a2dcca99339c7ae9728a212d4ce0e6d9287/v2/stills/lesson12_160.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE][B]Tip:[/B]
4/4: 4 beats in a measure, quarter note gets the beat.
3/4: 2 beats in a measure, quarter note gets the beat.
6/8: 6 beats in a measure, eighth note gets the beat.
9/8: 9 beats in a measure, eighth note gets the beat.
3/2: 3 beats in a measure, half note gets the beat.
2/2: 2 beats in a measure, half note gets the beat. [/QUOTE][/release]

[release][h2]Rest Duration[/h2]

[B]Rests[/B] represent a period of silence in a measure.

I won't go over rests too much. If you know how to write out normal notes, you can figure out how to write rests. Use the picture below as a guide:

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/49b46f7d8fa0548f9546ef99a7c6f08428d2f35e/v2/stills/lesson13_40.png[/img]

Notice how the eighth and sixteenth rests have flags on them. The flags, once again, halves the value of the note.
If you wish to pursue the lesson further, check out the lesson [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/14"]here[/URL].

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/e5cfea0314572454739ec54ff8fb836d94cf2711/v2/stills/lesson13_481.png[/img]

[quote][B]Tip:[/B]
Rests can be just as loud as regular sound. No piece of music you write should have constant sound throughout. A performer will get tired quickly if he or she has no time to rest. Throw in occasional rests in your music, but not too frequently. Move the melody to another part to allow the previous part time to rest. Brass quintets tend to use this strategy, alternating the melody between the two trumpet parts. If you're using something like FLStudio, the listener will get tired listening to the same sound perform the same melody. Remember that rests are just as powerful as sound.[/quote][/release]

[release][h2]Dots and Ties[/h2]

[B]Augmentation dots[/B] and [B]tenuto ties[/B] are two types of markings used to alter a note's duration.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/cfde76079397853d3a6b9c9075f399a5041dc667/v2/stills/lesson14_20.png[/img]

Dots increase the duration of a note by 1/2. Since an eighth note is half the duration of a quarter note, think of the duration of a quarter note plus the duration of an eighth note. It can also be three eighth notes.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/df9c186b0c99ce715f64854e436330c8c9732eed/v2/stills/lesson14_60.png[/img]

[quote][B]Adding a dot does NOT add half a beat. This is a common misconception.[/B][/quote]

A dot added onto a half note would make the duration of that note three beats. Since the half note equals 2 beats, and the dot adds half of the duration of that half note, you add the 2 beats plus 1 beat to make three.

Typically, you will note see a note with two or three dots. I won't go over three dots since it is theoretically possible, but rarely used. Two dots is 1 and 3/4 the duration of a note. Think of 1 + 1/2 + 1/4 = 2 - 1/4 = 1 3/4.

Ties merge two or more notes of the same pitch. They are used to extend the duration of sound without created space between the notes. They are held out for however many beats is presented. They are also used to let the duration of a note travel across barriers.

To further reading, click [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/14"]here[/URL].

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/11cf313e6829e63deda8712f2f2c7a5652172656/v2/stills/lesson14_260.png[/img]

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/a346f12a52ee4c52376696d58c3303198bc404ac/v2/stills/lesson14_321.png[/img][/release]

[release][h2]Steps and Accidentals[/h2]

A [B]half step[/B] is the distance from one key on the keyboard to the next adjacent key. For example, if you were on middle C, the next half-step up would be the very first black key on it's right (which is a C# or Db). A half step is not always from a white key to a black key. There are two instances where this exception occurs: from '[B]E'[/B] to [B]'F'[/B] and from [B]'B'[/B] to [B]'C'[/B].
A [B]whole step[/B] is the distance of two combined half steps. Middle C to the first D on it's right would be an example of a single whole step.

An [B]accidental[/B] is a sign used to raise or lower the pitch of a note. The two main accidentals you should know are [B]sharps[/B] and [B]flats[/B].

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/bd5e599caf8313442759c85edc51169c2ba8c19f/v2/stills/lesson20_240.png[/img]

A [B]flat[/B] lowers a note by a single half step. For example, putting a flat on a G would lower it half step, making it Gb. It's the same sound as F#, but theoretically, it is not the same note. A [B]sharp[/B] raises a note by a single half step. For example, putting a sharp on a G would raise it a half step, making it G#. It's the same sound as Ab, but theoretically, it is not the same note.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/8ce0f1e60ef4f4855cc720cf30f8f2bae4501bc2/v2/stills/lesson20_280.png[/img]
[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/8cb490d9d22ebdb2e750df3da727b14b1fbaf259/v2/stills/lesson20_300.png[/img]

Finally, let's talk about [B]double sharps[/B] and [B]double flats.[/B] While flats and sharps alter a note by a half step, double sharps and flats alter the note by a whole step. While they are not commonly used, they are still important to know and understand. When typing, you can use 'x' to represent a double sharp and 'bb' to represent a double flat.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/ae47ed3a6a9df785532b8c9f7eee725ceb2fa643/v2/stills/lesson20_360.png[/img]

The note's Ebb and D have the same pitch, because an Ebb lowers the note a whole step. Likewise, an Ex has the same pitch as an F#, because it is a single whole step away.

