Music theory basically refers to the basic elements that make up music, which include melody, harmony, pitch, rhythm, texture, and structure. This is usually taught by first introducing the basics such as naming rhythmic values and how to write them. More complex concepts such as modes, chords, key signatures, and scales are taught in next levels. Identifying formal structures such as fugue, binary, and ternary forms are also part of a more advanced theory curriculum.

You may think that you don’t really need to study all these things if you already know how to play an instrument, but an understanding of how music is put together can help you a lot as a musician. As a matter of fact, knowledge about the building blocks of music-the notes, scales, and chords-is what separates a true musician from someone who merely knows how to play an instrument or sing a song.

Benefits of Learning Theory

Composing your own songs will require you to read and write musical notes, which are all part of music theory. How else are you supposed to put on paper all those amazing ideas if you can’t write them down by using the right symbols such as notes, flats, and sharps? Plus, a basic knowledge on melody and harmony is also important if you want to create your own music. After all, composing a song or piece means arranging notes and chords that will sound good together. So if you want to pursue a career in music, you must realize that basic understanding of theory is essential.

Knowing the basics will also help you appreciate music better. If you have a favorite song or piece, wouldn’t you be a bit curious as to how the music was arranged? Whether your favorite musician is a classic legend or a contemporary artist, analyzing the structure of their musical creations will require a bit of theory.

Studying theory will also expose you to the different music genres and styles such as Classical, Romantic, and Baroque. This is very important since the foundation of Western music is greatly influenced by the works of geniuses such as Mozart (Classical), Johann Sebastian Bach (Baroque), and Ludwig Van Beethoven (Romantic).

Tips When Studying Theory Behind Music

Now studying how music is put together doesn’t have to be a boring or difficult task. You just need to find yourself a good teacher and some reliable references that can help you understand the basic concepts. The kind of theory education that’s best for you will ultimately depend on your goals. If you just want to learn how to play an instrument, sticking to the basics is enough. But if you want to become a professional musician, you need to have a more rigorous study plan.

Joining a class or having private lessons on music theory gives you a chance to work with a mentor who can easily answer your questions about difficult concepts. He or she can also incorporate activities, practice pieces, exercises, and games that can make the learning process fun and exciting. So, if you want to fully appreciate how music is created, start looking for programs with music theory in their curriculum today.

Most people refer to betting on horses as Gambling, while the same people will refer to betting on the stock market as Investing.. These days the stock market may appear to be more of a gamble than horses. If you break it down and really consider what one is doing when they invest in the stock market it really begins to resemble gambling in the truest sense of the word. Whether you are a buy and hold investor or a day trader you are “betting” that a particular stock or conglomerate of stocks will go up or down. If they do you “win” more money. However if these stocks do not, you loose money.

Buy and hold investors buy stocks or mutual funds they believe will go up over a period of time; usually a significant amount of time. The return on this type of investment is typically quite small, most of the time in the single digit percentage. Then you must consider inflation and what you could have done with that money while it was ever so slowly “growing” in value. This type of investing is quickly finding is way out of the mainstream investing world. The new school of thought is the timing system. This type of stock market investing relies on buying and selling based on a timing strategy. Usually an investor will buy and hold a stock or conglomerate of stocks for a couple days or weeks, then sell at the perceived optimal time. An investor can attempt to devise a timing system on their own, but this can be very time consuming and somewhat overwhelming. In recent years many timing systems have found there way to the internet. They are typically membership sites that range in cost from $10-20/month to a couple hundred dollars. The subscribers will receive buy and sell signals, usually via and email, advising the subscriber when to buy and when to sell. Many of these programs have proven to produce a much higher return on investment.

Now, look at the day trader, or someone who trades stocks at a much accelerated pace; usually buying and selling many times within the same day, then they really begin to fall into the “gambling” category. Day traders will buy or sell stocks in hopes that they will turn a quick profit. They can be seen watching the tickers with great anticipation and will cheer and root on their selected position, very reminiscent of a horse player rooting on his selected horse. Day traders can turn a quick profit as can a horse player. Still, day trading can be quite risky and you need to have significant time and resources at your disposal. The returns for day traders can be significant, if you are lucky and have a tremendous amount of time to research. However the losses can be just as significant and swift.

Now we look at betting on horses or handicapping horses. I believe it could more accurately referred to as investing in horse racing. With proper knowledge and possibly some help from software packages or handicapper’s picks one can make a more consistent return on investment. Knowledgeable handicappers can consistently get an ROI that ranges from 20-35%! That sounds pretty good when considering you can let your money sit in the stock market and hope for a measly 8% return, which in this economic climate may never happen. There are many resources available to potential investors in horse racing. Horse racing does not need to be a “gamble”. In recent years there have been many programs and pick systems that can greatly increase one’s odds of faring better at the tracks. However, these are not the end all when it comes to betting on horses. A potential horse player needs to take the time to educate themselves on how horse racing and betting is done. The internet is full of valuable resources one could use to begin educating themselves on horse racing and the horse racing culture. It is an exciting and fun way to invest one’s money, but one that should be taken with great care. It is highly advised that potential horse investors take advantage of all the resources available to them before beginning to wager.