The other day I was torturing one my students with an element of theory.  She didn’t look happy about it.

I’ve seen wet cats look happier.  

In my usual way, I blathered on and one and on about the point and what it meant and why it was important and how it could inform playing.  You know, the usual.

Her eyes glazed over.

The learning had to be salvaged (because contrary to popular belief, I really do not do this to torture anyone, but rather to prime the pump). 

So, I followed all those words, thoughts, and deeds with this,

“Don’t worry – you’re not going to remember any of that anyway”

And I meant it (I’m motivational like that).

Recently I decided that my piano technique needed woodshedding.  So I broke out a couple of books that I loathe – but keep, because, like Kaopectate, Mercurochrome, or VapoRub, they are horrid, but serve a purpose.  In the margin, in the hand of my teacher, are notes that I’d forgotten about.  They were all theory elements, put there to help me learn.

She had the right end of that stick!  She didn’t teach theory by rote out of a book.  Her point was that it will all come in good time – learning the rules by using them.  She told me things and left them to marinate.  I hadn’t realized until then how much of my teaching I had learned from her!

Because I dump a lot of theory into heads, knowing that it may not (yet) be comprehensible.  But also knowing that, while most of it will flow in one ear and out the other, little bits will stick.  You know, like glitter.  But you won’t even know it’s there, marinating, waiting for the time when it will all make sense.

In its own good time, other bits of theory glitter will also stick.  It will be a gradual process (like the formation of sedimentary rock).  But as time passes – learning, playing, picking up more glitter – some of the glitter will catch the light.

And suddenly, some arcane theory thing I droned on and on and on about in the past will, in a flash of glittery brilliance, become an insight with clarity and usefulness!

And I’m ok with that.  Because developing your own insight in a glittery flash may require a good long time, but it will be more meaningful – and sensible – than if you had memorized a bunch of theory facts.

There will be things that become understandable rather quickly and easily.  And other things will take (what feels like) eons.  Those things will make you work for it, tease you into thinking you’ve got it before kicking sand in your face, before suddenly it catches the light, glints and then clicks and makes sense.

That’s ok.  Remember, there are loads of things in theory you might never learn (because you won’t use them, or they don’t apply to your instrument (I give you alto clef as an example)).  So you might not develop an encyclopedic knowledge of music theory.  Oh well.

What you will get – all in good time – is a strong understanding of the rules you can use.

In a steady stream of content that may seem incomprehensible, your brain becomes primed to learn something useful now, and a little more later when the pieces begin to click together like legos.

So hang in there, keep learning, and feel free to marinate.  I’ll keep telling you stuff and you’ll get there – all in good time.  DO you have a theory thing still eludes you?  Or an insight that came, like the glint of glitter?  I’d love to hear about it in the comments!