Lastly, there are [B]naturals[/B], which cancel out any accidentals.

Theoretically, you can add more than two flats or sharps onto a note, but they are rarely seen in a piece of music. For example, an Ebbb would be the same pitch as a C#. But again, I've yet to see a modern piece of music with three or more flats.

For more reading, click [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/20"]here[/URL].

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/cfdf6f9b0e042477d9d4a7aca8d0c20a80c13644/v2/stills/lesson20_460.png[/img]

[quote][B]Tip:[/B]
An Fb is the same E natural. An E# is the same as F natural. A Cb is the same as a B natural. A B# is the same as a C natural. These are notes that take a second or two to process before you can actually figure out what it really is. Technically, they are the same notes. Theoretically, they are not. The reason one of those notes would be used is because of chords, which will be detailed in a later lesson.[/quote]
[/release][/release]

This ends the basics portion of Music Theory. I feel like I shouldn't have included this section, but at the same time, I do. Even I didn't know some of this super-basic information until just recently. Most those reading, however, should already know most of the information contained in the basics section.

Next, a little more basic lessons. This one is shorter, but is still necessary for determining the feel of a piece of music. When you tap your foot, how can you tell if it's 4/4 or 12/8. I'll also include tips on how to understand odd meters, like 9/8 or 7/8.

[release][release][h2]Simple and Compound Meter[/h2]

Each time signature can be classified into a certain meter. The terms [B]duple[/B], [B]triple[/B], and [B]quadruple[/B] refer to the number of beats in a measure. The term simple means that each of these beats can be broken into two notes. For example, 2/4 time is classified as [B]simple duple[/B]. Duple refers to the two beats in the measure.

“Simple” states that each of these beats can be divided into two notes. Another example of simple duple' s are 2/2 and 2/8.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/2f1d8bc2abd5f7ae51b229667b66bbe232744ff5/v2/stills/lesson15_80.png[/img]

3/4 is classified as [B]simple triple[/B]. 3/2 and 3/8 are also simple triple. Triple refers to the three beats in a measure, and simple means that each beat can be divided into two notes.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/a6165112a1f45e81da198246575cf6da34aa9138/v2/stills/lesson15_180.png[/img]

4/4 time is classified as simple quadruple due to its four beats which can be divided into two notes. 4/2 and 4/8 are also simple quadruples.

All these simple time signatures have something in common. Can you guess? They all have the number '2' as the top number.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/d8a216ba270475e69ad7cf355f2d6b7f1a4ba779/v2/stills/lesson15_221.png[/img]

While beats in simple meter are divided into two notes, beats in compound meter are divided into three. For example, 6/8 and 3/8. Since the simple triple pattern already belongs to 3/4 time, 6/8 is compound duple. Any time signature with a 6 on top is compound duple. 6/8 and 6/4 are the most commonly used.
In a compound meter, the notes can be divided into either three beats or two beats, as shown in the image below:

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/018b5c8f60edadae38bdb9f0f54d02ada33b908f/v2/stills/lesson15_280.png[/img]

9/8 time is classified as compound triple. There are three beats (three dotted quarter notes), thus making the meter triple. Any time signature with a 9 on top is compound triple. Although 9/8 is the most common; 9/2, 9/4, and 9/16 can also be used.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/098ac51ad59f4151275cb3af91e6bbbcbc69c496/v2/stills/lesson15_400.png[/img]

Finally, 12/8 time is classified as compound quadruple. Since each beat is made up of three notes, the meter is compound. Any time signature with a 12 on top is compound quadruple. 12/8 and 12/16 are the most commonly used.

[img]http://www.musictheory.net/v2c/210f36c1b5029268de24b0012a335dbcd329b64a/v2/stills/lesson15_480.png[/img]
[/release][/release]

Might as well have content in the OP if I plan on continuing it.

[Yur|ko]

Why didn't you just let it be?

I'm curious about what was in here.

[thisispain]

the #1 reason people quit pursuing music is actually because it doesn't ever pay enough to live on.

[Yur|ko]

[QUOTE=thisispain;32694889]the #1 reason people quit pursuing music is actually because it doesn't ever pay enough to live on.[/QUOTE]
no, it must be music theory you're bulshitting me

[rinoaff33]

I thought most people stopped pursuing music because they're not dedicated enough to practice and be able to adequately play an instrument.

[Schmoe]

[QUOTE=rinoaff33;32707247]I thought most people stopped pursuing music because they're too lazy to practice enough to be able to adequately play an instrument.[/QUOTE]

I doubt that's the reason. If you love music enough to plan on going into it then you're going to practice writing and playing it. If you aren't doing that then you probably aren't pursuing a career in music anyway. I'd expect it's more along the lines of what thisispain said: there's not a lot of fields in music that pay steady money that you can sustain yourself on.

[thisispain]

[QUOTE=rinoaff33;32707247]I thought most people stopped pursuing music because they're too lazy to practice enough to be able to adequately play an instrument.[/QUOTE]

pff tell that to sonic youth they still can't play guitars for shit. still made excellent albums.

[killa101]

i know shit all about music theory and i'm still driving

although i am most likely taking a uni course on music theory next year

[Croix]

[QUOTE=Schmoe222;32707342]I doubt that's the reason. If you love music enough to plan on going into it then you're going to practice writing and playing it. If you aren't doing that then you probably aren't pursuing a career in music anyway. I'd expect it's more along the lines of what thisispain said: there's not a lot of fields in music that pay steady money that you can sustain yourself on.[/QUOTE]

I kind of do disagree, I had a guitar and i was shit with it, but I love making electronic anyway

[Schmoe]

[QUOTE=Croix;32711864]I kind of do disagree, I had a guitar and i was shit with it, but I love making electronic anyway[/QUOTE]

Sorry if I wasn't clear, I should've said writing [b]or[/b] playing it. I count creating electronic music as writing music.

[redBadger]

I was making a thread with a ton of information and lessons in it, when I realized that I was basically wasting my time and I gave up on it. I hit 'preview' to see what it would look like before I gave up and instead, I hit submit so I was stuck with a half complete thread with only basic theory information contained inside. I sniped it before anyone could see what I had complete so far.

I don't see too many people who browse the forum so I thought that I might as well stick to the discussion thread.

Rate useful if I should continue with the thread or optimistic if I should scrap the thread.

[Cypher_09]

That's fair enough.

[Abrown516]

I'm taking theory because I don't feel like I'm learning enough about music in band class.

[Peppermint]

Another big reason is musicians quit pursuing music because they don't know the right people in the industry and they end up going around in circles.
Sad true I'm afraid.

[HazeFyer23]

The world of music is tough indeed

[HumanHighway]

My personal opinion on that is if you're creating music to try and forge a career out of it or for monetary gain, then you're doing it for the wrong reasons. I really like this one quote by Danny Carey (The drummer from Tool/Pigmy Love Circus) as it pretty much sums up everything I believe...

"If you are playing music to get signed, please do me, yourself, and the whole world a favor and quit right now. The last thing this world needs is more shit to filter through when we are looking for sincerity and inspiration in art forms. If you are playing in a band in your local scene and not developing a following, then you don't have a voice or a message that needs to be heard. That's not to say you should quit. You should just quit trying to please other people and play for yourself. Tool only played 7 gigs before the sharks were circling, looking for fresh meat to rob and exploit. The reason for this was every time we played, our friends went home and told their friends about the next gig, who told their friends about the next gig etc. until by the time we had done 5 shows, the clubs we were playing in were packed. You either have a chemistry that taps into the current or you don't. There is nothing wrong with playing heart felt music that is not trendy or popular but there is nothing worse than someone bastardizing or compromising their art for the sake of popularity and money."

[Pepin]

I don't buy into this whole notion that you shouldn't try to make money off your music. If you're good at it, you should make a living off of it. Do it for the money if you are able. It is just like any other skill or craft, you produce something that people like and purchase.

Now the notion of getting into music to make money is a bit silly. It's a bit similar becoming an electrical engineer to make money. Not everyone has the mathematical ability required to become an engineer, and if you struggle with understanding algebra, there's not much of chance you're going to get to even comprehend calc III and differential equations. My point is that it only makes sense to try to make a career out of it if you have musical skill.

[Hakita]

[QUOTE=Pepin;32745686]I don't buy into this whole notion that you shouldn't try to make money off your music. If you're good at it, you should make a living off of it. Do it for the money if you are able. It is just like any other skill or craft, you produce something that people like and purchase.[/QUOTE]
I think they mean making music [B]JUST[/B] for money.
Aka, selling out.

[HumanHighway]

[QUOTE=Pepin;32745686]I don't buy into this whole notion that you shouldn't try to make money off your music. If you're good at it, you should make a living off of it. Do it for the money if you are able. It is just like any other skill or craft, you produce something that people like and purchase.

Now the notion of getting into music to make money is a bit silly. It's a bit similar becoming an electrical engineer to make money. Not everyone has the mathematical ability required to become an engineer, and if you struggle with understanding algebra, there's not much of chance you're going to get to even comprehend calc III and differential equations. My point is that it only makes sense to try to make a career out of it if you have musical skill.[/QUOTE]

That's not really the message of the statement, though. Tool signed with a label and no doubt have made a fair amount of money through their recording and touring. It's not saying it's immoral/unartistic to make some money out of your music, it's saying that actively trying to get signed by compromising your artistic integrity for a quick buck is a really stupid thing to be doing.

[Loompa Lord]

[QUOTE=HumanHighway;32746513]That's not really the message of the statement, though. Tool signed with a label and no doubt have made a fair amount of money through their recording and touring. It's not saying it's immoral/unartistic to make some money out of your music, it's saying that actively trying to get signed by compromising your artistic integrity for a quick buck is a really stupid thing to be doing.[/QUOTE]

Couldn't agree more. I love playing, singing, and writing my own songs on guitar as an outlet for expression and calming my anxieties. For this reason, I decided at a young age that a Performance major in college would be perfect for me. Boy was I wrong..
About a year into my formal theory training, my anxiety was at an all time high for me. I felt compressed; like I had to compete with the other students to comp lead sheets and it made me hate guitar. I ended up quitting guitar for almost a year after a good 5 years of steady playing.

Luckily I was able to pull myself out of that rut and ultimately, redefine what I wanted to do as a career. Now I attend guitar lutherie school and after that I will attend an orchestral oriented lutherie class for violins etc. I eventually want to work my way up to brass instrument restoration and construction, but that's long down the road.

Now I only play guitar to please myself, pour out my heart and soul.
Of course the majority of people won't share the same experiences I did, but I thought I'd chime in.

And before anyone takes my post the wrong way, I'd just like to say that Yes, I did ultimately benefit from my theory training, but only in my abilities to convey sounds that are already in my head onto the fretboard. None of that, "well I think a lick in E Dorian would sound so cool here dude!"..

[redBadger]

I'll continue the thread as soon as I can. I'm very busy but I'll try to get something done by the end of the week.

[Pepin]

Be sure to do a better job than some of the stuff written on Ultimate Guitar. Some of that stuff messed me up for a while.

[Mr. Bleak]

I've started learning theory in a Music Appreciation class, but it's making me feel very inadequate. I want to learn bits and pieces of songs that I like so I can listen to them, play that part, and be like "I really enjoy this"

Music theory is making me want to learn chords just for the sake of knowing them... but I don't really know where to start or how it'll help.

[fenwick]

I IV V that's all you need to know.

It's a joke you guys.

[thisispain]

start by listening to music and understanding how a certain chord sounds or colours the music a certain way

[redBadger]

Added some of what I have done to the OP, just to add some color.

It's nowhere near done. I've still got chords, modes, scales, intervals, etc. Basically, it's just the basic shit you need to know so far.

The difficulty will start kicking in around scales. But so far, I feel like a little content is needed.

Most of the lessons, by the way, are taken from [url]www.musictheory.net[/url] and it also helped me provide a guideline to follow.

[editline]12th October 2011[/editline]

[QUOTE=Mr. Bleak;32751754]I've started learning theory in a Music Appreciation class, but it's making me feel very inadequate. I want to learn bits and pieces of songs that I like so I can listen to them, play that part, and be like "I really enjoy this"

Music theory is making me want to learn chords just for the sake of knowing them... but I don't really know where to start or how it'll help.[/QUOTE]

Have you tried analyzing a piece of music yet? [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/52"]Like those shitty four part stuff?[/URL]

[Schmoe]

[QUOTE=redBadger;32752032]Have you tried analyzing a piece of music yet? [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/52"]Like those shitty four part stuff?[/URL][/QUOTE]

To add to that, you could also check out imslp.org to find pieces to analyze. They have pretty much every piece of sheet music that's public domain.

[redBadger]

If you have alternate sites I could use besides musictheory.net, you're more than welcome to post them. I've been looking for other sites myself.

[Lord Pirate]

[QUOTE=fenwick;32751823]I IV V that's all you need to know.[/QUOTE]

You forgot vi.

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOlDewpCfZQ]I V vi IV for ultimate musical success.[/url]

[QUOTE=redBadger;32752032]Have you tried analyzing a piece of music yet? [URL="http://www.musictheory.net/lessons/52"]Like those shitty four part stuff?[/URL][/QUOTE]

Analysing chords in simple homophonic four part stuff like that is pretty easy once you get the hang of it and practice it a bit. The more you practice it, the quicker and easier it is to spot the constituents of a chord and it's relation to the progression. If you also study Harmony & Counterpoint, and harmonise Bach chorales and the like then it becomes a doddle but it's probably quite unnecessary to takes things that far unless you find that sort of thing interesting (or it's mandatory).

[Pepin]

Are you just copying and pasting the lessons, or you are using a similar layout?